On Monday 21 May 2018 after 25 years of research and writing, Susan Woodhouse launched her book – Garfield Todd The End of the Liberal Dream in Rhodesia at The Royal Scots Club in Edinburgh.
© Dave Johnston/ EEm
Garfield Todd was Prime Minister of Southern Rhodesia from 1953 until he was ousted in 1958 in a cabinet coup under pressure from the largely white electorate. By any standard, he was a great man – one who saw the need for a non-racial, multi-cultural society. A newspaper editorial at the time described him as the white politician most trusted by blacks, and said that his fall was ‘a severe blow to the forces of co-operation in this country’.
Garfield and his wife Grace were New Zealanders of Scottish stock, and came as Christian missionaries in 1934 to Southern Rhodesia, halfway through that country’s 90-year history. Their story covers a broad and fascinating 70-year spectrum of political and economic, social and educational development. The Todds became bywords for political tolerance and educational reform.
Susan Woodhouse worked for Garfield Todd for eight years, became a close family friend and had unparalleled access to personal documents. She has spent 25 years piecing together the unlikely story of his career from a wealth of archival sources and unpublished personal correspondence. This is the authorised biography – the story of the man, more than the politics of his era.
To purchase a copy of the book, please visit http://www.africanbookscollective.com/books/garfield-todd-the-end-of-the-liberal-dream-in-rhodesia or enquire at your local bookstore.