The end of WW I brought with it the dawning of a new colonial era in many parts of Africa, as European nations converted former soldiers into settlers in various distant colonies, literally turning swords into ploughshares. This first novel uses the "opening up" of Kenya from 1918-21 as the vivid backdrop for an old-fashioned, page-turning adventure featuring a colorful, multinational cast. The first quarter of the book establishes the background of all the main characters and their motives for heading to Kenya, where their lives and ambitions will intersect at the frontier hotel of the title. Among the people we meet are: Anton Rider, an English half-gypsy who has been an outsider everywhere and seeks adventure; Gwenn a beautiful Welsh ambulance driver who's heading to meet her maimed husband and start a new life; Penfold, an increasingly destitute English lord who's hotel is the locus of the story; Olivio, a proud Goan dwarf who is major domo at the hotel and spies on all intrigues in the area; Fonseca, a brutal and ruthless Portuguese nobleman who's looking to grab land; Annunciata, his sexpot sister; Ernst von Decken, a former German officer; Rack Slider, American safari leader; and various other exotic prostitutes, evil Irishmen, and noble natives (the heroic sidekick Karioki and his nubile sister being the two most prominent).

These folks are all painted with rather broad strokes, as is the norm in historical adventures such as this, however they are so exotic and fun, one generally doesn't mind. There actually, a few transformations that are quite nice, notably the dwarf's realization that friends can exist. Still, it seems a pity that the natives (aside from Olivio's concubine) all come across as part of the landscape, like the lions, elephants, and other flora and fauna so lovingly detailed. The relationship of Anton and Karioki, has a decidedly Lone Ranger and Tontoish feel to it. With Anton as the hero, the reader is propelled through a number of set-piece hunting scenes, a running plot of intrigue and colonial corruption, and vivid portrayals of the harshness of the land toward unprepared newcomers. It's quite fun-if one is willing to take it as an boisterous old-fashioned "boy's own" adventure, with some rather lurid sex, and a few shocking scenes of tragedy and violence. Indeed, at times the book can be quite jarring, as a major character is killed, or in one particularly nasty rape scene. It's as if the author was trying to write an old-fashioned yarn with a heavy dose of reality added. While I quite liked this approach, others may find it upsetting, and it probably isn't appropriate for those under 18.

The character development is great. the setting is well described. A tad heavy on deviant sexual practices of one character. The suicide of of character is convienient but well thought through. Africa of 80-90 years ago.

Super mix of action and adventure in Africa. Bull can write like the wind. Really flows well from action to dialogue. I like all his stuff. Check out Devil's Oasis!

Melancholiness pervades this novel in a very peculiar way. Waiyaki alone is a great yet contradictory leader torn between two forces he does not understand. Daughters of the Christian fanatic Joshua, Muthoni and Nyambura, rebel because of their father's stifling brand of Christianity. Kabonyi and Kamau, the father-and-son team who are always playing second fiddle to others, seem bent on polarising the opposing factions, the Gikuyu people and the whites. In the midst of all this, Waiyaki and Nyambura's relationship develops.

It is a sad novel because it is the first I have read which ends on such a depressing, inconclusive note. You feel that justice has not been done to Waiyaki, that Nyambura should not have been dragged into it. Yet if you are an African, you would probably see that the scenes will happen like it did. And that is probably why this text is used as a literature text - it is open to diverse interpretations.

i'm reading this book for my literature text. the story line is touching and yet has the right amout of action before the climax. read it, it's great.

I re-read the river between for literature and I was just touched like I was at the very first time. The quality anthropology aspects that Mr wa Thiong'o builts in his books (like many other African writers too) makes the reader come into the setting and be part of it. The book managed to win my sympathy for the 'oppresed' Kikukyu and reminded me of the many evils done to the colonised people all over the world. Christianity seems not able to escape blame in the whole operation because of its readiness to inflict suffering to the people so that they could join the religion.
Today the book is still relevant, though the position of the whites has been taken by the ruling class and the rich.
The book is worth reading in any case.

This book sounded fascinating, especially after it was described as a sort of South African "Smilla's Sense of Snow" which is one of my favorite books ever! It turned out to be pretentious, boring and contrived -- the main characters were never really developed and unfortunately, we found out far less about the anthropological discoveries than I would have liked.

When I saw the cover art of this book, it both repelled me and compelled me to read it. The artwork set the mood before I even started reading, but the story carried it on, page after page of a sense of dread, disaster, and blood.

The main character, Kathryn, intensified this foreboding with her cautious, regretful, and grave telling of the events that befell her group during their paleontological quest in Africa. The story, despite its presentiment of doom, was beautiful in its descriptions of the African environment, and its insights into human thought and feelings. The author came up with some imagery created by unusual metaphores that delighted me. I was impressed by his knowledge of how a woman feels inside her body, and his many insights into the complex workings of the human mind as it tries to sort out its deeper questions.

As Kathryn dealt with the problems of relationships, and the difficulties of her expedition, her main quest was to discover the source of the murderous evil that exists in humans. Her discovery of ancient fossils provides her team with disheartening answers, yet through all this gloom, Kathryn demonstrates the human ability to resurface, blooming, through the ashes of disaster. The mesmerizing, insightful qualilty of this book is what led me to rate it 5 stars.

I purchased this book on a whim, certain that it would be interesting but weighty and a slow read. Imagine my surprise when I literally could not put it down. I flew through it in two days, losing plenty of sleep and completely enthralled. It is a beautiful piece of work; thought provoking while maintaining a dramatic plot line. While it would have been interesting to have seen more deeply into the hearts of characters like Chinta and Sister Mary, their very vagueness created a sketch-like effect, allowing me to shape their motives to my own perception of the story. The combination of references to quantum physics and quotes from ancient curses lead me effectively down the disparate paths of pragmatism and mysticism. Kathryn and Tregallion were extravagantly romantic without being maudlin and created a beautifully tragic love story. This is a wonderful book and has become one of my deep dark favorites.

I enjoyed the content of this book immensely. I visited Kenya three years ago, and "Jambo, Mama" did a great job of bringing back many memories. I could really relate to what Ms. Atwood was writing about, all the way down to the constant bribery and corruption. However, reading this book drove me nuts. I am not an English major by any means, but it seems like the manuscript was never read by an editor! It is full of run-on sentences, improper English, and misspelled words. Several of the anecdotes were confusing; the author seemed to forget which person was which in the middle of the paragraph. In addition, the author contradicted herself several times. I found that reading this book was a chore, as my eye kept on jumping to the mistakes. I was bothered that no one ever took the time to proofread this book. It left me doubting the authors' abilities as a writer as well as in the English language in general.

I thorougly enjoyed reading this book! Melinda is a wonderful and entertaining writer whose description of her life in Kenya was written with complete honesty and candor. I am afraid vanity would not have allowed me to be quite so honest. Her detailed accounts of her trials and triumphs kept me turning the pages. Since I have visited Kenya several times, and especially the Masai Mara Game Reserve, I felt as if I were right there with her. She wrote with compassion towards the people she knew and loved there, and best of all, she wrote with a sharp wit and an incredible sense of humor. I found myself laughing out loud often. It wasn't an easy thing she did, moving to Africa by herself for an extended period of time, for Africa and New York are as different as night and day. Melinda did, however, what so many others only think of doing...she followed her dream. For the reader who wants to learn more about modern Kenya, this book is for you. For the reader who wants a fun, interesting, informative, romantic, and heartfelt book to read, then don't miss this one. I highly recommend "Jambo Mama."

I just loved Jambo Mama. I read the prologue and the 1st chapter on the internet and was hooked. I had to know more about this brave (or is it insane?) woman who left her family, friends and all that was familiar to her to set up a life in Kenya. The Kenya of the 1980's that Ms. Atwood writes about is part small town, part wild jungle, part exotic tourist trap and never ever boring. She paints the picture of the place and the people she encountered so well that, by the time I finished Jambo Mama, I felt that I too had had an adventure in 'Ahfrica'. In the first chapter, after squeaking through the somewhat unconventional customs at the Nairobi Airport, Ms. Atwood, instead of finding herself in the Karen Blixen house of her fantasies arrives at her new rental to find gold bedspreads and the walls painted forest green. That first experience of fantasies crushed is just the first of many in this book about starting over and reinventing yourself. But despite countless disappointments and endless tussles with the culture Ms. Atwood just kept on going, kept on showing up and manages to have a sense of humor through the whole bloody thing. She writes with wit, and honesty about the journey she went through, on many different levels, during those six years. This book manages to be sweet and irreverent at the same time. Right up my alley.

Mr. Burns book was informative but I took strong exception to his reccomendations on physical preperation for the trip. Further, his reccomendation on nonuse of Diamox for altitude sickness prevention also disturbed me. Mr. Burns gives the impression that the trek is nothing more that a brisk walk and that a genuine workout program of cardiovascular training and weight training is of little use. If one were to rest on his reccomendations they would stand a very small chance of reaching the summit. Further, the use of Diamox for many who summited proved to be a key factor in their success. If one were to take these sections of his book to heart I do not think their Kilimanjaro experience would be a positive one. Be in the best condition you are able and have Diamox at the ready if you need it.

As others have noted Mr. Burn's book is well written, and informative. But as Keith D. Kendall correctly observes in a review elsewhere on this page, the notion that a trek to the summit of a 19,000 foot peak may be accomplished without achieving a high level of cardiovascular fitness is not only misleading and potentially dangerous, but frankly absurd. Ditto for Mr. Burn's comments on the use of Diamox, which he either doesn't understand (his comments in the book indicate little experience with its correct use), or again, dismisses out of hand as he has never had to use it. You may. The information in the book is valuable, but as with everything else, it is only a single point of view. I liked the book a great deal, but take some pause when obvious misinformation is attributed to an 'expert' source.

This is a good book to read before you actually book a trip. There is alot of information in this book that puts you in a frame of reference of where you are going. Africa is a total different world from the United States so it is nice to know what you are getting into. In regards to some of the info I think Burns thinks that everyone is in as great a shape as he is in. I would recommend overtraining and doing altitude to make the trip as enjoyable as possible. I was in great shape and zipped up to the top but anyone can make it if they go slow. Also don't worry about travelers checks they take any kind. I would recommend booking an African travel agent and advoid using an American agent. This will save you money. We used Easy Travel and Tours for our Tanzania trip and were very satisfied with them

I read I Dreamed of Africa a few months ago and fell in love with it. It is great. I have alway planned to one day live in Africa and so it was a great inspiration. As soon as I finished it I ordered African Nights. This book of short stories didn't grab me in quite the same way. Some of the stories are fabulous, particularly the last and longest one about a month-long walking trek bringing camels from northern Kenya back to the ranch. Many though focus on the same theme of "happy days" before the death of her son. They tend to be more reminiscing, more descriptive memories, than plot. If you love African wildlife, or have read Kuki's other work and loved it, you'll like this book. If you are going to read only one, though, read I dreamed of Africa.

This book was very interesting, descriptive, mystical and provocative. I enjoyed reading the details that painted a picture of Kenya in my head. The short stories were often touching, tragic, joyful, and sometimes unbelievable. I thought this was definitly worth reading, but you should borrow it from a friend, the library or buy it used because it isn't nearly as good as Kuki's first book I Dreamed of Africa.

If you are one who often dreams of Africa, then you've probably heard of Kuki Gallman, a brave woman who begins her 2nd memoir with those very words: "I was born in Italy, and from earliest childhood I dreamed of Africa." African Nights, the sequel to I Dreamed of Africa (now a movie in which Kim Bassinger stars), is a reverent anthology about the author's experiences in Kenya. In her first book, readers learned of her life tragedies--her husband's fatal plane crash and her son's death from a poisonous pet snake's bite. The stories in African Nights take place afterwards and illustrate a venerable woman's courage in the face of the wild and beautiful East Africa. Stories such as "Elephant Ballad," "Night of the Lions," and "The Brigadier's Cheetah" pay tribute to the glory of African animals and homage to the humans they encounter. But these are more than stereotypical animal tales set in beautiful Kenya. "A Maasai Woman," one of the most original stories in the book, recreates an afternoon Ms. Gallman spends with the woman in her boma (compound). In less than six pages the author authentically presents a wealth of obscure tribal custom. Sure, most of us never give Africa a second imaginative thought beyond the hackneyed portrayal of the lone warrior with his spear or herds of zebras running from lions. What makes Ms. Gallman's writing unique in the nature writing genre is her deeply religious connection to our African heritage and a poetic ease for sharing it. After reading this book, you may feel that you have breathed the perfume of tropical herbs while hearing the bass vibrations of elepants in a deep green distance. Or you may end up going to Africa to know the Garden of Eden for yourself. If not, this book offers pleasure and wisdom for loving Africa and Africans as the author surely does.

Mankind's Beginning in Conjecture

This is a great book because of its entertaining way of teaching about some of the more interesting aspects of paleo-anthropology and anthropology in general. The author, Petru Popescu, did an excellent job of researching his subject having consulted actual anthropologists. He obviously researched African politics and culture, as well, to make his characters believable. I also found it refreshing that many of the African characters were both positive and protagonists.

Some of the ideas about the development from primate to Homo Sapien in terms of social, physical, and emotional development were very intriguing. To give an example, I found the idea of early Neanderthals and different versions of humanity living concurrently and interbreeding to be fascinating. To think that we picked up, as modern humans, many successful traits from "evolutionary dead ends" such as the Neanderthals is really captivating.

The book itself is the story of one anthropologist, Ken Lauder, a Californian "beach bum" type hiding out from responsibility, in far off Kenya. In the course of his existence in Kenya, he makes a big discovery that could rock the anthropological world: a possible living "missing link." Ken and his friend, a local African with connection, are in the process of exploring their discovery when a civil war breaks out in Kenya and everything turns into chaos. The better part of the text explores what the field of anthropology is like (according to a fiction writer who did some research), what life in Africa is like and particularly the volatile politics of small African nations, and Ken's erstwhile existence after being abandoned in the African wild. While Ken is abandoned in the wild, he is befriended by a protohuman that Ken nicknames "Long Toes." Ken and "Long Toes" form a father/son relationship that forms the core of the book.

If no other reason, read this book for its easy way of introducing scientific ideas about the origin of Homo Sapiens and their evolution. This book is a way for people who are scared of science to find out how enjoyable science can be. Enjoy!

Review by: Maximillian Ben Hanan

This is a great book because of it's entertaining way of teaching about some of the more interesting aspects of paleo-anthropology and anthropology in general. The author did an excellent job of researching his subject having consulted actual anthropologists. He obviously researched African politics and culture as well to make his characters believable. I also found it refreshing that many of the African characters were both positive and protagonists.

Some of the ideas about the development from primate to Homo Sapien in terms of social, physical, and emotional development were very intriguing. To give an example, I found the idea of early Neandertals and different versions of humanity living concurrently and interbreeding to be fascinating. To think that we picked up, as modern humans, many successful traits from "evelutionary dead ends" such as the Neandertals is really captivating. Forgive me for overusing my language, but i really enjoyed this book!

If no other reason, read this book for it's easy way of introducing scientific ideas about the origin of Homo Sapiens and their evolution. This book is a way for people who are scared of science to find out how enjoyable science can be. Enjoy!

I bought this book two years ago at a "dollar store" during an ice storm which left us without electricity for two weeks. There wasn't much to do so I bought this book thinking it probably wouldn't be too great; I mean I spent three bucks on it at the dollar store. But, I hoped it would ward off the boredom. I didn't get to start reading it until a month ago and was I ever surprised. This is a great book! As the last reviewer stated, it's a great way to teach science through fiction. I had never put too much thought into how humans evolved. I have even found myself watching The Discovery Channel to find out more about the protohumans.

"Ghosts of Tsavo" is part travelogue, part natural history, part murder mystery, and part mid-life crisis for its author Philip Caputo. What it is as a whole is a fascinating, engaging look at the lions of Tsavo Park in Kenya. Caputo first became interested in these unusual lions as a result of a visit to the Field Museum in Chicago as a young boy. Therein were "Ghost" and "Darkness" two enormous males lions that terrorized constructions workers building a rail line through Tsavo. In fact terrorized may be too weak a word as they are credited with killing at least 120 people and literarily halting construction until they were eventually hunted down and killed by British Lt. Col. Patterson who was heading up the project. He recounted this effort in his famous memoir "The Man Eaters of Tsavo" and kindled a fascination with Kenya's lions that lingered with Caputo for half a century.

What sets the lions of Tsavo apart from the more familiar ones we know from nature documentaries, is that they are much bigger, and the males are either maneless of have very short manes, in either case nothing like the regal mountains of fur on their cousins from the Serengeti. In the first half of the book, Caputo explores reasons as to why this might by the case. It is possible that since Tsavo is much warmer than the Serengeti, manes are too expensive in terms of internal resources to grow. Another possibility is that the thick scrub brush and thorns of the region wear down manes before they ever become truly impressive.

However, it is a more controversial theory that makes for the most entertaining reading. Caputo encounters several scientists who argue that the lions of Tsavo are genetically distinct from the lions on the Serengeti. Moreover, they argue that the lions of Tsavo are in fact a throw back to prehistoric lions, quite literally walking fossils. The point to the lack of manes, the much larger height and girth and the fact that Tsavo lions hunt the enormous Cape Buffalo as justifications for this thesis.

Ultimately, Caputo, in three journeys to Kenya over the course of eighteen months (once as a tourist and twice with scientific expeditions) is never able to definitively state which hypothesis is correct. However, that in no way detracts from his rambling, conversational narrative. Caputo is not a scientist, and he in no way pretends to be one, although he does (and justifiably so) consider himself a well-informed observer. As such, he is not constrained by the rigors of academia, and can therefore transfer his passion for these lions and the mystery surrounding them onto the page. In fact, towards the end he grows weary of the scientific studies as they somehow detract from the powerful aura that surrounds the lions.

If you are interested in lions in general, or if the prospect of some spine-tingling tales of man-eating lions sounds appealing, "Ghost of Tsavo" is well worth reading. However, beyond the surface elements, Caputo has written a book that captures the raw spirituality of nature, and that bemoans modern man's detachment from the primitive. So it is entirely likely that even if you have no interest in lions at all, you may be drawn to Caputo's lament for something we don't even realize we have lost. Either way, "Ghost's of Tsavo" is well worth reading.

Having spent 4 weeks in South Africa last summer doing research on lions myself, I was deeply interested in reading this book (as I am also a fan of Patterson's story). I expected to be blown away with stories, true or not, of man-eating lions in Africa. Instead, Caputo focused a bit too much on things not pertaining to lions, especially towards the end of the book. Don't get me wrong, man-eating info was there, but I just was not as frightened by this book as I hoped to be. It is still a good read however.

If you have ambitions to be a writer,avoid reading this book since
it,ll just fill you with envy. Every word has the right nuance,the
sentences run like limpid streams , the gentle humor pervasive
and the opinions expressed thoughtful. Can anyone, for instance,
argue with the statement that nearly every problem that we face
is caused or aggravated by the fact that are just too many of us.
The excellence of this book should come as no surprise since
the author is none other than ex-marine who also gave us the best
account by a combatant (on our side) of the Great Crusade in Vietnam.
The subject of the present book are the lions of Tsavo who are
less manely but defintely more manly than the other members
of their species and have developed a taste for the human flesh
and their appetizers include not only the skeletal locals but also
an occasional tourist who had loved nature not wisely but only
too well. Two groups of American academics are engaged in a bitter
fight over the reasons behind the maneaters obvious lack of
etiquette each trying to capture the lion,s share of grants,honors,etc and finally the holiest of all grails-publication in a "refereed" journal. All of this happens
within the shouting distance of the hellhole of Nairobi, where,
if there is a just God, the final resting place for all of those
opposed to population control.Nairobi is also the focal point for the activities of the Christ like figure of rock and roll artist and father of six Bono who wants us
to pay for the sexual recklessness of the locals (Bono,s millions
do not enter into the equation) while he residing in one of his mansions ponders new scams to prove his moral superiority. Never mind the insignificance of
the subjet matter since Captuto can write about yesetrday,s
leftovers and make them interest. After reading this delightful
book my own take is that there is incontrovertible evidence
that human thugs commit their bestialities because of lack of
"self esteem" (it used to be poverty) and it,ll be a great project
for the dogooding bleeding heart animal rights activists to go
to Tsavo and feed Minoxidill to the lions so they could lead
peaceful lives under assumed manes. In the process some of
the actvistis may become canapes for the lions and that,ll
be just wonderful.

This book is an autobiographical account of Kuki Gallman's life on a farm in the highlands of Kenya. On the rich backdrop of the African bush, Kuki tells of her life of adventure, including the colourful characters that became her family and friends.
Most memorable in the book are her heartbreaking experiences of losing her husband and her son, these events being vividly portrayed at length. Her valiant struggle to live through these tragedies and carry on with her life lends to us a sense of hope in the face of great adversity.

It would not be fair to compare this book to 'Out of Africa' and other classic African tales, since it is more a personal account of a life rather than a literary effort. The best part of the book is clearly the chapters on the death of her son, which are terribly moving, and at times chilling in their attention to detail and their realism. A little bit of criticism: sometimes her habit of packing a lot of adjectives into her sentences can make the book a bit tiring to read, and makes her style at times a bit mannered.

Overall the book is the account of a remarkable life. It is well worth reading, especially for Africa-philes.

An autobiographical novel about Kuki Gallman's experiences in Africa...
The book is filled with wonderful descriptions of the African landscape and the struggles of daily life in this enigmatic
country. Kuki engages the reader with tales elephants in her garden to the very real threat of lions that can kill in one moment of carelessness. It is clear through her writing that she truly loves and feels a spiritual conncetion to this land.
Her upbeat attitude, "There has never been a day of boredom" and sincere desire to protect the environment has bolstered her through two tragedies that would break a lesser person.
You may not agree with some of Kuki's life choices but you will be inspired, awed and envious of the adventures and environmental achievements she has made in her lifetime.

If you haven't been to Africa or experienced the wonder of the landscapes, the smell of the earth,the fortitude of the people or felt in awe of the human spirit then read this book and GO. Kuki Gallman is one such person who didn't just dream it , she did it. Her personal life story is tragic but also inspiring. The question of using a 'ghost writer' as commented on by a former reviewer misses the whole point of the book. To have done so would have destroyed the very essesnce of the writing - its appeal is through her own use of language and structure. She speaks from the heart , not from the head. If you don't appreciate good , honest soulful story telling , then stick to fiction or encyclopaedias - this is not for you.

Much credit is given 'Papa' for his writings on Africa. I can only attribute this to the fact that he is a famous author and more people have read his Africa books/two short stories more than any others. Much like Roosevelts game trails this book is a chronicle of Hemingways two month safari. And like Teddys book comes across as just that. After all they only both went on one safari. If you are really interested in reading about African big game hunting there are two books that communicate the vibrancy and feel of hunting dangerous game in Africa better than Hemingway or Roosevelt. Death in the long grass by Peter Hathaway Capstick and Pondoro by John Taylor are my two favorites. Both are men who spent their lives living and hunting in Africa. Capstick as a Proffesional hunter and game warden in the latter half of this century until 1975, and Taylor as an Ivory poacher from the 1920-30's(?) to the late 40's. If you are anti-hunting forget it but if you are in-between and looking for something more on Africa then Please take a look. I am not saying that Hemingway is bad, it's just that in my opinion Taylor and Capstick bring African hunting alive in a way Hemingway can't touch in the best parts of Green Hills. Hemingway may be the master when it comes to other types of literature, but when it comes to describing hunting dangerous game in Africa Taylor and Capstick reign supreme.

"Green Hills of Africa" was Hemingway's first non-fiction book, written after a 1933 trip to Eastern Africa (Kenya, Tanzania). It went a long way in establishing Hemingway's reputation as a hunter and adventurer. Though non-fiction it has the organization of a Hemingway novel and reads much like his other works. His descriptions of the landscape, local people, other hunters, and especially animals, hunting, and killing are superb. Hemingway also shares, mostly as dialogue, his thoughts on life, war, fate, and notably literature and the literary life. His often-quoted idea of all American literature being descended from one book by Mark Twain is presented here, as are his thoughts on how America destroys its writers. Some knowledge of Eastern Africa (such as a basic history, a guidebook, an encyclopedia article) might be useful as Hemingway often does provide much introductory material. With "Green Hills of Africa" Hemingway follows in the footsteps of Theodore Roosevelt's "African Game Trails"; both did much to popularize among Americans the idea of recreational travel in Africa. Hemingway went on to write two fictional stories set in Africa: "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" and "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber". A good book, moreso for fans of Papa and those with an interest in Africa.

Hem is hunting both big game and big literature in "Green Hills." On this 1933-34 African safari, his jovial, Socratic drinking pal "Pop" is actually Phillip Percival the famous white hunter who conducted Theodore Roosevelt on his first African safari. As a young man, Hemingway owned a copy of TR's book "African Game Trails," and it is undoubtedly one of the reasons he went on this safari, which was financed to the tune of $25,000 Depression dollars by his wife Pauline's uncle Gus, part owner of Richard Hudnut cosmetics. Further evidence of Hem's fascination with Africa can be seen in the way Jake Barnes teases Robert Cohn in "The Sun Also Rises." In chapter two, Jake says, " Did you ever think about going to British East Africa to shoot?" Cohn's lack of enthusiasm for an immediate trek to Mombassa seals his fate as a jerk. "Green Hills" vindicates Hem's real aficion for hunting--filled with long descriptions of the arduous and sometimes futile tracking of game, not just celebratory "kills." Finally, the best preparation for reading "The Short Happy Life of Francis Macomber" and "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" is to hike and sweat through these 300 pages of African "country." The long, crescent-horned sable which Hem was painstakingly stalking at the end of "Green Hills" never turned up. But instead, the experience of his African safari, was distilled into those two incredible stories--one about a coward who gets a chance to redeem himself and the other about a washed-up writer whose approaching death stimulates him to dream about--and the reader to enjoy--the fiction he never got to actually write. Unless you've got a rich uncle or wife, this is as close as you'll get to an East African safari, and it is very, very fine.