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3.63 AVERAGE
3.63 AVERAGE
informative
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
N/A
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
N/A
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
adventurous
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
slow-paced
Pure beauty and a slow luxurious read.
A beautiful richly written book. I can see why they made it into a film because it feels very cinematic.
Loved this book although it was quite racist in parts. I do think it was the time period it was written though although this isn’t justification.
The structure is structured in different mini books within the book so sometimes feels a bit off with the storyline but the last book does a better job of resolving this.
Was interesting reading this slice of history about Africa during this time.
Really loved her writing. So beautiful.
Need to watch the film now with Meryl Streep as haven’t seen it.
Loved this book although it was quite racist in parts. I do think it was the time period it was written though although this isn’t justification.
The structure is structured in different mini books within the book so sometimes feels a bit off with the storyline but the last book does a better job of resolving this.
Was interesting reading this slice of history about Africa during this time.
Really loved her writing. So beautiful.
Need to watch the film now with Meryl Streep as haven’t seen it.
Blixen's Out of Africa is fascinating - in so many ways. It's anthropologically insight into west African indigenous population and how they and their civilisation differed from European civilisation prior to globalisation. It's a tale of how 19 century European colonialists understood and misunderstood the west African people. And it's a story of how a white owned African farm was driven, dealing with the challenges of cultural differences, farming practises, expat community, and west African nature, animal life and natural beauty. The autobiographical nature of the book cements these points, unlike later fictional novels trying to describe the same period.
Blixen's writing is beautiful and one's never bored. It's definitely a must read.
Blixen's writing is beautiful and one's never bored. It's definitely a must read.
I've read several books around this--Paula McLain's, Markham's--but this was the best. Its beautifully written, gorgeous language, and an emotional portrait of the time.
So good. She had incredible style, can't wait to read another.
Competently written with some interesting observations, but overall very dated and kind of bland. So, I starting skimming after a while.
There is probably a lot to pick at with regard to colonialism, power dynamics and race. I'll leave it at this quote from the opening chapter - everyone thinks they are the exception, right?
"Part of the farm was native forest, and about one thousand acres were squatters' land, what they called their sambas. These squatters are Natives, who with their families hold a few acres on a white man's farm, and in return have to work for him a certain number of days n the year. My squatters, I think, saw the relationship in a different light, for many of them were born on the farm, and their fathers before them, and they very likely regarded me as a sort of superior squatter on their estates."
There is probably a lot to pick at with regard to colonialism, power dynamics and race. I'll leave it at this quote from the opening chapter - everyone thinks they are the exception, right?
"Part of the farm was native forest, and about one thousand acres were squatters' land, what they called their sambas. These squatters are Natives, who with their families hold a few acres on a white man's farm, and in return have to work for him a certain number of days n the year. My squatters, I think, saw the relationship in a different light, for many of them were born on the farm, and their fathers before them, and they very likely regarded me as a sort of superior squatter on their estates."
reflective
medium-paced
A bit of an existential flavour as the narrator shares antedotes from her years near Nairobi in the early 1900s.
Dropped at 165/399
Style was fine but a lot of Dinesen’s talk about the African tribes she encounters has an annoying air of superiority for some (the audacious talk about how Masai are dirty and cannot handle slavery!!!) and other times she pats herself on the back for being a responsible and equitable landlord.
But most damning is that it’s boring. The extra star is because I happen to like some of her descriptions of the landscape, but that’s more of a 1/2 star. Save yourself the time and skip this one over.
Style was fine but a lot of Dinesen’s talk about the African tribes she encounters has an annoying air of superiority for some (the audacious talk about how Masai are dirty and cannot handle slavery!!!) and other times she pats herself on the back for being a responsible and equitable landlord.
But most damning is that it’s boring. The extra star is because I happen to like some of her descriptions of the landscape, but that’s more of a 1/2 star. Save yourself the time and skip this one over.
adventurous
reflective
slow-paced