She Left Me the Gun: My Mother's Life Before Me

A journalist struggles to unearth the story of her mother's resilience and secrecy following an unbelievable childhood trauma in South Africa

“One day I will tell you the story of my life,” promises Emma Brockes's mother, “and you will be amazed.” Despite her mother's tales of a rustic childhood in South Africa and bohemian years in London, Brockes grew up knowing that some crucial pieces of the past were left unspoken. A mystery to her friends and family, Brockes's mother, Paula, was glamor...