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The Last Colony

A Tale of Exile, Justice and Britain’s Colonial Legacy

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The Last Colony

By: Philippe Sands, Martin Rowson
Narrated by: Adjoa Andoh, Philippe Sands
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FROM THE WINNER OF THE BAILLIE GIFFORD PRIZE and author of EAST WEST STREET

THE INSTANT SUNDAY TIMES BESTSELLER

'Should be read by anyone who cares about justice, humanity and human rights' Elif Shafak
'An essential account' Sunday Times
'Powerful and persuasive . . . superb' Abdulrazak Gurnah
'An urgent reminder that Britain's colonial rule isn't our past. It's our present' New Statesman
'An important [book]' Observer
'Elegant, moving and profoundly informative' The Scotsman

Through one woman's fight for justice, the award-winning author of East West Street exposes the shocking events that marked the 1965 establishment of the British Indian Ocean Territory. Written with Sands' characteristic expertise, insight and thrilling storytelling, The Last Colony lays bare the brutal legacy of colonial rule, the devastating impact of Britain's grip on its last colony in Africa and the ongoing struggle to right a historic wrong. Colonialism & Post-Colonialism Europe Great Britain Law Political Science Politics & Government Colonial Period Africa
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Critic reviews

Mindful of not only the stories but also the silences of the past, THE LAST COLONY is a powerful and poignant book that should be read by anyone who cares about justice, humanity and human rights. Rarely does a book combine erudition and empathy so eloquently - it is stellar in every sense of the word (ELIF SHAFAK)
The Chagossians were forced from their archipelago in the Indian Ocean in the 1970s, and Britain still refuses to hand it back. Human rights lawyer Philippe Sands relates the wider tragedy of the scandal with nerve and precision . . . [he] makes a steely and forensic case, laced with human empathy . . . an important and welcome corrective (Tim Adams)
A powerful and persuasive account . . . superb (ABDULRAZAK GURNAH)
Gripping . . . Sands writes fluently and passionately throughout, linking the story of the Chagossians to the wider narrative of the end of colonialism, and postwar attempts to codify and enforce the right of self-determination of peoples. Elegant, moving and profoundly informative
An important book about a great injustice - alas, the sins of our colonial fathers are still with us (HENRY MARSH)
Powerful and elegantly written . . . Sands uses the story of one Chagossian woman to tell a broader story about colonialism and international human rights from the 20th century to today. An essential account of a continuing and little-known area of injustice (Tomiwa Owolade)
A fascinating story which shows the personal and ongoing toll of colonial rule
Sands, who represented Mauritius at the International Court, is the right person to tell this story. He elegantly mixes a more general history of the development of international law, on which he knows as much as anyone, with the particular subject of the book
Brings a human touch to the story . . . Sands is a worthy and effective advocate
Interweaves personal stories with global politics and the development of international law . . . an urgent reminder that Britain's colonial rule isn't our past. It's our present
A devastating indictment of Britain's colonial past, exploring the decision to deport the entire population of Chagos in the 1960s. It recounts one courageous woman's four-decade fight for justice in the face of a crime against humanity, culminating in a courtroom drama at The Hague and a historic ruling
A resounding history, thrilling as any novel
All stars
Most relevant
Two things stand out:
1. Non-fiction can be told in an interesting intriguing and passionate way, so this is as riveting as many a novel.
2. Britain hasn't changed, it's still conniving, cunning, ruthless, immoral, and not only twists the narrative to suit its own aims, but lies lies lies.
A liar no longer knows what the truth is. And the latest imperialist empire lie: It's not the fault of Brexit that the UK is going down the swanny.
If you want to know the depths the UK will go to, listen to this amazing account.

For a non-fiction book, it reads like a novel

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The British empire (and everything bad about it) lives on in this tiny group of islands in the Indian Ocean. From Harold Wilson to Boris Johnson, the injustice drags on. Makes you ashamed to be British.

The empire lives on ...

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First, this is a really good book. It is gripping and brings the impact of colonialism, imperialism and international law to life.

My only small gripe was when the story of Madame Elyse was told it was in a really bad French accent - it was like listening to ‘Allo ‘Allo. It was really off putting.

Great story

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This is another great book by Philippe Sands. Sands tells an important story by weaving historical events together with legal developments in a way which is comprehensive but also comprehensible.

This audiobook is massively let down by the narration, though. The parts narrated by the author himself are good, but I really did not get on with the performance of the person who narrates the majority of the book. I wish she had narrated in her own voice rather than trying - and unfortunately failing - to pull off the many accents called for in the book. The 'Allo 'Allo style accents really broke the immersion in the story for me. In addition, she read every utterance from the 'baddies' of the piece as though they were cardboard villains. Evil and administrative evil are often banal; trying to portray everyone as a supercilious, stereotypical toff undermined the power of the words Sands wrote and the story he was trying to tell in my opinion. At points I found it hard to continue listening because the narration was so off-putting.

An important story let down by the narration

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Fantastic book, thoroughly enjoyed it. How to pursue justice through international law. Philippe Sands knows how to tell a story.

One of the best

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