American Warlord by Johnny Dwyer is the story of an American teenager who eventually came to be the brutal dictator of Liberia. It's an amazing story, not so much for it's uniqueness as its banality. The horrific atrocities perpetrated by Chuckie Taylor in his role as head of Liberia's 'Anti-Terrorism Force' (ATF) appear in this context almost as an extreme extension of gang violence and are later the subject of his rap lyrics during his exile in Trinidad to avoid prosecution. The author's unobtrusive narrative style remains an engrossing personal story throughout, albeit the sheer volume of horrific torture scenes were hard to get through. The final segment of this seemingly unlikely story ends in a Miami courtroom where Chuckie is finally confronted with his crimes and the victims who suffered because of them.
4.1.17
American Warlord
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