About the Author

Mike Hoare was born in India of Irish seafaring stock, spent some of his early days in Ireland and was educated in England. He served in the British Army for seven years during World War 2 and was demobilised with the rank of major. He qualified as a chartered accountant in London after the war and emigrated to South Africa.

He is a strong believer in the doctrine of living dangerously to get the most out of life, and took to the African bush with enthusiasm. He has travelled extensively through Africa south of the Sahara and made a study of the Okavango delta in Botswana. He likes to refer to the Kalahari Desert as his spiritual home.

He commanded a unit of mercenary soldiers in Katanga in 1961, and another in the Congo in 1964 and 1965, saving the country from a communist-inspired rebellion and freeing hundreds of nuns, priests and others who had been taken hostage and abused by the Simba rebels.

After working as an accountant in the Far East he sailed a 100-ton Baltic trader around the Mediterranean Sea for three years with his family as crew.

In 1981 he led an unsuccessful coup against the marxist government of the Seychelles. After serving almost three years' imprisonment in South Africa, he embarked on a pilgrimage from France towards Santiago de Compostela in Spain accompanied by his two student sons. They walked over 800 km. He later spent nearly 20 years living in France.

He is firmly convinced that a spirit of adventure contributes to the building of character in young people, and leads to happiness and fulfilment in life.

He has four sons and a daughter, and is the author of six published books.

Soon to be published

Mike has almost completed a book of stories recalling his non-military adventures in Africa.