I haven't read many memoirs, but out of all the ones I've read..this is my favorite. It's funny, sad, shocking, and so unique I couldn't wait to read it at the end of the day. This is about Alexandra Fuller and her childhood in South Africa. I think when people think of Africa, they don't always think about the constant civil war, the landmines, the difficult cultivation for farmers, the unbearable heat, etc. This book was such an eye opener about what happens in Africa from a white person's perspective. And not a person who lived in a developed nation and moved there.
Not only are the elements rough (one bad storm can knock out their power from December - March-wtf), but the author has a very dysfunctional family. It's a loving family, but also extremely odd. An alcoholic paranoid mother, a father who internalizes it all, and two girls (Alexandra included). Beer, cigarettes at a young age (like six years old) is only the beginning. It's a free family that adores animals so there are endearing qualities...but Africa does get the best of them (especially her parents).
My only complaint is that the author sometimes jumps around...so when she is discussing a particular situation..you don't know or remember what age she is when it happens. Sometimes she does point out how old she was when this or that happened..but not always.
I'm glad this was recommended to me, or I probably would have never thought to read it. Besides the many things I learned about African society was this: when you are close to lions (not the ones in captivity in zoos), they smell like really pungent cat pee.
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