Imperial Reckoning

"Imperial Reckoning" by Caroline Elkins explores the largely untold story of how the British colonial government detained nearly the entire Kikuyu population of Kenya after World War II, during efforts to suppress the Mau Mau uprising. Based on extensive interviews and research, the book delves into the prison and work camp system that resulted in many deaths and the British efforts to erase records of these events. Recognized with the 2006 Pulitzer Prize for Nonfiction, the work offers a profound look at a pivotal moment in Kenya’s path toward independence and its wider implications for imperial history.