In which a thirty-something American librarian with a social conscience goes to Africa to deliver books to the outlying settlements by camel.
Okay, I make it sound as dumb as I thought it was going to be. But I was wrong. This is no great literature, but it is a nice read and all but the main character, Fi, short for Fiona, come pretty much alive. I feel myself waffling as I write this. I think maybe I would have liked more focus on the tribes people and how they lived day to day. And yet, the characters are not one dimensional. There is a boy who was horribly scarred when he was a baby who holds the entire books-by-camel program in his hands and the school teacher who loves his wife, but she is doing the unthinkable, by having a relationship with Scar Boy's father. And there is the wise older grandmother who has seen it all an passes out good advice. There I went and did it again and made it sound sappier than it is.
It is about 300 quick pages and the setting is lovely and I think the idea behind the book is good, too. Essentially that books and education can change lives, even those of the people in the African bush. I would say this book has a good heart. And as a retired librarian I had to read it.
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4 comments:
I've been eyeing this one but not sure it would be something I'd want to read. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on it, Lisa Jean. I've added it to my wishlist. I might as well give it a try. It does sound interesting from your description!
I will be interested to read your impressions of the book. You could tell that I was right on the edge of wishy washy, but I was glad I read it. I'm also glad I got it from the library and didn't buy it.
I'm confused..is it fiction or nonfiction? Either way, I think I'd like it.
bybee, It is fiction. I should have said that right from the start, because you're right it does sound like nonfiction. And there really is a camel bookmobile program going on in Africa. At the end of the book she has include info on making both book and monetary donations to the program.
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