The Boy is Gone: Conversations with a Mau Mau General is a history of the struggle for Kenyan independence during the Mau Mau rebellion.The anti-colonial movement has been whitewashed and stigmatized throughout history. Laura Lee Huttenbach allows her readers to view a first-hand account of the events of the Mau Mau rebellion through General Japhlet Thambu’s oral history in The Boy is Gone. The General’s words provide an informative view of the rebellion and of his life before and since. During Huttenbach’s presentation, her fondness for the General and his family was evident. During the months she lived with the General and his family, she spoke with them, worked with them, and learned from them. All of these experiences culminate into her perspective of the General and in turn, ours.

Laura Lee Huttenbach has not only provided the experiences of a Mau Mau General, but also an understanding of where his words come from.