The Lost Boys of Bird Island Paperback – January 1, 2018

I bought this book a couple of days ago, but I didn’t get time to sit down to read this book until today. I remembered that when I paid for this book, only three comments, there were more here today. I was so confused that several people stated the death of the author. Because I saw him on a tv program last week. I finally know what happened after seeing the news. What a tragedy! I am so sorry. He was an honest and brave man with a dear soul and a heart of philanthropism. RIP Mark Minnie.——I stoped in the middle of Chapter 2 this afternoon, I really don’t know if I am able to handle it now. Bad, evil people, actual human beings, do exist! I can’t believe it! I prefer to not to believe it. But there are! And they are that brutal!!My heart is so heavy as I was getting through the first chapter. Even though Minnie states in a story-telling way, I perceive it as documentary. The images are in my mind vividly! Which can’t be blown away easily.My admiration goes to the two authors. Who are so brave to reveal the truth with the risk of their lives.I hope that justice is served at the end of the book. If not, I hope it will be in the not-far-distance future!

South Africa like many other countries has experienced the shock of discovering that government officials and wealthy businessmen had been routinely raping vulnerable children.Like America and the other countries massive efforts were made to cover up what had happened and was ongoing. This book tells the story of a policeman and a journalist who separately investigated the perpetrators but who for the most part were unable to bring the abusers to justice.It is interesting mostly because it so closely mirrors the actions of Australian, British, and American pedophiles who were protected by their governments for reasons unfathomable to normal people.This evil continues to plague the world and although some governments are now trying to fight it in far too many cases it is too late to bring the criminal to justice or to aid those destroyed by their evil actions.

I bought the book hoping for the promised exposé that wasn't really forthcoming. This was an unfortunate fishing expedition which, to my mind, was released prematurely and undoubtedly led to the death of one of the authors. What a tragedy! I believe the allegations are true, but it led nowhere, and after the death of Mark Minnie chances of others coming forward would be virtually zero, and Chris Steyn wouldn't be safe either. Sad and very unnecessary. We live in a sick, twisted, dangerous world..

It took me two nights to read and digest this very well written narrative. The fact that Mark Minnie is dead is the saddest thing that could happen to him. We not only lost one of our best cops ever, but Minnie could have become one of our best writers. He had a way with words and on that level compared with the best. You and Chris Steyn wrote a book that shocked our nation. To think that these bastards were protected by their colleges and the police, is for me sickening. Those poor young boys were used in the worst manner a person could fathom. "Grown men", country leaders, sies julle is 'n skande vir samelewing. How could they abuse black young boys, you ask? They were easy targets and if they never returned not many questions asked. Such a pity they were not jailed where "big brother" could have molested them senseless. I actually wanted to use the F-word. Nothing what any leaders of our country do, could be more shocking than what these bastards did. Molesting kids is the worst thing possible.

I purchased this book because I read an article about the suspicious "suicide" of Mr. Minnie shortly after its publication. It came as no surprise that the book was unavailable in print and that the price was excessive for a Kindle format. I'm always ready to hit back at anything that smells of a cover-up, so I bought it but wasn't sure I would ever read it. I don't need ugly details to know what the rich and powerful do behind the scenes. "Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely."When I did gather the courage to read it, however, I was relieved to find that it focused on the investigation and cover-up rather than the sickening details of the crimes. Those of us who have experiences of our own know that only the ignorant or the perverted are interested in such things. Thank you, Mark and Chris, for doing your best to expose one more of the many foul crimes against humanity that are perpetrated on a daily basis. May the memory of Mr. Minnie be eternal.

If you lived in SA in the 1980s you’ll find this fascinating. Mark Minnie’s chapters read like a fast-paced thriller. Chris Steyn’s document how she came to similar conclusions independently. But, of course, hearing the same rumours entirely independently still doesn’t constitute hard evidence (all of which, we are told, was confiscated). The hardest evidence, of course, emerged post-publication with the shooting death of Mark Minnie. For those reviewers seeking the name of the third (and still living) ex-minister, look at Chapter 28 - Magnus Malan answered questions in Parliament about one such trip to Bird Island so the three ministers will be named in Hansard... which cannot be expunged by even the most shadowy operators.But if you don’t have that PW Botha-era background, why would you be interested? The allegation is that a handful of men (most long-dead) all but one of whom will be condemned by history anyway as “apartheid-era ministers” might have pedophilia added to their rap-sheets. Not exactly news you can use.

Yes

trés bon livre, bien écrit, je recommande

Superbly written. A really entertaining and informative writing style. I grew up during apartheid and am aware of how things were covered up. It is blatantly clear that there are more paedophiles left still left out there, covering up their tracks today. Thank you Mark and Chris for getting this out. So sad that the price was so high, but it's out and we will find the rest of those buggers. Read, understand and Act! Paedophilia and child trafficking is more rampant than ever today in South Africa.

Lived in the area and sailed with some if Allen's contempories, was also conscripted and bumped into Magnus (Wingnut) in Katima Malilo Namibia, who would have thought all this was going on. Flabergasted at what was going on with drugs and alcohol as well.Was a very interesting read. Power corrupts etc. . Sad Mark has also passed away, hope nobody got to him.

Brilliant reading and how disgusting that the culprits were not charged