My father never did get a pair of spectacles. Until the day he died, he used a magnifying glass. Thus opens the story of Kerem, former freedom fighter and exile. Like his father, who used a magnifying glass to examine the sculptures he carved with such care, Kerem scrutinises the key experiences of his life. A life set against one of the greatest continental upheavals of the 20th century: Africa extricating itself from colonial rule to embark on the slippery road of independence. Kerem traces the contours of his own past. With humour and passion he brings to life the full cast of the African struggle: from his parents, steeped in traditional values, to the engaging priest who knows more than he lets on, the corrupt new officials, and his British girlfriend. With longing he recalls his village childhood, which was he now realises, the best of times. A novel which sets out to personalise one of the greatest continental upheavals of the 20th century. With humour and passion it explores the life and key experiences of Kerem, a boy from a rural village in a mythical country in Southern Africa who joins the anti-government forces and later goes into exile. with colourful characters, the full cast of the African struggle: from Kerem's parents, saturated with traditional values, to the engaging priest who knows more than he lets on, the corrupt new officials and Kerem's British girlfriend, Rita. It's a powerful and tragic story, as Kerem returns from exile to see all he fought for corrupted. But in the bleak finale, the individual prevails.

In pre-colonial Namibia, Cornelia was a companion and niece of the Oorlam-Nama captain, Jan Jonker Afrikaner. Cornelia joined her uncle's men on commando in their territorial battles in Namibia (Damaraland and Namaland) during the 1860s. Her relationship with the young British trader, James Neave, was cut short when she died during an attack on Windhoek. One and a quarter centuries later, the ghost of Cornelia reveals herself to her relative, Julienne van Wyk, and from there onwards the events of the novel, which are set in the Namibian independence period of 1989 and include the growing relationship between Julienne and Simon, are partly guided by Cornelia.

Rivals at school and rivals in love, Kerem and Nozam take opposing paths during the war of liberation that ignites their country. When Kerem returns from exile, Sanomi, the love of his youth, leaves Nozam for Kerem and together they witness Nozam's disintegration and the betrayal of a nation's dreams.