Out of Africa and Shadows on the Grass
by Isak Dinesen
from Vintage
Out of Africa is Karin Blixen's love letter to the country she called home for nearly 20 years. Arriving in British East Africa (now Kenya) from Denmark in 1914, Blixen--Isak Dinesen was her pen name--was immediately seduced by the landscape of the Ngong hill country, not to mention the animals and people who inhabited it. Her descriptions bring this wonderland alive for readers: out on safari, she recalls the movements of a group of giraffes, "in their queer, inimitable, vegetative gracefulness, as if it were not a herd of animals but a family of rare, long-stemmed, speckled gigantic flowers slowly advancing." Blixen laces into her reverie the account of her coffee plantation--which ultimately succumbed to high altitude, droughts, and tumbling international coffee prices--and tales of her friendships with other colonials in Nairobi. But one should read her memoir for the stories she tells of cooking with her Kikuyu chef (who almost never ate any of the European delicacies he so expertly created), adopting an abandoned infant antelope, flying over the countryside in her lover's plane--"the greatest, most transporting pleasure of my life on the farm"--and watching the children of her tenant farmers collect at her house each day at noon for the spectacle of her cuckoo clock.
Though some of her references to native Africans will likely make today's readers uncomfortable, Blixen can also be perceptive, particularly in her articulation of the differences between European and African culture and her excitement over what she learns from "her" Africans. It is not long before she is attuned to the rhythms of nature: she can foresee when the rains will come, can spot the new moon before anyone else on the farm, and knows exactly what the silence of night should sound like. Though her sorrow is almost unbearably palpable when at last--after the collapse of the farm, the loss of her lover, and the war looming--Blixen leaves Africa, the reader will close the book richer for her sojourn. --Jordana Moskowitz
With classic simplicity and a painter's feeling for atmosphere and detail, Isak Dinesen tells of the years she spent from 1914 to 1931 managing a coffee plantation in Kenya.
The Rough Guide to Kenya 8 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
by Richard Trillo
from Rough Guides
The Rough Guide to Kenya is the ultimate guide to East Africa''s best known destination. From the live music in Nairobi to the Turkana overland safaris, the 24-page, full-colour section introduces all of the country''s highlights. The guide includes details for all the best places to stay, eat and drink, to suit every budget, plus the new ''Author''s Picks'' feature to highlight the very best options. There is plenty of practical advice on getting the most out of Kenya, from the well-known safari parks to the little-known reserves. The guide looks at Kenya''s history, politics and culture and comes complete with maps and plans for every region.
Kenya (Country Guide)
by Tom Parkinson
from Lonely Planet
Jambo! Welcome to Kenya, home of lion prides, nomadic tribes and city-smart nightclubbers, realm of equatorial glaciers, ochre-red deserts and tranquil Indian Ocean coves. Whether you want to watch wildlife, set out into the great unknown or chill on a beach, Lonely Planet helps you plan the African adventure of a lifetime.
Set Out On Safari - get the lowdown on choosing, planning and booking safaris for every budget.
Embrace The Outdoors - whether it's cruising the coast, ballooning over the Mara or trekking up Mt Kenya, we give you the when, where and how.
The Big Five - our 16-page color wildlife guide is your essential animal-spotting companion.
Rest Easy - accommodation options to suit all tastes, from back-to-nature bandas to luxury ecolodges.
Make Your Own Way - up-to-the-minute information on how to get around, be it by buzzing matatu or graceful dhow.
African Nights: True Stories from the Author of I Dreamed of Africa
by Kuki Gallmann
from Harper Paperbacks
Africa evokes a deep sense of mystery. It is a place that retains what most of the world has lost: space, roots, traditions, awesome beauty, true wilderness, rare animals, and extraordinary people. In this wonderful and haunting collection of stories, Kuki Gallmann writes of her life in Africa, where every day brings challenge and adventure. African Nights is a treasury of memories, in which fascinating people and places are brought to life. The healing powers Africa can have on those who embrace the land as a place of mystery, superstition, danger, and beauty.
Kenya - Culture Smart!: a quick guide to customs and etiquette (Culture Smart!)
by Jane Barsby
from Kuperard
North of South: An African Journey (Penguin Twentieth-Century Classics)
by Shiva Naipaul
from Penguin Classics
The Rough Guide to Kenya Map (Rough Guide Country/Region Map)
by Rough Guides
from Rough Guides
The Rough Guide Map Kenya is the most detailed and comprehensive map to this alluring country. A hugely popular destination for independent travellers and escorted tourists alike, both for its beaches and the safari parks of the interior. The scale of 1:1,000,000 is large enough to make the map easily managable whilst also showing enough detail to pinpoint buildings and dirt tracks. The map is designed for all visitors, whether travelling by car or public transport as it includes train lines and stations, petrol stations, airports, distances between towns, road numbers and details of road surfaces.
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