For five years Alex Russell was the "Telegraph's" man in Africa. In this witty and informative book, he looks at Africa through his encounters with its Big Men. Each one represents a theme which has shaped Africa: Mobutu Sese Seko of Zaire, the "King of Kleptocracy" whose corruption crippled Zaire, Jonas Savimbi, the life-long guerrilla and symbol of the Cold War's destructive legacy on the continent, the quixotic Hastings Banda, the ultimate product of colonialism and Nelson Mandela, symbol of reconciliation and hope for an entire continent.;Despite Africa's 20th-century record, Russell detects signs of hope in the fledgling human rights troupe he encounters deep in the steamy heart of the Congolese jungle and in the group of journalist keeping Moi's tottering regime in Kenya on its toes.