Audio Book: Cecil John Rhodes.
Not many people get to have a country named after themselves but Cecil John Rhodes was such a man. An English-born businessman, mining magnate and South African politician, he was the founder of the diamond company De Beers. which today markets 40% of the world's rough diamonds and at one time almost controlled the whole market.
He was passionate colonialist in the true sense of the word. Although he never regarded accumulating wealth as a means to itself, Rhodes became extremely successful in that regard while attempting to fulfill his dreams which were, apart from 'painting the map red', to build a railway from the Cape to Cairo, to reconcile the Boers and the British under one flag (the Union Jack, of course) and claim the American colonies for the Empire. They led him on a successful political career, with a number of achievements, not least of which being Prime Minister of Cape Colony.
Love him or hate him he was a fascinating character during the time when all of the major European powers were attempting to expand their empires. Narrated by Peter Rollason, this audio book gives a brief history of the man and the times in which he lived.
|
