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An Affair with Africa: Expeditions And Adventures Across A Continent |
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You Are Here: Home > History Books > Africa History > Item 151
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An Affair with Africa: Expeditions And Adventures Across A Continent
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by Alzada Carlisle Kistner
Sales Rank: 835931
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List Price: $29.95
$29.95
At Amazon
on 6-17-2008.
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Features
Cover Type: Hard Cover with 262 pages
Published by: Island PressEdition: 1st Edition May 1, 1998
Written in: English
ISBN 10 Number: 1559635312
ISBN 13 Number: 978-1559635318
Book Dimensions:
8.5 x 5.8 x 1 inches
Weighs: 14.4 ounces
From Publishers Weekly
A self-declared reluctant writer and amateur scientist, Kistner sets out to record her hair-raising experiences in Africa between 1960 and 1973 as the wife and assistant of entomologist David Kistner. She dwells too much on hours spent over anthillsAher husband eventually uncovers more than 500 new species of beetlesAbut the wealth of this narrative is its many fascinating anecdotes in a land where danger is a constant companion. In 1960, the couple is airlifted out of the Belgian Congo as that country descends into chaos. They watch unrest develop in Angola and make a hasty exit from a restaurant in Uganda where an entourage led by future leader Idi AminAthen a military generalAcreates an intimidating scene. Kistner is swarmed by ants, stalked by a poisonous mamba and held at gunpoint by drunken soldiers. Most valuable, however, are her descriptions of European and African characters at the twilight of the continent's colonial era. The couple meets with prominent researchers of their dayALouis Leakey among themAbut also with a European crocodile poacher who keeps peace with various tribes in his hunting grounds by marrying their women and fathering dozens of children in scattered villages. Kistner's storytelling lacks pizzazz and authorityARedmond O'Hanlon or Lyall Watson, for instance, describe science and travel in Africa with more entertaining resultsAbut her astounding encounters with a world now receded into history make this an involving personal memoir. Photos.
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal
Associate editor of the journal Sociobiology, Kistner relates her experiences living in the Belgian Congo while she and her husband researched a species of beetles that live with army ants. The result is a humorous tale detailing her five African expeditions from 1960 to 1973?a tumultuous time in African history. From images of her "hunching over ant columns while seven months pregnant" to the surprised feeling of waking up next to a slumbering lion, Kistner captivates readers with her anecdotes and descriptions of Africa. The book also provides an great account of the politics of the country at the time. Both history buffs and armchair travelers will enjoy this story. Recommended for all public libraries.?Stephanie Papa, Baltimore Cty. Circuit Court Law Lib., Towson, MD
Copyright 1998 Reed Business Information, Inc.
Reader Reviews
I agree that the author (somewhat) romanticizes colonialism. However, the family didn't seem to have a lot of contact with black Africans, so she wrote about what she experienced: the privileged lives of the Europeans there. She and her husband seem incredibly politically naive though. That aside, I found it a fascinating book, in spite of the science, which wasn't too daunting, but caused me to mutter "here we go ..." each time it appeared. I'd like to hear more of their adventures in other continents.
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An Affair with Africa: Expeditions And Adventures Across A Continent
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Price: $29.95
Updated on 6-17-2008.
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