travel

African Diary is not one of Bryson's best pieces of travel writing. Regardless of the fact that the profits from the book goes to a charity (CARE), readers deserve a well written book about Kenya and its people. After reading the slender volume you get a very shallow understanding of that country and its culture. Bryson could have done better but in eight days, what can you really share about a country?

Bryson starts out by acknowledging his ignorance about the "Dark" continent beyond his exposure to Tarzan and Jungle Jim movies. CARE, a charitable organization, invites him to visit their projects in Kenya and write about them. He sees this as an opportunity to familiarize himself with the "Dark" continent. His diary covers eight days.

In one week we are told about the biggest slum in Kenya called Kibera and are assaulted with the dire statistics of the ills of Kenya. He shares with us his excitement over seeing a Maasai man as if the man was an exotic pet. From there we are taken to Kenya's National Museum where he views human fossils collected by Leaky. Once done there he regales us with his harrowing train ride to Mombasa and describes accidents, deaths and other uncomfortable occurrances from the train's past.

Our final destination is a refugee camp. CARE is doing its best to help the people but government corruption and other factors keep the people in a miserable condition. Suddenly Bryson's adventure is over and he slaps together this book. He could and should have done better. There isn't any true connection with the people, land or CARE workers other than the superficial meetings. In fact Bryson's ignorance about the "Dark" continent seems to continue throughout his trip. He could have done better and perhaps he needs to visit Africa again but this time without charitable patronage and get to meet and feel the land and its people.

Bill Bryson is a fantastic travel writer, and made this very very short book (only 49 pages!) still fun to read. I definitely wish it had been longer, but as all of the book's proceeds go to charity (specifically CARE, a wonderful organization that spends its money wisely and helps those in impoverished countries help themselves), I don't really mind.

The book recounts his all too brief time in Africa (eight days), where he tours the east African nation of Kenya. He visits some of the areas in Kenya in the most need of CARE's help, such as the Nairobi slum of Kibera and the eastern refugee camp of Dadaab, filled with Somali exiles. It is quite sad to read about the horrible conditions many of these people face (wait till you read about what a flying toilet is), but heart warming to see that many are still hopeful and that all is not lost. It would seem that many of these people are good people; all they need is a chance.

...it was still fun to read and parts were hilarious. I enjoyed his early thoughts on Africa, such as the initial conversations with those who convinced him to go to Africa that except for the "diseases and the bandits and the railway from Nairobi to Mombasa, there's absolutely nothing to worry about"! I enjoyed reading about that railroad, which Bryson writes has a tradition of killing passengers and has even been named the Lunatic Express, though Bryson rode it without any serious mishap. Also lots of fun to read was his arrival in Nairobi; expecting the sunny little country town in "Out of Africa," Bryson was amazed to instead find traffic, high rise buildings, bill boards - as he puts it, Omaha! His description of a harrowing single-engine plane ride was very funny as well.

A fun little book, one in you can read in an hour or two.

An enthralling account of Bryson's visit to Kenya to observe the work of CARE workers. Written with clarity as regards facts of what he saw and with his inimitable style that adds humor to serious topics. All royalties of his book he donated to CARE.