A Guide To The Birds of East Africa – Nicholas Drayson

Dec 24, 2009 Posted by booktiger on Dec 24, 2009 in Africa | 0 comments

A Guide To The Birds of East Africa – Nicholas Drayson

And in amongst the sadness and anger of the past few books I have been reading, at last I get the opportunity to read something a little lighter. A Guide To the Birds of East Africa was just the distraction I needed – it is a lovely, feel-good story which doesn’t avoid issues or the reality of the world, but still provides hope in humanity and the power of goodness.

Mr Malik is rather taken with Rose Mbikwa, the leader and guide of the Tuesday Ornithological . Walk. Unfortunately, Malik isn’t the brash type – in fact, he is shy and incredibly polite and although he has been going on the walks regularly, every week, for several years, he hasn’t yet summoned up the courage to ask Mrs Mbikwa for a coffee. When the Annual Hunt Ball comes around, he sees it as his opportunity and writes a polite invitation to Mrs Mbikwa to ask her to accompany him to the ball. However, he doesn’t send it – and before he gets a chance to, who should walk onto the scene but Harry Khan.

Unfortunately, Malik knows Harry from their time at school together some 50 years before and despite them all being old men now, things haven’t changed. From the time of his arrival, Harry has his eye on Rose and before long, a competition between Malik and Khan is called for the right to ask Rose to the ball. The one who spots the most types of birds in a week will be the winner.

Harry uses money, influence and time to scour the country. Malik takes a slower route and seems to hit trouble after trouble – from being robbed and having his car stolen, to almost being kidnapped by Somali terrorists. Throughout the week though, Malik is soon reminded about what is important in his life and as the competition draws to a close, he has to weigh those things with his fondness for Rose.

I won’t give a spoiler, but it is a delightful ending – both happy and unexpected. This story is a fairy tale of goodness, laced with humour and beautiful imagery, while still touching on the things which continue to plague Africa – AIDS, poverty, kidnapping and corruption. I loved it because it provided such a delightful balance, and was written with so much imagination and lovely, flawed, likeable characters.

And look out for the chicken