Jungle Lovers

Set in 1970's Malawi, in Southern Africa, this is the story of two white men. Calvin Mullet is a young American insurance agent, trying to better the life of normal Africans by selling them life insurance. Divorced, yet still full of hope for Malawi, Calvin lives in a brothel and pays premiums for people who can't keep up their payments.
Marais is a foreign terrorist, specialised in bombs, in a guerilla army intent on overthrowing the government of the country. He doesn't want to be the leader, because all men should be equal.
Calvin, on a regular trip to an outlying town, is captured by Marais' army. Calvin tries to sell them insurance, which they reject, and Calvin is returned to the capital unharmed.
From this point on, each man, in his own way is forced to see how inadequate his ideals are and must face the apathy or malice of those whom he believed he could save.

More of the plot twists would be spoilers.

I have previously read Theroux's ‘Mosquito Coast' which was great, and for me this book never reached that level. This was much more slow paced, and was written 10 years before - it is one of Theroux's earlier novels.