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Of Irish blood, Mike was schooled in England and, during World War 2, was the ‘best bloody soldier in the British Army’. He demobbed as major, qualified in London as a chartered accountant and emigrated to South Africa. Going rogue, he started living dangerously to get more out of life, including trans-Africa motorbike trips, blue-water sailing, exploring remote areas, and leading safaris in the Kalahari Desert. Here Mike got to know the CIA agent who was to change his life … and Nelson Mandela’s.
Later Mike was technical advisor to the film The Wild Geese, which starred Richard Burton playing the Mike Hoare character. In 1981 Mike led 50 ‘Frothblowers’ in a bid to depose the socialist government of the Seychelles. Things went wrong and soon Mike was to spend three years in jail for hijacking a Boeing 707. Here for the first time, in this story behind the story, Chris Hoare separates the man from the myth in a way only a son can, and concludes his ‘mad dad’ was an officer and a gentleman with a bit of pirate thrown in.
152x 230mm; 320pp.
Additional Information
| ISBN13/Barcode | 9780620798617 |
|---|---|
| ISBN10 | 0620798610 |
| Author | Chris Hoare |
| Binding | Paperback |
| Date Published | 10 Jan 2019 |
| Frequency | No |
| Report Date | N/A |
| Pages | 306 |
| Publisher | Blue Weaver Marketing |
Customer Reviews
- This very well written book brought back many memories of some very tough personal experiences from my childhood in Congo Review by Boyulu
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Of Irish decent I was born in Congo of missionary parents. At ten years of age in 1964 my family and I were taken hostage for months by the wild and very bloodthirsty Simba rebels. I saw and experienced some horrific thingsPrice Quality Value
On the 24th November my family and I were rescued by some of the men who were part of the mercenary led operation commanded by Mike Hoare. We owe them our lives and this bery well written book has been of great interest to me
I still live and work in the Congo with my wife. Congo still suffers .... (Posted on 11/02/2019) - A masterfully written life story of a quintessential officer and a gentleman with an insatiable thirst for adventure and challenge in post-war Africa. Review by Gerry
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A masterfully written life story of a quintessential officer and a gentleman with an insatiable thirst for adventure and challenge in post-war Africa. From solo expeditions by motor cycle and Land Rover, to combat in the war-torn former Belgian Congo, the life of the legend that is ‘Mad Mike’ Hoare is liberally interwoven with a rich plethora of personal and honest anecdotes from the man himself. Imbued with a panoply of remarkable photographs, this book, from cover to cover, makes for compulsive reading.Price Quality Value
Gerry van Tonder, author of military history, including Rhodesia Regiment 1899–1981 and North of the Red Line: Recollections of the Border War by Members of the SADF and SWATF 1966-1989.
(Posted on 07/02/2019) - Excellent read Review by Spence
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‘Mad’ Mike Hoare is most famous for his Congo exploits. Under his command, more civilians were saved during the years of barbarity following independence than under any other military leader, mercenary or otherwise.Price Quality Value
But his story is more than that. If ‘Mad’ Mike had been born in the 16th century, he would have sailed with Sir Francis Drake. Three centuries earlier, he would have explored with Marco Polo. He is the quintessential, timeless adventurer.
Without such men, who would rather be cold, wet and excited than warm, dry and bored, the world would be a far drabber place.
But what drives them?
This riveting book, elegantly written by his son Chris Hoare, provides the answers — if we know where to look.
Highly recommended.
Graham Spence, co-author of The Elephant Whisperer
(Posted on 07/02/2019)
