I recently read a very interesting book called The Flame Trees of Thika by Elspeth Huxley.
"In an open cart Elspeth Huxley set off with her parents to travel to Thika in Kenya. As pioneering settlers, they built a house of grass, ate off a damask cloth spread over packing cases, and discovered—the hard way—the world of the African. With an extraordinary gift for detail and a keen sense of humor, Huxley recalls her childhood on the small farm at a time when Europeans waged their fortunes on a land that was as harsh as it was beautiful. For a young girl, it was a time of adventure and freedom, and Huxley paints an unforgettable portrait of growing up among the Masai and Kikuyu people, discovering both the beauty and the terrors of the jungle, and enduring the rugged realities of the pioneer life."
The book takes place in early 20th century colonial Kenya, with a variety of interesting European families settling the area and making attempts at farming the land. The local tribes of the Kikuyu and Masai interact with the settlers as local labor and the insights into their culture are presented through the lens of the child narrator. The perspective of the book is through the eyes of a little girl, which helps to reduce the amount of colonial supremacy and prejudice in exchange for a more innocent and honest interpretation of events.
I found the book to not only be an interesting collection of stories but also a valuable history lesson about colonial Africa. I'm not sure I ever received much education about the settlement of east Africa or the pioneering white settlers to Africa. My unfamiliarity with the early 20th century also helped to make the book quite informative when it came to technology of the day and agriculture industries that were popular. I absolutely loved the mix of childish observation with mature adult reflection. I thought the book would be difficult to narrate but I found it to be a very believable and engaging narration. Highly recommended!
"In an open cart Elspeth Huxley set off with her parents to travel to Thika in Kenya. As pioneering settlers, they built a house of grass, ate off a damask cloth spread over packing cases, and discovered—the hard way—the world of the African. With an extraordinary gift for detail and a keen sense of humor, Huxley recalls her childhood on the small farm at a time when Europeans waged their fortunes on a land that was as harsh as it was beautiful. For a young girl, it was a time of adventure and freedom, and Huxley paints an unforgettable portrait of growing up among the Masai and Kikuyu people, discovering both the beauty and the terrors of the jungle, and enduring the rugged realities of the pioneer life."
The book takes place in early 20th century colonial Kenya, with a variety of interesting European families settling the area and making attempts at farming the land. The local tribes of the Kikuyu and Masai interact with the settlers as local labor and the insights into their culture are presented through the lens of the child narrator. The perspective of the book is through the eyes of a little girl, which helps to reduce the amount of colonial supremacy and prejudice in exchange for a more innocent and honest interpretation of events.
I found the book to not only be an interesting collection of stories but also a valuable history lesson about colonial Africa. I'm not sure I ever received much education about the settlement of east Africa or the pioneering white settlers to Africa. My unfamiliarity with the early 20th century also helped to make the book quite informative when it came to technology of the day and agriculture industries that were popular. I absolutely loved the mix of childish observation with mature adult reflection. I thought the book would be difficult to narrate but I found it to be a very believable and engaging narration. Highly recommended!
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