Rating: 
Summary: Self-Absorbed and Tiresome
Review: What can you say about a woman who doesn't even bother to let the reader know that her husband's first wife died in the car accident that she herself was injured in--until fifty pages later? Or skims over the fact that she was having an affair except by saying that her lover's life was complicated, and he was not "free?" Occasionally while writing about the animals or the Africans (though even there she has the patronizing attitude that they were "innocent" before the coming of Europeans) she rises above her tedious sketches of her oh so many colorful (and rich) friends and dutiful "poetical" descriptions of the landscape, but these moments are few. The overblown hyperbole of her relationships--her perfect children, the mystical relationships with her lovers--made me want to gag. Only the visceral honesty about her son's and husband's deaths, such as mopping up the blood from her son's corpse with one of his sister's diapers, got this book two stars. The Flame Trees of Thika is a much better book, or perhaps it is easier to read about the priviledged European in Africa after she's safely gone!
Rating: 
Summary: An magical read
Review: An article in Architectual Digest lead me to this incredible autobiography which in turn lead me to Kuki Gallman and her magical Africa. I found the book captivating and a tribute to the human spirit. Visiting Kuki at her resort was one of the most memorable experiences of my life. Her book is truly what she represents. I still dream of Africa and its intoxicating scents, the magical wild animals that inhabit her world, the starry nights so close you feel you can reach up and touch them. My hope is to return to Lakipia and recapture the beauty of Africa. There is truly no place on earth like it.
Rating: 
Summary: I Dreamed of Not Having Read This Book
Review: I am utterly stunned that this book got so many positive reviews from readers. I got about two-thirds of the way through it before I finally let myself quit reading it.Gallman has lead an interesting life; there's no question of that. The only trouble is, she's not a good writer. She tends to tell the reader things--like that her son was a special person--rather than showing us. And she tries way too hard to add mystical foreshadowing. Example: her son was killed from a poisonous snakebite. Years before, when he got his first pet python, she said that she felt uneasy. This is supposed to show us, the readers, how in tune with the world she is, how she's probably psychic. Excuse me, but I think any mother would be a little uneasy about their child having a lethal pet. Do not waste your time with this boring, painful book.
Rating: 
Summary: A remarkable life
Review: This book is an autobiographical account of Kuki Gallman's life on a farm in the highlands of Kenya. On the rich backdrop of the African bush, Kuki tells of her life of adventure, including the colourful characters that became her family and friends.
Most memorable in the book are her heartbreaking experiences of losing her husband and her son, these events being vividly portrayed at length. Her valiant struggle to live through these tragedies and carry on with her life lends to us a sense of hope in the face of great adversity. It would not be fair to compare this book to 'Out of Africa' and other classic African tales, since it is more a personal account of a life rather than a literary effort. The best part of the book is clearly the chapters on the death of her son, which are terribly moving, and at times chilling in their attention to detail and their realism. A little bit of criticism: sometimes her habit of packing a lot of adjectives into her sentences can make the book a bit tiring to read, and makes her style at times a bit mannered. Overall the book is the account of a remarkable life. It is well worth reading, especially for Africa-philes.
Rating:
Summary: I Dreamed of Africa-- a review
Review: This book is the type of rare work that draws its readers into a whole other world by making them see and feel everything that the storyteller does. We become almost a part of the life of this extraordinary woman and her passion not only for Kenya and Africa but simply for life and living. Each one of us dreams of some place or ideal as we grow, but few of us are fortunate or determined enough to turn those dreams into realities and go on to live them. Kuki Gallman along with her husband and children shows us what it is like to achieve and live our dreams and at what cost our dreams sometimes come. "I Dreamed of Africa" is a lyrical, magical account of one woman, her family, and the people and customs of the last continent in our world that truly has a soul. The message of this book and Kuki's continuing mission to preserve that world will stay with all who read it and they will be better for it.
Rating:
Summary: I laughed and cried...
Review: This book is a testimony to the human spirit and how one can overcome extreme adversity and channel that into productive life altering experiences. I laughed and cried and didn't want this book to end. It was so motivating and not at all pretentious. It made me feel as though I could accomplish anything by merely wanting it enough. Mrs Gallman articulated the surroundings so well that it made you feel as though you were sitting next to her. I mourned each time something horrid occurred and laughed at the little things in her every day experiences.
Rating: 
Summary: Take this book for what it is
Review: I have little to add to the other positive reviews of this book; but half the reviewers seem to be criticising the author, rather than the book. While I do not deny it has faults (the fact that English is not the author's first language sometimes weakens the expression of her clearly genuine feelings)I am astonished at the resentment expressed in many reviews. Specifically, over the fact that the author happens to be a white and presumably wealthy European - as though this fact automatically makes her a hypocrite and her views and experiences less worthy... and furthermore, that this a fault of the book itself! Judge the book on its own worth, instead of making moralistic judgments about the author. Ms Gallman doesn't claim this is the ultimate African story - it is the personal story of her life, her deep love of Africa and of her friends and family, and in my opinion of her remarkably brave journey. Many reviewers seem to criticise this book for failing to be what it was never intended to be in the first place. Oh, and all the spiteful comments about the "rich white Europeans" owning airplanes!!! For God's sake, we are not talking about private luxury jets here! Clearly reviewers have completely disregarded that this is AFRICA, where people have immense properties, where it takes hours and hours to drive on dusty and dangerous roads to your nearest neighbours. How some people have gained the impression they were simply flitting about in style for their own pleasure is quite beyond me. About the only way of practical transport to most places was by plane, and it would seem these were small and often rundown planes, where people took their life in their hands each time they flew them. So please, get over the fact that most people had planes!!
Rating:
Summary: I dream of Africa after having read the book.
Review: After having read the book, then seen the movie and still loving the story line, I would recommend this delightful autobiography to anyone. At times happy, other times tearful, this book/film is all the more real because of the well composed story and well acted movie.
Kuki Gallman was everything I had imagined her to be after having seen the film. And having found how to correctly pronounce Paolo's name was another bonus!
When Kuki and her husband Paolo uproot themselves to the wildness of Africa they are faced with many new difficulties, which they overcome in time.
There are quite notable differences between the film and movie and one that perturbed me immensely was that Paolo's wife and two daughters from a previous marriage are excluded from the film. I believed them to have played an important role in the book, but the film producers obviously didn't share this insight.
Rating:
Summary: A Beautiful Dream
Review: An autobiographical novel about Kuki Gallman's experiences in Africa...
The book is filled with wonderful descriptions of the African landscape and the struggles of daily life in this enigmatic
country. Kuki engages the reader with tales elephants in her garden to the very real threat of lions that can kill in one moment of carelessness. It is clear through her writing that she truly loves and feels a spiritual conncetion to this land.
Her upbeat attitude, "There has never been a day of boredom" and sincere desire to protect the environment has bolstered her through two tragedies that would break a lesser person.
You may not agree with some of Kuki's life choices but you will be inspired, awed and envious of the adventures and environmental achievements she has made in her lifetime.
Rating:
Summary: Awe inspiring
Review: This is one of the most inspiring works i have ever had. My hat off to Kuki for even being able to write about the hardships she endured through life. Read this book.
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