One of my goals in 2021 is to read more. See other books I've read or listened to here.
I’ve tried to read the memior/nonfiction Out Of Africa by Karen Blixon (aka Isak Denisen) before, but coudn’t quite get into it. This time I loved it!
This memoir of the years that Karen Blixon spent in Kenya followers her from her arrival in the country and the challenges she faced.
I have watched the movie of Out Of Africa many times and really enjoy it. I think Karen Blixon’s life story is fascinating, so I am surprised that I have tried and failed to read this book previously. I’m really glad I stuck with it this time, bc this book moved me and will end up on my best of the year list. This memoir is told in several parts and with several different styles. There are longer passages or parts that explain how Karen come to be in Africa, what the culture around her plantation was like, and who the major players in her life were. There is a section of vignettes, where she describes and explains some of the events and episodes that fostered her love of her new home in short bursts. The final part chronicles her leaving her home and farm and the grief and responsibilities she faces. The writing is descriptive, evocative and compelling so that one is drawn in to and can understand her love with the African landscape and lifestyle. This is a beautiful look at her life, but it is also heartbreaking and bleak in many ways. I would highly recommend this book to those who have seen the movie and want to know more, those who are interested in historical accounts of people living outside their comfort zones, readers who enjoy stories about pioneering women.
What is a memoir you have recently enjoyed?
This book can be seen in my May Wrap Up.