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3.77 AVERAGE
3.77 AVERAGE
A beautifully descriptive and poignant account of Karen Blixen's turbulent but exquisite life in Kenya during the early 20th century, where she and her largely absent husband ran a coffee plantation. An epic story of a strong woman who survived in and loved the African landscape, who understood and fought for the rights of the native people on her land, and experienced love and tragedy within its bounds. Eloquent and memorably written.
informative
reflective
slow-paced
"Up in this air you breathed easily, drawing in a vital assurance and lightness of heart. In the highlands you woke up in the morning and thought: Here I am, where I ought to be."
Hmmmmm. Hmmmm. Lyrical about landscape and animals? Definitely
Dated, problematic on a lot of levels, and quite frankly boring? ABSOLUTELY
4.5/10
Hmmmmm. Hmmmm. Lyrical about landscape and animals? Definitely
Dated, problematic on a lot of levels, and quite frankly boring? ABSOLUTELY
4.5/10
It was really interesting to read about the experiences of a European woman living on the "frontier" of Africa at the beginning of the 20th century, especially since I know very little about the continent or its people, or the time period for that matter.
At one point, Dinesen talks about a grumpy old Danish man who lived on her farm in Africa: "Old Knudsen, although he would sometimes sing of the sailor's bride who loves the waves, in his heart had a deep mistrust of woman, and saw her as the enemy of man, by instinct, and on principle, out to stop his fun." That could be said of any man & any woman, I suppose.
I'm looking forward to seeing the movie. I hear that the movie & the book are completely different. Apparently Dinesen wrote so much in her memoirs that what didn't make it into her book made it into the movie.
At one point, Dinesen talks about a grumpy old Danish man who lived on her farm in Africa: "Old Knudsen, although he would sometimes sing of the sailor's bride who loves the waves, in his heart had a deep mistrust of woman, and saw her as the enemy of man, by instinct, and on principle, out to stop his fun." That could be said of any man & any woman, I suppose.
I'm looking forward to seeing the movie. I hear that the movie & the book are completely different. Apparently Dinesen wrote so much in her memoirs that what didn't make it into her book made it into the movie.
As someone currently living in Africa and who just took a vacation to Kenya, this was a wonderful read. While the second part is a little harder to get through because it is episodic, I enjoyed the richness of Blixen's language, and her understanding of Africa. She understood the people she lived and worked with, and her appreciation of their culture shines through her writing.
Reading this after having seen her house was a real treat; I could imagine Karen walking through each room and looking out towards her beloved hills. If you love Africa, this is a gripping read that you should make time for at some point in your life.
Reading this after having seen her house was a real treat; I could imagine Karen walking through each room and looking out towards her beloved hills. If you love Africa, this is a gripping read that you should make time for at some point in your life.
As always with Dinesen, the writing is beautiful and evocative. She observes places and people with a keen eye--and the sympathy she displays makes her unquestioning acceptance of and comfort within the colonialist framework all the more disturbing. I found the wonder of the writing and the window into a particular place, time, and person to be worth it. Others might not.
I enjoyed Dinesen's short stories in college, but had not read her memoirs until now. I was unsurprised by her attitudes regarding race, but struck by her romanticism. Her prose still captivates me, and Shadows on the Grass nicely completes her memoirs. Susan Lyons does a lovely job of narrating the audiobook.
This book appeals to my sense of adventure. I am captivated by the idea of living among the wilds of Africa while carrying on a torrid love affair. Although the book let me down on the details of the affair, the author's descriptions of the African people, culture, animals and the experience of trying to make money from a coffee farm kept me turning pages.
I really appreciated her descriptions of day to day life - of the trials and ridiculousness of bringing European sensibilities to the wilds of Africa.
I really appreciated her descriptions of day to day life - of the trials and ridiculousness of bringing European sensibilities to the wilds of Africa.
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
There is not much of a plot in this book. It is just a series of memories and events in her life. Shadows in the Grass is very repetitive of Out of Africa, and not necessary to read.
It is, however, interesting to get insight into the mind of a colonialist. For example, there are times when the things she writes about the Native Africans seem incredibly racist, but you still get the sense that she feels she is being honest, fair, and respectful. In her mind she treated the Natives kindly and felt responsible for their well-being. But anyone reading this today will feel that she over-generalized the Natives, the Somalis, and the Indians and treated them as inferior people.
It is, however, interesting to get insight into the mind of a colonialist. For example, there are times when the things she writes about the Native Africans seem incredibly racist, but you still get the sense that she feels she is being honest, fair, and respectful. In her mind she treated the Natives kindly and felt responsible for their well-being. But anyone reading this today will feel that she over-generalized the Natives, the Somalis, and the Indians and treated them as inferior people.
adventurous
inspiring
medium-paced
I enjoyed reading this book. Travel is one of my great loves. I’ve always had an interest in Africa. It’s an amazing continent. This book became more real to me this year as I visited her home in Nairobi. You can picture what she wrote when you actually stand in her room. Her home is now a museum in the suburb of Karen (named after her) in Nairobi. It’s so worth a visit