Make Believe: A True Story

On 2nd January 1972, an Englishwoman called Hale Kimga was murdered in Trinidad. A year later, a black American called Hakim Jamal was murdered in Boston. Soon after that a film actress called Jean Seberg killed herself in Paris. Hale and Hakim had lived together since 1969, when he had come to London to write a book, Jean and Hakim had been lovers before he met Hale. The editor of Hakim's book was Diana Athill, a single woman who had worked in publishing for 23 years. Her relationship with Hakim Jamal - the subject of this book - combined intimacy and detachment in an extraordinary way. Her relationship extended to Hale, and for a few bizarre moments to Jean Seberg, but principally it was with Hakim. This book describes these characters and their inter-relationships.