An Affair with Africa

by Alzada Carlisle Kistner, C.M. Hébert (Translation)

In the spirit of Isak Dinesen's Out of Africa, this extraordinary book shares with readers the thoughts and experiences of a remarkable woman, whose unquenchable thirst for adventure leads her into a series of almost unimaginable situations during five expeditions to Africa beginning with the trip to the Belgian Congo in 1960 and ending in 1972-73 with a nine-month excursion across southern Africa.

Genres: Africa, Nonfiction, Memoir, Travel, History, Audiobook, Adventure

Audiobook

First published May 1, 1998

Reviews

[Neil Lettinga · Rating 4 out of 5]

A charming and generally well-written travel tale describing the adventures of a couple of entomologists traipsing across Africa between 1960 and 1973 hunting for myrmecophiles (also known as "ant guests," and termitophiles (termite guests.) These bugs live with and are fed by the ants and termites that are their hosts and are killed as soon as their hosts discover their presence. Since their hosts are blind, they have various stratagems for avoiding being detected and killed. Alzada Carlisle Kistner and her husband David (mostly David) look for these little bugs across the length and breadth of Africa. They collect a quarter of a million of them (though that includes some they found in Asia and Latin America as well as Africa) and turn up 500 new species and 150 new genera.
The book, however, is really about their travels. Two scientists (later with kids) rather myopically looking for bugs makes for interesting adventures and an interesting read. Not to spoil the read, but they start out by flying into the Belgian Congo a week before Independence Day and head into the interior looking for bugs. There is no-one on the plane with them, they touch down to an airport packed with Belgians seeking to flee the country. And the story goes on from there....
Bug lovers may find the lack of much science disappointing -- this is for general interest readers.
Those who are familiar with Africa will find her a good storyteller who jogs your memories.

[Renee M · Rating 4 out of 5]

I thoroughly enjoyed this memoir/journal of the adventures of a family pursuing entomology in Africa over several trips and many years. I loved the blend of science and history, customs, culture, politics, and personal experience. Kistner shared elements that were funny and frightening, joyous and educational.

Just a fascinating read, made especially powerful for me due to the vicarious travel I've enjoyed through friends who have traveled/done relief work in Africa. And the fact that Ive recently read the phenomenal The Poisonwood Bible and Cry, the Beloved Country.

[Arie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was not at all expecting to enjoy this book after realising much to do about collecting beetles. Turns out, it was amazing. This book had me sobbing with grief, filled my eyes with tears of joy, had me laughing like a hyena (yes, that's a joke about the book), tense from holding my breath from how intense it and frightful it was. It was a wonderful read. And by read, I mean it was an audiobook, and it was great to listen to.

[Marcella · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is everything I like in a travelogue; it gives a snapshot of different African countries at a time a change in the political culture.

[Zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

This adventure reminded me of portions of my childhood as I traveled with my desert-ecologist parents. I'm biased, but I think there can be no better education for children than travel. My own non-scientific stint in The Gambia, West Africa coincided with the final trip described in this book. It was a marvelous era to experience Africa.

[Louise Renaudin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating memoir detailing the author's many visits to various countries in Africa, beginning with a trip to the Congo at the start of the revolution in 1960. The ants, termites and beetles' descriptions were a little tiring for me, but the adventures of the early Post- colonial period were well worth the plodding through the buggy information.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

A pretty interesting story about a very…scientific subject matter, ants and the beetles that live among them, myrmecophiles. (Murmica)
I learned way more about something I had exactly zero interest in learning about. Although some facts were quite interesting, and I did enjoy many of the stories. I would say this is an interesting travel journal.

[Gretchen Reid · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was an insightful and interesting read particularly if you appreciate field biology and insects and the history of Africa. It was an enjoyable read but started to drag and be a bit repetitive the last third thus a three vs four star rating.

[Dfeuillet · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wonderful low key funny and entertaining. Not exactly can’t put down but perfect car listening.

[David P. Craig · Rating 2 out of 5]

Was intrigued by the entomology and African history but this was a painful read as it was intensely colonial and violent in the erasure of local and indigenous people.

[Kerry · Rating 2 out of 5]

I enjoyed the adventure aspect, but kept thinking about the impact of Colonialism on the people of Africa.

[Abby · Rating 3 out of 5]

,

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay. Waspy narrative.

[Suzanne Auckerman · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book immensely, mainly because they (husband and wife team) went many places that I have also visited. It brought back good memories, especially of the wildlife.

[Geoff Easterbrook · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting story of adventures but become a bit tedious by the end

[Beth E · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was certainly informative about the lives of ants and termites - two things I knew little about and learned several interesting details. I suppose the difficulty is remembering that this took place in the 1960-1970 timeframe, before blatant destruction of lifeforms was more closely regarded. To hear stories of pouring DDT over ant nests and trying to collect specimens prior to the 'whole nest melting', what heartbreaking to hear. And I am a scientist, a biologist, who doesn't allow the justification that 'other people just don't understand what biologists do'. So, that made it hard. It was further made difficult in hearing that she and her husband left their 18 month old toddler with her parents to be able to go on the first of several African trips, and to be gone for months. It seems quite selfish and difficult, as a mother, for me to understand. So in trying to hear this book in the voice it was presented, in the timeframe in which is occurred, was quite difficult. In the end, it was an interesting memoir of this very dedicated family.

[Rochelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved it! I may be a little bias, but this book has sparked a fire to go back to Africa and giving me ideas about leading a dual life, here and there. This book follows a family around Africa during the 60's and 70's as they study termites and ants, but I promise this is not a lot of boring science involved.

My only qualms with this book, is the family mostly interacted with other Europeans and Americans with very little interaction with the "natives." It is still a wonderful journey through so many African countries before many civil wars broke out around the continent.

I listened to the book rather then read it, but had it connected to my ears continuously. Though the reader had some major pronunciations problems. I think it would be an intriguing book to read as well as listen too.

I recommend this book to anyone looking for a mix of science, adventure and cultural differences.

[Debra · Rating 3 out of 5]

A disappointing (to me at least) memoir of a pair of entomologists' field research in Africa decades ago. The problem with the book is that it isn't personal enough to give a sense of the people, not enough travel to give a sense of the continent and its history (they experienced the Mau Mau rebellion - and made it seem mundane!) not enough science to learn anything about termites and ants. I am not sorry that I listened to it, but wish it had found itself before she sent it off to her publisher.

[LaWane · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book chronicles the authors life in 1960's and 1970's traveling through Africa with her husband,an entomologist. They hunt , find and catalog thousands of termites and beetles. Wile this is not entirely interesting to me,their experiences are. Traveling in Africa while pregnant,traveling with children and the experiences with wild life,and traveling in a car all over Africa is very fascinating. I enjoyed listening to their experiences, I am not sure I could have read it without losing interest.

[Karen K - Ohio · Rating 3 out of 5]

Kistner writes of the multiple scientific expeditions she and her entomologist husband (and on some trips her young daughters) took to Africa between 1960 and 1973 just as the continent was falling into unrest and political chaos at the end of the colonial era. She describes their research and experiences both in and out of the bush but avoids examining any of the social, political or economical changes swirling around them.

[Story · Rating 1 out of 5]

Very disappointing. The author spent a great deal of time traveling through Africa yet seems to have worn blinders the whole time she was there. She romanticizes colonization and seems oblivious to the history and conditions endured by those who were colonization's victims.

There are some interesting descriptions of the natural environment but not enough to make it a worthwhile read.

[Powder River Rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Truly an affair to remember. Thirty five years of exploration in Africa, from young scientific couple to young scientific family, Mrs Kistner tells the story of her amazing travels through this lovely country during times of upheaval and unrest while discovering new species of beetles and other insects. Excellent narration and enjoyable story.

[Halle · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read this several years ago, but remember finding the combination of political history and naturalists/scientists story to be interesting and fairly intriguing. Made me want to find out more about the Belgian Congo

[Mary Leahy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a very interesting book that is written by a lady from Chico, CA. It is about her experiences and adventures with her husband and children while they were doing scientific work in Africa studying ants and other insects.

[Elizabeth · Rating 3 out of 5]

Listened to this on my commute. Kept my interest on the drive but I don't know if I would have enjoyed it as much reading it. I found myself irritated with the author at times for taking what seemed unnecessary risks with her own and her kids' safety and lives.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

A map of 1960 to 1973 Africa would have been a helpful companion to this audio book. Most of the countries have changed their names since Alzada Carlisle Kistner was there. As for the reason for her expeditions, who knew there were bugs that live with the ants and mooch off them?

[Jennifer]

Interesting and good for readers of interesting stuff about Africa.

[Jenny Gendel · Rating 3 out of 5]

It was a fascinating book and actually made a good car travel book, or a doing something else listening to book, but one I would have found hard to physically read. Interesting.

[Jen Huff · Rating 4 out of 5]

Incredible adventures