Travel to Kenya

Jambo, Mama

Format: Hardcover
Author: Melinda Atwood
ReleaseDate: 01 October, 2001
Publisher: Cypress House
Rating:

AMERICAN REALITY IN KENYA
IT WAS A REALISTIC NARRATIVE ABOUT THE JOYS AND DIFFICULTIES OF TRYING TO LIVE IN A COUNTRY WITH A SEMI-CLOSED ENGLISH SECTION OF SOCIETY AND THE RULES AND REGLATIONS OF A AFRICAN WORK FORCE THAT SHE HIRED FOR HER RUG MANUFACTURING AND ALL THE PROBLEMS SHE HAD WITH BOTH. AFTER TRAVELING IN KENYA ON TWO SEPERATE OCCASIONS, THERE WAS ALWAYS A DREAM IN THE BACK OF MY MIND--"WOULDN'T IT BE WONDERFUL TO LIVE HERE" THIS IS A STORY ABOUT AN AMERICAN WOMAN WHO DID JUST THAT. IN THE END I THINK IT WAS PURE LONLINESS THAT LED HER BACK TO THE U. S. BUT THE JOURNEY WAS INTERESTING AND INFORMATIVE. I LOVED IT.

Throughly enjoyable! I didn't want it to end!
It took me on an incredible journey of life in Kenya, Africa with all it's mishaps, adventures, safaris, and real life day to day living as a local living in Kenya. I really enjoyed this book from the first page through the last. I really hated to see it end! This book is a must have for anyone planning a trip to Africa or for anyone that loves exotic destination travel.

As We Evolve
She definitely chose a beautiful country, still raw, still real. Allured by the introductory chapters accessible on the net, I was enticed by the backbone of her solo mission to a place with an almost contrary rhythm to the West. I'm bias of course - Having grown up in Kenya; it was another opportunity for sweet nostalgia.

While reading the book, I enjoyed the witty incorporation of Kiswahili idioms and expressions. I enjoyed her novel descriptions of Kenya's unfamiliar Northern Frontier and I took pleasure in the recognition of places such as Karen and Kiambu. It brought familiar places back to life.

Nonetheless, although this book has the potential to play sugary games with the hearts of fellow Kenyans, it lacks some of the insight that I had initially expected and desired. I was not disgruntled by this but simply listened to another story between the lines. By this I mean that, whereas the book strove for transparency and appeal, some sections were opaque and lacked the detailed artistic revelations that this intelligent and perceptive woman so apparently preserved in her mind. It felt like there were pieces missing as she was pushed by her peers and fans to write on. Perhaps a more integral account of the relationships that went terribly wrong was needed, or may be more reflections on the how her past plays with her present lifestyle and state of mind. The reader demands the full story.

There seems to be a lot of latent potential that I know can come through in a sequel (which I would read -hint hint). After all, writing is a never-ending journey as we grow and evolve. I'd like to see how the author processes her life and her past and changes accordingly. Overall, It's a very nice book and I hope that Melinda continues to write as she progresses through life. Hopefully we will get a chance to see what this strong and incredible woman has learned with time. Share.
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