Book #395: My Friend The Mercenary (2010, James Brabazon)
Two books in one. The first part is about the author filming the civil war in Liberia with the aid of mercenary Nick De Toit. The second part is about the attempted coup to overthrow the government of Equatorial Guinea. The author did not participate in the coup but Nick De Toit did.
The first part makes compelling reading because it's a first person account of what was actually happening in Liberia in the early 2000s - and it's not pretty. Here the author has already lost his objectivity (he was supposed to be a journalist). In the second half of the book, the objectivity is totally gone as the author searches for reasons to exonerate Nick De Toit. However, to be fair, the author readily admits to his shortcomings.
In the end, although this Nick is a very slimy character, the author becomes his friend and ally because they both went through hell together. This becomes a much stronger bond than moral considerations.
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