The Doctor Who Would Be King

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The narrative centers on Dr. Jean Joseph David, a French colonial army doctor who aspired to create a medical utopia in French Cameroon during World War II. Known as "emperor" by locals, he wielded unchecked power in his quest to liberate colonized subjects from suffering. Guillaume Lachenal utilizes archives and oral histories to explore David's earlier endeavors in Polynesia and the lasting impacts of his failed initiatives. The book delves into themes of imperialism, the complexities of power, and the interplay between hope and historical failure.