I'm a big fan of reading up before I travel anywhere, it really enriches the whole experience and certainly adds depth to a vacation. But I've made a few rough choices along the way. I absolutely loved Peter Godwin's book The Fear, it's an important book to read, but finishing it off in the plane before landing at Victoria Falls was perhaps not the best decision I've made. I did the same with Roz Carr's Land of Thousand Hills before tracking gorillas in Rwanda. It certainly added some gravitas to my safaris, but I'm not sure it put me in the right mood!
I'm heading to Kenya in a couple of weeks, so I've been loading up my iPad with books about Kenya's wildlife, history and culture. I made a list of the books I've read, and it's a long one. Kenya has inspired many fascinating biographies, Out of Africa by Isak Dinesen, is probably the most famous one, and has proven to be a goldmine for Kenya's tourism industry. I just recently read a couple of excellent biographies by two very different, but equally strong women: Unbowed by Wangari Maathai, and An African Love Story by Dame Daphne Sheldrick. Both very inspiring to read before visiting Kenya. Here are more recommendations for Books about Kenya ...
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