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African Nights: True Stories from the Author of I Dreamed of Africa | 
 enlarge | Author: Kuki Gallmann
Publisher: Harper Paperbacks
Category: Book
List Price: $14.00
Buy Used: $0.95
You Save: $13.05 (93%)
New (21) Used (36) from $0.95
Rating:  17 reviews
Sales Rank: 65685
Media: Paperback
Pages: 336
Number Of Items: 1
Shipping Weight (lbs): 0.7
Dimensions (in): 7.8 x 5.3 x 0.7
ISBN: 0060954833
Dewey Decimal Number: 967.62
EAN: 9780060954833
ASIN: 0060954833
Publication Date: April 1, 2000
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Condition: very usable copy with marks
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Product Description
Lyrical, beautifully written tales of life in AfricaAfrica evokes a deep sense of mystery. It is a place that retains what most of the world has lost: space, roots, traditions, awesome beauty, true wilderness, rare animals, and extraordinary people. In this wonderful and haunting collection of stories, Kuki Gallmann writes of her life in Africa, where every day brings challenge and adventure. African Nights is a treasury of memories, in which fascinating people and places are brought to life. The healing powers Africa can have on those who embrace the land as a place of mystery, superstition, danger, and beauty.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 12 more reviews...
 A Dream-Come-True June 2, 2000
R. M. Calitri (California,USA)
48 out of 52 found this review helpful
If you are one who often dreams of Africa, then you've probably heard of Kuki Gallman, a brave woman who begins her 2nd memoir with those very words: "I was born in Italy, and from earliest childhood I dreamed of Africa." African Nights, the sequel to I Dreamed of Africa (now a movie in which Kim Bassinger stars), is a reverent anthology about the author's experiences in Kenya. In her first book, readers learned of her life tragedies--her husband's fatal plane crash and her son's death from a poisonous pet snake's bite. The stories in African Nights take place afterwards and illustrate a venerable woman's courage in the face of the wild and beautiful East Africa. Stories such as "Elephant Ballad," "Night of the Lions," and "The Brigadier's Cheetah" pay tribute to the glory of African animals and homage to the humans they encounter. But these are more than stereotypical animal tales set in beautiful Kenya. "A Maasai Woman," one of the most original stories in the book, recreates an afternoon Ms. Gallman spends with the woman in her boma (compound). In less than six pages the author authentically presents a wealth of obscure tribal custom. Sure, most of us never give Africa a second imaginative thought beyond the hackneyed portrayal of the lone warrior with his spear or herds of zebras running from lions. What makes Ms. Gallman's writing unique in the nature writing genre is her deeply religious connection to our African heritage and a poetic ease for sharing it. After reading this book, you may feel that you have breathed the perfume of tropical herbs while hearing the bass vibrations of elepants in a deep green distance. Or you may end up going to Africa to know the Garden of Eden for yourself. If not, this book offers pleasure and wisdom for loving Africa and Africans as the author surely does.
African Nights March 24, 2000
Colleen Powers (Homer, Alaska)
19 out of 22 found this review helpful
This collection of short stories is exquisitely written, accurately and magically depicting the sounds, smells, sights, and feelings of life and all its struggles and joys in Kenya. Her stories and descriptions brought me back physically, emotionally, and spiritually to the land and people I love. I savoured each chapter and bought my ticket back to Kenya mid-book. I tell my friends if they want to understand why I am drawn to Kenya, to read this book. It is profound and delightful!
People Must Understand... April 22, 2001
Travis Hogbin (Petersburg, WV USA)
18 out of 21 found this review helpful
I understand that Mrs. Gallmann's writing style and in fact, even her stories, are not suited to everyone's tastes. But I also feel that the basis for some of these reviews is quite ridiculous. The spelling "errors"? Oddly enough, these are likely not errors, simply European takes on English words. People seem to forget the Kuki is an Italian and, therefore, not necessarily keen to Americanized spellings. The editor likely saw no need to alter these words as they are easily understood either way and, in fact, I myself have seen the words that the reviewer was referring to written in the same manner before. A mild complaint at best, I would say.I also fail to understand the reasoning behind the anti-colonial reviews written mainly by a few North Americans. I believe we are the last people who should be allowed to speak of colonialism. True, Kuki may be just another white colonial in Africa, a land that has had its fair share of problems in that department. But, she has also done more to bring focus to that country and make the stories of this vast and beautiful continent/country known to the rest of us. Who cares where she has garnered her money from? She obviously comes from a quite wealthy family and she runs a major organization and has worked dutifully on her FARM (yes, it is a farm, remember that. They state explicitly that they have sold livestock from very early on) for close to 30 years. Alas, not everyone can see the simplistic beauty in her words. A true poet does not have to conform to the normal style of writing. (don't forget - the last few "tales" in "African Nights" were taken directly from her diary - even if words are misspelled, perhaps the misspellings were left in for authenticity's sake). Kuki is an incredibly descriptive writer and I find myself yearning to read more. As I stated in my review for "I Dreamed of Africa," I have been fortunate enough to have brief contact with Mrs. Gallmann herself and found her as truthful as she is in her storytelling. So, ignore the negative reviews and take a step into this incredible woman's life.
 Couldn't wait for these Nights to end August 26, 2000
Ed Gibbon www.congocookbook.com (Washington DC)
7 out of 13 found this review helpful
My advice: Borrow this book from your local library, finish it if you can, and then decide whether to buy it. "African Nights: True Stories from the Author of I Dreamed of Africa" seems to be mostly an excuse for a book thought up by the publisher's marketing department. It is an annoying combination of hodge-podge and mish-mash that adds up to less than the sum of its parts. Not only does the book as a whole not hold together, but too often the stories themselves are little more than strange juxtapositions of unrelated thoughts, images, and events that leave the confused reader with a response of "Huh?". The success of her first book evidently convinced Gallmann that there is no end to her readers' patience. This book might make sense to her, as her own personal journal, but for the rest of us it is elliptical and way too self-indulgent. There are a few interesting scenes, and we may learn a thing or two about Africa and Africans, but there are far better books to read. (See my other reviews for starters, please.) It would have been far better to save the material in "African Nights" until, with the help of a very good editor, a real book could have been made from it.
Revisiting Africa September 1, 2000
Jennifer Lang (Pearland, TX United States)
6 out of 10 found this review helpful
So, "I Dreamed of Africa" was panned, but it awakened my soul so I purchased "African Nights". Disregarding the typos, etc., the abilities to read "sound bites" of the Africa that Kuki knew gave me a greater insight into life there. Each story provided images of fun events and sad memories. Pick up the book, each chapter provoke thoughts and concerns. I found the "A Masaai Woman" hilarious - how do you rate yourself? The book contains short vignettes that appeal to the interests of many. If you don't like it all, you will definitely like many of the stories. Well worth the price of the book.
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