An Extraordinary Man

In 1962, a naive young Londoner named Dick Starling embarks on what he believes will be a simple three-year stint in the British colonial police force of Warania, a peaceful yet fictitious country in central Africa. However, his adventure quickly takes a wild turn, filled with unexpected twists, romance, and thrilling escapades.

Amidst the escalating tensions of nationalization and demands for independence, Dick witnesses firsthand Warania’s descent into chaos. As terrorism surges and lawlessness spreads, his once manageable rural police station becomes a battleground against escalating crime and unrest.

From abductions to political intrigue, Dick’s journey through a transforming Africa is a rollercoaster of humor, heart, and gripping drama. As his three-year term reaches its dramatic conclusion, Dick faces a climactic finale that will leave him forever changed.

David R. Bird was born during WWII in West London. At the age of 18, tired of Britain’s climate and a job that was going nowhere, he impulsively joined the British South Africa Police in Southern Rhodesia and this was the beginning of a life of travel that resulted in his living in five different countries, visiting over forty, and traveling the world. He has been both a civil servant and an entrepreneur, experienced many highs and lows, and believes that each encounter has played a part in creating the ordinary man he is today.