Richard Beardsley, writer and photographer. The quintessential rolling stone and not an intellectual in an ivory tower.
Born in England he embarked on adulthood as a British Army Lieutenant in Northern Ireland where he spent 3 years between a rock and a hard place striving to understand the senseless violence and hatred of the “Troubles” between the warring factions.
He then signed a 3 year contract with the Ugandan Police as Assistant Superintendent, becoming fluent in Ki-Swahili and competing with Idi Amin Dada in rugby and boxing.
There, in the country known as The Pearl of Africa he learned a lesson for life, that the African has the fortitude to laugh in the face of adversity.
He then drove down to Durban, where he stayed 10 years in advertising, also studying Zulu and exploring this wild and wonderful country.
Leaving South Africa shortly after the race murder of his girlfriend he worked in London, Sydney, Hong Kong, New York before settling in France and Cameroon.
He explains that the confrontation with the horrors of Apartheid was a life changer. Finally he wrote this book, persuaded that the message is relevant in today’s increasingly intolerant world and is, for him, a necessary catharsis.
His passions are education and gender equality which is why he created the association Zen4Zulu.org
Born in England he embarked on adulthood as a British Army Lieutenant in Northern Ireland where he spent 3 years between a rock and a hard place striving to understand the senseless violence and hatred of the “Troubles” between the warring factions.
He then signed a 3 year contract with the Ugandan Police as Assistant Superintendent, becoming fluent in Ki-Swahili and competing with Idi Amin Dada in rugby and boxing.
There, in the country known as The Pearl of Africa he learned a lesson for life, that the African has the fortitude to laugh in the face of adversity.
He then drove down to Durban, where he stayed 10 years in advertising, also studying Zulu and exploring this wild and wonderful country.
Leaving South Africa shortly after the race murder of his girlfriend he worked in London, Sydney, Hong Kong, New York before settling in France and Cameroon.
He explains that the confrontation with the horrors of Apartheid was a life changer. Finally he wrote this book, persuaded that the message is relevant in today’s increasingly intolerant world and is, for him, a necessary catharsis.
His passions are education and gender equality which is why he created the association Zen4Zulu.org
