A Young British Woman Showed Her Ignorance About Africa in Her Memoirs and the Internet Responded

The name Louise Linton doesn’t immediately ring a bell in the minds of many people. That is understandable because until four days ago when British publication the Telegraph published an excerpt from her new book In Congo’s Shadow titled How my gap year in Africa turned into a nightmare. In the book, Ms Linton narrates her life somewhere in Africa, according to her it’s Zambia, while she took a gap year – break before one joins the university.

Up until then, her memoirs had managed to escape the public eye since the Amazon listing shows that they were published back in April.

In typical internet fashion, within no time, Ms Linton, who is said to be currently living in the United States where she is an actress, started trending on social media while her book started attracting negative reviews on Amazon.

If the excerpt published by the Telegraph is anything to go by, Louise Linton either by sheer ignorance of facts or otherwise, deliberately went out of her way to publish something that reads like a movie script. The internet did not take it kindly.

And so it began.

A Louise Linton-inspired hair shampoo

https://twitter.com/AJacksonDesign/status/750282260033769473

A perfect parody account of the child that Linton claims to have grown attached to while in “Zambia” and whom she bravely the stayed behind, risking her life, to protect, was created. And boy! It had some good ones. See for yourself:

Me When @LouiseLinton had to choose between staying with me or fleeing the rebels. #LintonLies pic.twitter.com/hed70qJPbH

— Zimba (@LittleZimba) July 5, 2016

I will never forget the generous gift of Coke Lite that has sustained my family till I was ready for marriage #LintonLies

— Zimba (@LittleZimba) July 5, 2016

Rueese taught me basic English words like oh em gee, tots and obvi to help me and my family negotiate with the rebels #LintonLies

— Zimba (@LittleZimba) July 5, 2016

*According to Louise, Zimba, the orphaned 6-year-old little girl living with HIV couldn’t properly pronounce her name so she called her “Ru-eese”.

I also need to clear up a few things. Rueese did build that school. Here it is standing strong #LintonLies pic.twitter.com/NSVlEeX00e

— Zimba (@LittleZimba) July 5, 2016

And the she was, our gap year Lawd and saviour, in all her angel hair glory #LintonLies

— Zimba (@LittleZimba) July 5, 2016

#AgainstAllOdds #WeMadeIt #ItCanOnlyBeJesus #ThankGuard #LintonLies pic.twitter.com/Zc3Ok4U6dm

— Zimba (@LittleZimba) July 5, 2016

Rueese and I had a deal about the profits of that book. Thanks a lot guys 😑😑😑😑😕😕 #LintonLies

— Zimba (@LittleZimba) July 5, 2016

It's been a tough life without @LouiseLinton but I serve a living guard #LintonLies

— Zimba (@LittleZimba) July 5, 2016

With their country basically reduced to a “war zone” during the time Louise was there “helping” them, Zambians had very few kind words for their white saviour with flowing hair. The rest of the internet quickly learned the ropes and joined in.

A huge Heroes Day shout out to @LouiseLinton a true hero who saved @LittleZimba using only a bottle of coke and bad grammar. #LintonLies

— Zambezi Juice (@ZambeziJuice) July 5, 2016

@LittleZimba Remember the good old days? #LintonLies pic.twitter.com/1bYLe5gtSO

— Sookie (@tandiiwe) July 5, 2016

#Lintonlies Rebels pic.twitter.com/WHhHjekZgj

—  爪Ꮤ卂卩Ξ 𝕏 (@mwape_imok) July 5, 2016

Bemba child called Zimba…?
Congo war between Hutu's and Tutsi's?
This bitch delusional AF. #LintonLies

— David (@TheLambaGuy) July 5, 2016

https://twitter.com/Bfacemwape/status/750220519212023808

https://twitter.com/Skip_toMyLu/status/750063353607786496

#LintonLies that moment when youre giving zimba the bemba girl coca cola and hear a gunshot from a zambian rebel. pic.twitter.com/b8MLyoPuvM

—  爪Ꮤ卂卩Ξ 𝕏 (@mwape_imok) July 4, 2016

https://twitter.com/MaceWimbu/status/750207783430225924