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Mr Malik #1
A Guide to the Birds of East Africa
For the past three years, Mr. Malik has been secretly in love with Rose Mbikwa, a woman who leads the weekly bird walks sponsored by the East African Ornithological Society. Just as Malik is getting up the nerve to invite Rose to the Nairobi Hunt Club Ball (the premier social occasion of the Kenyan calendar), Harry Khan, a nemesis from his school days, arrives in town.
Khan has also become enraptured with Rose and announces his intent to invite her to the Ball. Rather than force Rose to choose between the two men, a clever solution is proposed. Whoever can identify the most species of birds in one week’s time gets the privilege of asking Ms. Mbikwa to the ball.
Khan has also become enraptured with Rose and announces his intent to invite her to the Ball. Rather than force Rose to choose between the two men, a clever solution is proposed. Whoever can identify the most species of birds in one week’s time gets the privilege of asking Ms. Mbikwa to the ball.
202 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 2008
113 people are currently reading
4225 people want to read
About the author
Nicholas Drayson
10 books47 followersNicholas Drayson has written extensively about wildlife and natural history and is the author of the novels Confessing a Murder, which was hailed by Booklist for its "view of Darwin never before seen", Love and the Platypus and A Guide to the Beasts of East Africa. An Englishman by birth, Drayson has worked as a journalist in the UK, Kenya and Australia, writing for publications such as the Daily Telegraph and Australian Geographic. He has lived in Australia since 1982, where he received a Ph.D. from the University of New South Wales.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 899 reviews
May 28, 2025
A very nice, carefully plotted novel taking place in contemporary Kenya. Drayson’s book contains a cross section of people in Nairobi and wider Kenya. Some are legitimate native people, at least one is relatively new (she came in the 60s) and some are descendants of Indian people brought to build railroads for British colonials in the early 20th century. Most characters in the story are doing fairly well.
The plot moves around Mr. Malik who would like to invite Rose Mbikwa to the Hunt Ball. His old tormentor from school days, Harry Khan, turns up and would also like to take Rose to the Ball. A civilized competition, a bird count, is devised by members of the Asadi Club. As light as all this sounds, there is some shade around the edges. There is government corruption, assault/robbery, Somali’s capturing young men to turn into soldiers, poverty, AIDs and of course the womanizing, only-sort-of-honest Mr. Khan.
The background is filled with alluring Kenyan birds with fabulous names like the Hadada, the Hoopoe, the Chestnut Headed Bee Eater, the Red Bellied Tree Duck, the Green Headed Sun Bird, the Malachite Kingfisher, the Lammergeier, the Emerald Cuckoo and flocks of other avians.
The plot moves around Mr. Malik who would like to invite Rose Mbikwa to the Hunt Ball. His old tormentor from school days, Harry Khan, turns up and would also like to take Rose to the Ball. A civilized competition, a bird count, is devised by members of the Asadi Club. As light as all this sounds, there is some shade around the edges. There is government corruption, assault/robbery, Somali’s capturing young men to turn into soldiers, poverty, AIDs and of course the womanizing, only-sort-of-honest Mr. Khan.
The background is filled with alluring Kenyan birds with fabulous names like the Hadada, the Hoopoe, the Chestnut Headed Bee Eater, the Red Bellied Tree Duck, the Green Headed Sun Bird, the Malachite Kingfisher, the Lammergeier, the Emerald Cuckoo and flocks of other avians.
May 12, 2018
Rating: 4* of five
TODAY 5/12/18 THIS DELIGHTFUL BOOK IS ONLY $1.99 ON EREADER PLATFORMS INCLUDING KINDLE
The Publisher Says: For the past three years, Mr. Malik has been secretly in love with Rose Mbikwa, a woman who leads the weekly bird walks sponsored by the East African Ornithological Society. Just as Malik is getting up the nerve to invite Rose to the Nairobi Hunt Club Ball (the premier social occasion of the Kenyan calendar), Harry Khan, a nemesis from his school days, arrives in town. Khan has also become enraptured with Rose and announces his intent to invite her to the Ball. Rather than force Rose to choose between the two men, a clever solution is proposed. Whoever can identify the most species of birds in one week’s time gets the privilege of asking Ms. Mbikwa to the ball.
Drayson's charming descriptions of the Kenyan wildlife and his sharp take on the foibles and follies of the people and politics sketch a rich picture of contemporary life in Nairobi. Fans of Alexander McCall Smith will delight in this transporting and witty novel.
My Review: Actuarially, I am past middle age. In fact, more than 90% of the world's population is younger than I am. And that shows in the things I care about, read, and buy. Advertisers, take note: Old folks in America are *not lying down to die*! Pay attention to us!
Like the author of this book did. Mr. Malik, a widower and Mrs. Mbikwa, a widow, both of a certain vintage, are the focus of the love story in this book. Each has lost a well-loved spouse, each is living a full, interesting life and each is aware of a...space, an unfilled spot, in life. So what do they do? They go watch birds.
God, doesn't that sound dull? It's not. It's just the starting point for a deft, elegantly made meditation on what love means and how love is transmitted, received, and propagated in ever-larger and more complete circles. Drayson creates Rose Mbikwa, nee Macdonald, as that hardest to portray character: the lively, sad, solitary widow of a charismatic man. Her loss and her life are completely, and concisely, and elegantly drawn in less time than lesser prose stylists take to make minor characters. Mr. Malik, a complex and private man, isn't so much drawn as peeled, layer by later, until the things we think we know about him become...well...iceberg-tips of the cold, sad, lonely sea inside him.
But...and this is the biggest but I can imagine...he's *never* whiny, self-pitying, self-obsessed, nothing like that oh nay nay! He's a force in his own life and he's working on making it, and as much of the world as he touches, a better place.
The spirals Drayson spins as Mr. Malik and Mrs. Mbikwa orbit each other are always tightening and yet never constricting or confining our perceptions...this is good stuff, ladies and gentlemen! Good, good craftsmanship and an excellent storytelling eye.
I'd say do yourself a favor and read this book. It's short, only about 200pp, and it's fun, and it's got great substance. Most highly recommended.
TODAY 5/12/18 THIS DELIGHTFUL BOOK IS ONLY $1.99 ON EREADER PLATFORMS INCLUDING KINDLE
The Publisher Says: For the past three years, Mr. Malik has been secretly in love with Rose Mbikwa, a woman who leads the weekly bird walks sponsored by the East African Ornithological Society. Just as Malik is getting up the nerve to invite Rose to the Nairobi Hunt Club Ball (the premier social occasion of the Kenyan calendar), Harry Khan, a nemesis from his school days, arrives in town. Khan has also become enraptured with Rose and announces his intent to invite her to the Ball. Rather than force Rose to choose between the two men, a clever solution is proposed. Whoever can identify the most species of birds in one week’s time gets the privilege of asking Ms. Mbikwa to the ball.
Drayson's charming descriptions of the Kenyan wildlife and his sharp take on the foibles and follies of the people and politics sketch a rich picture of contemporary life in Nairobi. Fans of Alexander McCall Smith will delight in this transporting and witty novel.
My Review: Actuarially, I am past middle age. In fact, more than 90% of the world's population is younger than I am. And that shows in the things I care about, read, and buy. Advertisers, take note: Old folks in America are *not lying down to die*! Pay attention to us!
Like the author of this book did. Mr. Malik, a widower and Mrs. Mbikwa, a widow, both of a certain vintage, are the focus of the love story in this book. Each has lost a well-loved spouse, each is living a full, interesting life and each is aware of a...space, an unfilled spot, in life. So what do they do? They go watch birds.
God, doesn't that sound dull? It's not. It's just the starting point for a deft, elegantly made meditation on what love means and how love is transmitted, received, and propagated in ever-larger and more complete circles. Drayson creates Rose Mbikwa, nee Macdonald, as that hardest to portray character: the lively, sad, solitary widow of a charismatic man. Her loss and her life are completely, and concisely, and elegantly drawn in less time than lesser prose stylists take to make minor characters. Mr. Malik, a complex and private man, isn't so much drawn as peeled, layer by later, until the things we think we know about him become...well...iceberg-tips of the cold, sad, lonely sea inside him.
But...and this is the biggest but I can imagine...he's *never* whiny, self-pitying, self-obsessed, nothing like that oh nay nay! He's a force in his own life and he's working on making it, and as much of the world as he touches, a better place.
The spirals Drayson spins as Mr. Malik and Mrs. Mbikwa orbit each other are always tightening and yet never constricting or confining our perceptions...this is good stuff, ladies and gentlemen! Good, good craftsmanship and an excellent storytelling eye.
I'd say do yourself a favor and read this book. It's short, only about 200pp, and it's fun, and it's got great substance. Most highly recommended.
October 3, 2011
I loved this book. The main protagonist, Mr. Malik is simply adorable. He is a man of unusual integrity living in a city filled with corruption. He is an older man in love with a woman who has no idea of the secrets that lie behind an unassuming facade. The story unfolds over the course of a few weeks and the reader, chapter by chapter, becomes privy to these surprising depths. Mr. Malik is an extremely private person and not even his closest drinking buddies at the club, nor the bird watching kindred spirit he chats with every week, have any idea of the burning passions and personal demons that lie beneath the surface.
I was enchanted by this book and if I hadn't been so distracted by other things, I would have easily wanted to read it in one sitting. A really lovely way to pass an afternoon.
I was enchanted by this book and if I hadn't been so distracted by other things, I would have easily wanted to read it in one sitting. A really lovely way to pass an afternoon.
September 18, 2011
WOWEE! I had never expected I would love his book -- I half expected I wouldn't even like it very much. But instead it was a tour de force, with all the elements of a great story: unrequited love, a protagonist who's brave and sweet-hearted and true behind his shyness, an appropriately dastardly villain whom you just want to smack in the face, a race to the finish line, and a good subplot to move things along. Seriously, I was floored. FLOORED. And no bloodshed or sexual activity for conservative types to object to (though one of the characters has a homosexual son). The use of capitals in this interview should be enough of an indication. I feel like I've just drunk a gallon of chocolate milk.
October 3, 2019
I remember reading this book when it was first released. I expected it to make it "big" among readers but alas, I think it got nary any publicity and no one I knew had read it. I hope that despite it's lack of acclaim, some will read it despite its lack of renown. This was a gem
March 18, 2012
Favorite quote: "There is a distressing but not uncommon condition of presidents and other world leaders known as Worrying about Africa. It is usually picked up overseas as at summit meeting on world poverty or disease, and symptoms include painful twinges of guilt over the discrepancy between First and Third World wealth, uncomfortable feelings somewhere below the stomach that perhaps unfettered capitalism is not the benevolent force for good we are constantly assured it is, and frequent attacks of calling for Something to Be Done. The best remedy is invariably a stiff dose of domestic crisis."
October 7, 2011
NO SPOILERS!!!
In conclusion: The ending is cute, but with this final note I haven't given anything away. It is how you get from A to Z that is important. A perfect comfort read, if that is what you are looking for. Please see below for more detailed information.
*****************************************
AFTER 80%: What I like about GR is that we help each other find books that will fit our own interests. No matter how much effort I put into studying a book before I choose it, each book is always a bit of a surprise. This one too. Please look at the shelves I have put this on: fauna, humorous, kenya and relationships. Yes, those are the central themes. You do learn a bit about Kenyan life and history, but what is given is minimal. Much is related to expat life in Kenya, and quite honestly this isn't my highest interests, but there are native Kenyans too and Iheir presence in the book is a saving point for me. It is humorous and a light, quick read. It helps if you are interested in learning more about birds. Does the following bore you or interest you?
Kenyan crested guineafowl are shy and wary birds. They stick to one patch of forest, where they know every twig and track. It is next to impossible to creep up on one to shoot or grab it. But they possess great curiosity, and nothing incites their curiosity more than the colour blue. I have never seen this for myself but I am assured by my friend Kennedy that he has watched a Kenyan crested guineafowl staring at an empty pack of Clear Sky cigarettes for minutes at a time. Should you want to trap one of these birds, therefore, the best bait to use is not grain or fruit or anything that the bird might eat, but simply something blue. (80%)
I assume thisinformation is correct.... But what is important is for you to judge if this is interesting or not!
One more thing. this is not much about the antics of bird-walkers. This book is more about how one properly conducts a contest. That can be amusing too. And about how people can tackle a contest so very differently. Winning is important, but but how we win is too.
*************************************
I haven't read more than 9%, and I don't really want to be talking to you. I would rather be reading. It is just that the lines are so funny! I am smiling on most every page. This is the kind of tongue-in-cheek humor I enjoy.
Mr. Mali, is currently in Scotland. First his wife dies and his head is rapidly balding and to top it all off he has a heart attack. So his daughter gets him an appointment with a cardiologist, and what does the cardiologist say?
'You need a hobby. Something to take your mind off work - it's stress that does it you see. '
The eminent cardiologist savoured the word. Up until only last year he would have said 'overdoing it' and he still wasn't sure whether that phrase was a bit more Harley Street, but everyone seemed to use 'stress' these days and it was good practice to keep up with modern develpments. Patients expected it.
Is your appreciation of humor similar to mine? The doctor suggests birding, and with fright Malik thinks he means he has to get a new wife or "revitalize himself through prophylactic prostitution! " No,the doctor is suggesting ornithology. So Malik buys himself some binoculars.
******************************************
BEFORE STARTING:
My son is an ornithologist. I have been on numerous "bird walks". These walks are quite amusing if you step back and look at yourself and the group. Tongue in cheek humor?! A fun read probably because you remember past experiences? Are these excurions so different if they take place in Nairobi or Sweden? It is not the birds, but we humans who are amusing.
In conclusion: The ending is cute, but with this final note I haven't given anything away. It is how you get from A to Z that is important. A perfect comfort read, if that is what you are looking for. Please see below for more detailed information.
*****************************************
AFTER 80%: What I like about GR is that we help each other find books that will fit our own interests. No matter how much effort I put into studying a book before I choose it, each book is always a bit of a surprise. This one too. Please look at the shelves I have put this on: fauna, humorous, kenya and relationships. Yes, those are the central themes. You do learn a bit about Kenyan life and history, but what is given is minimal. Much is related to expat life in Kenya, and quite honestly this isn't my highest interests, but there are native Kenyans too and Iheir presence in the book is a saving point for me. It is humorous and a light, quick read. It helps if you are interested in learning more about birds. Does the following bore you or interest you?
Kenyan crested guineafowl are shy and wary birds. They stick to one patch of forest, where they know every twig and track. It is next to impossible to creep up on one to shoot or grab it. But they possess great curiosity, and nothing incites their curiosity more than the colour blue. I have never seen this for myself but I am assured by my friend Kennedy that he has watched a Kenyan crested guineafowl staring at an empty pack of Clear Sky cigarettes for minutes at a time. Should you want to trap one of these birds, therefore, the best bait to use is not grain or fruit or anything that the bird might eat, but simply something blue. (80%)
I assume thisinformation is correct.... But what is important is for you to judge if this is interesting or not!
One more thing. this is not much about the antics of bird-walkers. This book is more about how one properly conducts a contest. That can be amusing too. And about how people can tackle a contest so very differently. Winning is important, but but how we win is too.
*************************************
I haven't read more than 9%, and I don't really want to be talking to you. I would rather be reading. It is just that the lines are so funny! I am smiling on most every page. This is the kind of tongue-in-cheek humor I enjoy.
Mr. Mali, is currently in Scotland. First his wife dies and his head is rapidly balding and to top it all off he has a heart attack. So his daughter gets him an appointment with a cardiologist, and what does the cardiologist say?
'You need a hobby. Something to take your mind off work - it's stress that does it you see. '
The eminent cardiologist savoured the word. Up until only last year he would have said 'overdoing it' and he still wasn't sure whether that phrase was a bit more Harley Street, but everyone seemed to use 'stress' these days and it was good practice to keep up with modern develpments. Patients expected it.
Is your appreciation of humor similar to mine? The doctor suggests birding, and with fright Malik thinks he means he has to get a new wife or "revitalize himself through prophylactic prostitution! " No,the doctor is suggesting ornithology. So Malik buys himself some binoculars.
******************************************
BEFORE STARTING:
My son is an ornithologist. I have been on numerous "bird walks". These walks are quite amusing if you step back and look at yourself and the group. Tongue in cheek humor?! A fun read probably because you remember past experiences? Are these excurions so different if they take place in Nairobi or Sweden? It is not the birds, but we humans who are amusing.
October 24, 2014
Jeannette told me it's funny and heartwarming--a love story about birds and Kenya--and she was right! A Guide to the Birds of East Africa seems at first a charming but slight book, even a silly one.
The plot has more speedy twists and turns than a black mamba but it's much friendlier. I loved the protagonist, Mr. Malik--a truly good and gentle man-- and all the supporting cast were wonderfully alive and drawn with affectionate humor. (I grew particularly fond of the lawyer who loved to drop Latin legal phrases into every conversation.) Every time I found myself thinking "Oh, come now!" at one more preposterous plot twist, I would turn the page and find myself smiling and more than once laughing out loud.
In between laughs I learned quite a lot about Kenyan politics, its unchecked crime, stubbornly persistent poverty, and the varied ethnic groups that call this land home. At the center of the story is a community of Indians, the descendants of men who were brought to East Africa to build the railway, came to love the land, and stayed to prosper. Many send their children to Britain to be educated and have adopted British mannerisms, including a great fondness for sporting bets and spending long hours at the club.
By the halfway mark, Mr. Malik and his friends had completely won my heart and I was cheering for him to win the birding contest (and the fair lady). We hear too much about the terrible things (in Africa and elsewhere); this is a book about how good and kind people can make their way in a less than perfect world and bring each other comfort, good cheer and even a measure of joy. Perhaps not such a silly book after all!!! Content rating: G.
And by the way....Did I mention all the beautiful birds?
A spectacled weaver bird spotted by a real birder at Nairobi's National Museum, where our story opens.
A footnote for nature fans and bird watchers:
Why Kenya and birds? Kenya stretches from the sea level (Indian Ocean) in the east, to 5,199 meters at the peak of the snow-capped Mount Kenya. From the coast, the altitude changes gradually through the coastal belt and plains (below 152 metres above sea level), the dry intermediate low belt to what is known as the Kenya Highlands (over 900 metres above sea level). The Great Rift Valley bisects the Kenya Highlands into east and west. Mount Kenya is on the eastern side. The Highlands are cool and agriculturally rich. Both large and small holder farming is carried out in the highlands.
With such varied habitats, Kenya is a birding paradise with over 1,000 species recorded and Nairobi, at the eastern edge of the Rift Valley, has an astonishing number of birding hot spots, despite its dense urban development. Here's a blog post from an avid birder of experiences bird watching in Nairobi. http://www.talking-naturally.co.uk/th...
Kenya! September read for my Around the World challenge.
June 18, 2022
Eine süße kleine Geschichte, die eigentlich alles hat was es zu einem - für mich - schönen herzerwärmenden Roman benötigt:
Ein tolles Setting: Afrika (Kania) und die wunderschöne Natur
Charmant, humorvolle und liebenswerte Charaktere: Mr. Malik und Rose sind sweet, die Herren des „Gentleman Clubs“ sind skurril liebenswert und der „Widersacher“ unsympathisch, aber nicht überspitzt böse. Besonders empfand ich, dass es hier Protagonist*innen sind, welche schon recht alt sind - Ich empfinde so etwas als sehr erfrischend, da eher selten vorkommend.
Eine witzige Storybasis: Zwei Herren „streiten“ um eine Dame, um sie zum alljährlichen Ball der Ornithologen-Gesellschaft einladen zu dürfen. Der Herrenclub dient als Schiedsrichter für den Wettstreit, welcher der beiden in einer Woche mehr unterschiedliche Vögel Ostafrikas zu Gesicht bekommt und dokumentiert. Tag für Tag passieren skurrile „Abenteuer“ und alles mündet im Finale, rund um die Frage: Wer gewinnt und ob das am Ende wichtig wird.
Nun hat mir das Buch aus allen genannten Gründen gut gefallen, allerdings musste ich doch ein paar Abstriche machen:
Erzählt wird in der dritten Person, was manchmal ganz witzig daherkommt, aber mir leider die Protagonist*innen nicht so nahe brachte, wie es bei einer vielleicht wechselnden Sichtweise von Mr. Malik und seinem Konkurrenten gewesen wäre.
Für (Hobby-)Ornithologen sicherlich ein tolles Buch, aber die Vielzahl an genannten Vögeln Ostafrikas empfand ich manchmal als etwas ermüdend. Google wollte ich auch nicht immer zu Rate ziehen. Ich mag zwar Tiere, aber Vögel sind nicht in meinem Fokus. Das zweite Buch rund um Mr. Malik ist da vielleicht spannender; zumindest hat der Titel etwas mit „Tierkunde“ und nicht nur Vogelkunde zu tun.
Fazit: Ein süßer Urlaubsschmöker, welcher schnell weggelassen ist und hier und da zum Schmunzeln einlädt, aber kein großes Highlight. Trotzdem empfand ich die Protagonist*innen doch als sweet genug, um Band 2 auf meine Wunschliste zu setzen. Der Klappentext klingt auch ganz interessant.
Ein tolles Setting: Afrika (Kania) und die wunderschöne Natur
Charmant, humorvolle und liebenswerte Charaktere: Mr. Malik und Rose sind sweet, die Herren des „Gentleman Clubs“ sind skurril liebenswert und der „Widersacher“ unsympathisch, aber nicht überspitzt böse. Besonders empfand ich, dass es hier Protagonist*innen sind, welche schon recht alt sind - Ich empfinde so etwas als sehr erfrischend, da eher selten vorkommend.
Eine witzige Storybasis: Zwei Herren „streiten“ um eine Dame, um sie zum alljährlichen Ball der Ornithologen-Gesellschaft einladen zu dürfen. Der Herrenclub dient als Schiedsrichter für den Wettstreit, welcher der beiden in einer Woche mehr unterschiedliche Vögel Ostafrikas zu Gesicht bekommt und dokumentiert. Tag für Tag passieren skurrile „Abenteuer“ und alles mündet im Finale, rund um die Frage: Wer gewinnt und ob das am Ende wichtig wird.
Nun hat mir das Buch aus allen genannten Gründen gut gefallen, allerdings musste ich doch ein paar Abstriche machen:
Erzählt wird in der dritten Person, was manchmal ganz witzig daherkommt, aber mir leider die Protagonist*innen nicht so nahe brachte, wie es bei einer vielleicht wechselnden Sichtweise von Mr. Malik und seinem Konkurrenten gewesen wäre.
Für (Hobby-)Ornithologen sicherlich ein tolles Buch, aber die Vielzahl an genannten Vögeln Ostafrikas empfand ich manchmal als etwas ermüdend. Google wollte ich auch nicht immer zu Rate ziehen. Ich mag zwar Tiere, aber Vögel sind nicht in meinem Fokus. Das zweite Buch rund um Mr. Malik ist da vielleicht spannender; zumindest hat der Titel etwas mit „Tierkunde“ und nicht nur Vogelkunde zu tun.
Fazit: Ein süßer Urlaubsschmöker, welcher schnell weggelassen ist und hier und da zum Schmunzeln einlädt, aber kein großes Highlight. Trotzdem empfand ich die Protagonist*innen doch als sweet genug, um Band 2 auf meine Wunschliste zu setzen. Der Klappentext klingt auch ganz interessant.
May 11, 2023
The story is cute and the main character is likable. The book would benefit from a little more pace, more female characters, and more variety in the competition that makes up a large portion of the book.
June 5, 2014
Years ago I struggled to find books my mother would like. They needed to be devoid of anything that smacked of worldly immorality - just about anything I was reading in the 70s and 80s. Simply put, she was narrow. I was broad. She appreciated good writing. But somehow this made it even harder. I wish I had discovered this then.
Not only is the book squeaky clean, there's a clean feeling to his storytelling. It's like laundry flapping behind your neighbor as she tells you the latest news around town.
"Mr. Malik asked his taxi driver to wait in the car park. He wasn't planning to go far - just find a bench, sit down and think. He pushed open the green gate, turned left at the big sequoia and headed towards a grove of lemon-scented gums. And blow me down if he didn't see, on the path right in front of him, a hoopoe."
The synopsis: Two old childhood adversaries, wishing to ask the same woman to an annual ball, agree to a one week bird-sighting contest.
I expected more information on birds and less on the country of Kenya. So my disappointment was balanced out with pleasant surprise. I also was surprised by and appreciated that Mr. Malik and Mr. Kahn were brown (of East Indian descent). The book dwelt in the more well-off ex-pat culture and presented a conflicting picture of contemporary Kenyans (crime-ridden, ineffectual government, the possibility of a good schools).
But what will hang with me will be cheerful lilt of the story. As the adorable Mr. Malik stumbles upon heart-wrenching misadventures and the suave Mr. Kahn wheedles himself into a fine position until the very end, the reader believes that everything will end happily because there is nothing like birdsong to lift one's spirits, to give one hope. Even the lowing of the mourning dove makes me smile.
Perfect, perfect little summer porch read.
Not only is the book squeaky clean, there's a clean feeling to his storytelling. It's like laundry flapping behind your neighbor as she tells you the latest news around town.
"Mr. Malik asked his taxi driver to wait in the car park. He wasn't planning to go far - just find a bench, sit down and think. He pushed open the green gate, turned left at the big sequoia and headed towards a grove of lemon-scented gums. And blow me down if he didn't see, on the path right in front of him, a hoopoe."
The synopsis: Two old childhood adversaries, wishing to ask the same woman to an annual ball, agree to a one week bird-sighting contest.
I expected more information on birds and less on the country of Kenya. So my disappointment was balanced out with pleasant surprise. I also was surprised by and appreciated that Mr. Malik and Mr. Kahn were brown (of East Indian descent). The book dwelt in the more well-off ex-pat culture and presented a conflicting picture of contemporary Kenyans (crime-ridden, ineffectual government, the possibility of a good schools).
But what will hang with me will be cheerful lilt of the story. As the adorable Mr. Malik stumbles upon heart-wrenching misadventures and the suave Mr. Kahn wheedles himself into a fine position until the very end, the reader believes that everything will end happily because there is nothing like birdsong to lift one's spirits, to give one hope. Even the lowing of the mourning dove makes me smile.
Perfect, perfect little summer porch read.
August 12, 2008
An absolutely delightful about a man in love, the honorable, sweet, stubborn Mr. Malik of Nairobi. It will appeal to Alexander McCall Smith fans, but definitely stands on its own and will beguile any reader who appreciates sharp wit and gentle charm.
December 31, 2011
I love the little pen & ink drawings of birds, with their names shown, that are at the start of every chapter. The chapters are extremely short, and this should have been an incredibly quick read, but for some reason it took me some time to slog through, even though I enjoyed it, and as the story went on, it grew on me more and more, though I wasn’t perturbed when I had to put it down.
It’s a gentle and slow little story, and I could have done without the fact that the ball in question is at the hunt club; it starts off quiet and simple and innocent but quietly yet surely gets slightly more complicated, though it never loses its gentleness. There definitely ended up being some layers, some darkness in what seemed to be at first a simple lighthearted story, but overall it remained sweet.
I’m not sure about this narrator. Those who have read the book: Who is the narrator? Whoever narrates the book, the voice is personable and easy to read.
I loved the locales and got a kick out of where and why and how some of the birds were found. I really enjoyed how the storyline and characters evolved.
I reveled in the wickedly funny little asides, and the witticisms are not at all limited to observations about birds and birdwatchers, not at all! I wanted to add some quotes but there are just too many and I couldn’t decide which ones to include.
Great ending!
In a way, I could rate this 5 stars or 3, so I’ll settle for 4, 4 ½ actually.
It’s a gentle and slow little story, and I could have done without the fact that the ball in question is at the hunt club; it starts off quiet and simple and innocent but quietly yet surely gets slightly more complicated, though it never loses its gentleness. There definitely ended up being some layers, some darkness in what seemed to be at first a simple lighthearted story, but overall it remained sweet.
I’m not sure about this narrator. Those who have read the book: Who is the narrator? Whoever narrates the book, the voice is personable and easy to read.
I loved the locales and got a kick out of where and why and how some of the birds were found. I really enjoyed how the storyline and characters evolved.
I reveled in the wickedly funny little asides, and the witticisms are not at all limited to observations about birds and birdwatchers, not at all! I wanted to add some quotes but there are just too many and I couldn’t decide which ones to include.
Great ending!
In a way, I could rate this 5 stars or 3, so I’ll settle for 4, 4 ½ actually.
July 22, 2014
Очень легкое каникулярное чтение, как замечательно выразилась Таня, "о том, как мирные занятия обогащают жизнь".
В Me Before You, например, автор настойчиво устами прикованного к коляске авантюриста подстегивает читателя поднять свою задницу и покорить Эверест, и бедный читатель невольно задумывается, дрожащий он или надо идти сегодня на пробежку. "Книга птиц" же говорит, что иногда можно разглядеть редкую птицу на собственном заднем дворе, прийти на бал без подготовки и получить помощь откуда не ждал. Согласитесь, это как-то более утешительно.
В Me Before You, например, автор настойчиво устами прикованного к коляске авантюриста подстегивает читателя поднять свою задницу и покорить Эверест, и бедный читатель невольно задумывается, дрожащий он или надо идти сегодня на пробежку. "Книга птиц" же говорит, что иногда можно разглядеть редкую птицу на собственном заднем дворе, прийти на бал без подготовки и получить помощь откуда не ждал. Согласитесь, это как-то более утешительно.
January 21, 2023
Нехай вас не збиває з пантелику назва, птахів у книзі справді багато і різних, але це аж ніяк не довідник з життя африканської фауни, а легка, авантюрна розповідь з тонким гумором про те, як двоє мужчин виборюють право запросити даму на бал. А ще тепер я знаю, що нікому не потрібна синя птаха щастя, коли існує на світі Одуд! Після цієї книги залишається такий же теплий згусток, як і після "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe". І навіть не кажіть мені, що ви ще не читали "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe"!
September 13, 2019
Cute and quirky story!
November 11, 2017
It took me forever to finally pluck this one down from the shelf but what a delight it was, plus lots and lots of bird chatter, mixed in with romance and humor. An ideal palate cleanser.
May 17, 2025
Truly a delight. Filled with believable characters and visually fun descriptions. I could see the beautiful birds of Africa and feel the dignity and goodness of the people . A well crafted story that makes me want more from this author.
July 19, 2015
У этой книги оказалось одно неоспоримое достоинство – краткость. Благодушное предотпускное настроение и сумасшедшее питерское лето (утром поливающее дождем, вечером прожигающее насквозь) отчасти сгладили разочарование от книги. Но все равно – скучный наивняк + бытовуха + вкрапления птичек.
Приличная часть книги представляет собой натуральное соплежуйство главного героя–неудачника. Бесцеремонному противнику-читеру он ответить не может, по даме сердца молча сохнет, отказать сотоварищам не способен, да и вообще не очень быстр на принятие решений. И при каждом удобном случае подставляется и принижает себя, выставляя оппонента в лучшем свете. В какой-то момент даже закрадывается подозрение: а может, он просто боится победить? Симпатизировать этому, мягко говоря, бесхребетному персонажу совсем не хочется.
Юмор? Только если легкий абсурд. Двадцатистраничное описание спора про испускание газов – серьезно? Еще в наборе, если не ошибаюсь, инцест. В такой милой и наивной книжечке, пропагандирующей веру в лучшее, встречать подобное – крайне странно. А я все так же не могу переступить через зашкаливающий объем описаний кто как зачесывает волосы и кто что ест на завтрак в отношении скучных или отталкивающих персонажей. Пожалуй, только в отношении скандинавской бытовухи я терпелива, но она в большинстве случаев сопутствует нордической рефлексии высшего порядка и как-то теряется на ее фоне. В «Книге птиц» нет ни одного интересного персонажа, за которым было бы нескучно следить. Никого, кому хотелось бы симпатизировать. И в наличии слащавая концовочка, которая вызывает только фейспалм.
Сразу после прочтения синопсиса у нас возникло два варианта концовки:
1. В ��ород приезжает красавец-мужчина на байке, главная героиня моментально влюбляется в него и они укатывают в закат, пока двое главных героев устраивают свои дурацкие дуэльки.
2. Все трое заинтересованных съезжаются в большую шведскую семью.
К сожалению, оба варианта оказались слишком экстремальными для данной истории. На обложке стоит пометка «роман о любви» – верно, только о любви к птичкам, которые в тысячу раз интереснее персонажей, представленных Дрейсоном. Проходная книжица, гораздо больше меня бы порадовал душевный птичий атлас в его исполнении.
annikeh.net
Приличная часть книги представляет собой натуральное соплежуйство главного героя–неудачника. Бесцеремонному противнику-читеру он ответить не может, по даме сердца молча сохнет, отказать сотоварищам не способен, да и вообще не очень быстр на принятие решений. И при каждом удобном случае подставляется и принижает себя, выставляя оппонента в лучшем свете. В какой-то момент даже закрадывается подозрение: а может, он просто боится победить? Симпатизировать этому, мягко говоря, бесхребетному персонажу совсем не хочется.
Юмор? Только если легкий абсурд. Двадцатистраничное описание спора про испускание газов – серьезно? Еще в наборе, если не ошибаюсь, инцест. В такой милой и наивной книжечке, пропагандирующей веру в лучшее, встречать подобное – крайне странно. А я все так же не могу переступить через зашкаливающий объем описаний кто как зачесывает волосы и кто что ест на завтрак в отношении скучных или отталкивающих персонажей. Пожалуй, только в отношении скандинавской бытовухи я терпелива, но она в большинстве случаев сопутствует нордической рефлексии высшего порядка и как-то теряется на ее фоне. В «Книге птиц» нет ни одного интересного персонажа, за которым было бы нескучно следить. Никого, кому хотелось бы симпатизировать. И в наличии слащавая концовочка, которая вызывает только фейспалм.
Сразу после прочтения синопсиса у нас возникло два варианта концовки:
1. В ��ород приезжает красавец-мужчина на байке, главная героиня моментально влюбляется в него и они укатывают в закат, пока двое главных героев устраивают свои дурацкие дуэльки.
2. Все трое заинтересованных съезжаются в большую шведскую семью.
К сожалению, оба варианта оказались слишком экстремальными для данной истории. На обложке стоит пометка «роман о любви» – верно, только о любви к птичкам, которые в тысячу раз интереснее персонажей, представленных Дрейсоном. Проходная книжица, гораздо больше меня бы порадовал душевный птичий атлас в его исполнении.
annikeh.net
August 7, 2013
This book is being compared to #1 Ladies Detective Agency, but it shouldn't be. It's actually so very posh and full of all things British. Yes, it takes place in Africa but I found more similiarities to "Mr. Pettigrew's Last Stand."
I found this book nothing short of delightful. If you love nature, good narration and witty word play, this is the book for you. I even enjoyed and giggled over the Bill Clinton jokes. In a word this book is satisfying.
If you've ever experienced the beauties of Africa and I think even if you have not, this book will draw you in and you will not leave disappointed.
It is very clean as well, which is always refreshing.
Mr. Malik is a dreamboat in every way, but looks. An honorable man you delight in as you get to know him.
Don't get me wrong either. He understands Africa and you get a fabulous sense of that throughout the book. He does a marvelous job of explaining the beauties and quirks of Africa.
Quotes I loved:
Lying can get you in an awful mess but it isn't easy being honest.
pg. 112.
Perhaps it is not up to any of us to judge what should be coming to us, my friend. pg 131
I found this book nothing short of delightful. If you love nature, good narration and witty word play, this is the book for you. I even enjoyed and giggled over the Bill Clinton jokes. In a word this book is satisfying.
If you've ever experienced the beauties of Africa and I think even if you have not, this book will draw you in and you will not leave disappointed.
It is very clean as well, which is always refreshing.
Mr. Malik is a dreamboat in every way, but looks. An honorable man you delight in as you get to know him.
Don't get me wrong either. He understands Africa and you get a fabulous sense of that throughout the book. He does a marvelous job of explaining the beauties and quirks of Africa.
Quotes I loved:
Lying can get you in an awful mess but it isn't easy being honest.
pg. 112.
Perhaps it is not up to any of us to judge what should be coming to us, my friend. pg 131
December 12, 2008
This was such a sweet story set in...where else...Africa! My latest obsession. Anyway, this is a story of Mr Malik, a middle-aged man living in Nairobi Kenya who is in love with his bird-watching guide Rose Mbikawa, but just can't work up the nerve to ask her out. Along comes his old school rival, Harry Khan, and the competition begins. This was a sort of tortoise and hare story and you just can't help but adore Mr Malik by the end.
April 27, 2023
4 1/2 stars. Charming story with surprising depth and pitch-perfect descriptions of Kenya’s scenery and wildlife. I’m all in for the sequel.
August 31, 2019
3.5
«There is something about birds, their beauty and freedom, that is good for a man’s soul.»
Me acerqué a esta novela porque me llamaron la atención tanto el título como la portada, y tengo que decir que me encontré con un libro muy simpático y con un argumento diferente que me entretuvo mucho.
Ésta es la historia del simpático, querible y extremadamente honorable Mr. Malik: un hombre africano de ascendecia hindú que ronda los cincuenta años, y que además de tener un poco de sobrepeso y estarse quedando un tanto calvo, está perdidamente enamorado (en secreto) de Rose, una de sus compañeras de la Sociedad Ornitológica de África del Este, que cada martes por la mañana recorre Nairobi avistando aves.
Justo cuando el tímido Mr. Malik está decidido a invitar a Rose al baile anual de su club, aparecerá como salido de la nada –o salido de un avión, en realidad– un viejo rival de la escuela que también pretenderá invitar a Rose al baile.
Como caballero que es, y luego de una curiosa disertación entre varios aún más curiosos miembros del club, se decidirá que podrá tener el honor de invitar a Rose aquel de los dos que en el período de una semana logre avistar mayor cantidad de aves diferentes.
Así, lo que en principio parece una simple tarea casi placentera, se encontrará con toda una gama de dificultades (algunas muy tercermundistas, con lo que no supe si reir o llorar) que le complicarán la existencia en casi todas las maneras posibles, y a nosotros nos aportarán diversión, humor y un poquito de desesperación.
Lo primero que me gustaría destacar de este libro es la forma en que está escrita. Tiene un estilo muy lindo y extremadamente simpático de narrar, aunque nunca supe realmente quién es el narrador y eso creo que es parte de juego.
Tardé en darme cuenta de qué era lo que lo volvía distinto de otros relatos –además de ser un estilo muy propio e, insisto, muy simpático– y creo que eso que se me escapaba es que el narrador (que imagino con la voz de Hugh Bonneville) nos habla con una familiaridad similar a la de los cuentos infantiles (pero sin ser condescendiente ni infantil en absoluto). Es él quien decide el ritmo de la historia y lo que nos va a contar, e incluso nos hace preguntas y nos corrige de nuestros posibles errores de entendimiento.
Pero no todo es cómico, hay un momento en que la historia y las divagaciones –que siempre vuelven a su cauce– del narrador se detienen un momento para contarnos un episodio oscuro del pasado de Mr. Malik en el que cometió un error garrafal que le marcó la vida, y con el que de paso nos hace tener presente uno de los grandes problemas de África.
Si bien en otras circunstancias podríamos haber señalado a Malik con dedo acusador por lo que hizo y pasar a desagradarnos el resto del libro, el autor logra con mucha habilidad que a los pocos párrafos lo perdonemos y hasta sintamos pena por él. Mr. Malik es realmente querible, y luego de saber lo que sabemos, aún más humano.
Algo que no puedo dejar de mencionar es que si les gustan las aves en este libro hay para rato. No en vano se llama "Guía de aves...", porque como al fin y al cabo el principal motivo de la historia es el avistamiento, van a aparecer muchos nombres de pájaros africanos (y dan ganas de buscarlos a todos para ver cómo son). Jamás me hubiera imaginado que había tantas especies de aves distintas... sólo en África del Este.
Salvo algún que otro detalle que me pudo haber estorbado momentáneamente –un capítulo y medio discutiendo gases corporales y un personaje que intercala demasiadas frases en latín– realmente fue una lectura que disfruté mucho, porque tuvo mucha más historia de la que esperaba y no le faltaron ciertos mensajes disimulados para hacernos tomar conciencia de la vida dura e injusta que se vive en Kenia.
Definitivamente voy a leer el siguiente pronto. Hubo muchas cosas que quedaron –intencionalmente– en el aire que quiero saber cómo concluyen, y además ya le tomé mucho cariño a Mr. Malik.
Reseña de Libros junto al mar
«There is something about birds, their beauty and freedom, that is good for a man’s soul.»
Me acerqué a esta novela porque me llamaron la atención tanto el título como la portada, y tengo que decir que me encontré con un libro muy simpático y con un argumento diferente que me entretuvo mucho.
Ésta es la historia del simpático, querible y extremadamente honorable Mr. Malik: un hombre africano de ascendecia hindú que ronda los cincuenta años, y que además de tener un poco de sobrepeso y estarse quedando un tanto calvo, está perdidamente enamorado (en secreto) de Rose, una de sus compañeras de la Sociedad Ornitológica de África del Este, que cada martes por la mañana recorre Nairobi avistando aves.
Justo cuando el tímido Mr. Malik está decidido a invitar a Rose al baile anual de su club, aparecerá como salido de la nada –o salido de un avión, en realidad– un viejo rival de la escuela que también pretenderá invitar a Rose al baile.
Como caballero que es, y luego de una curiosa disertación entre varios aún más curiosos miembros del club, se decidirá que podrá tener el honor de invitar a Rose aquel de los dos que en el período de una semana logre avistar mayor cantidad de aves diferentes.
Así, lo que en principio parece una simple tarea casi placentera, se encontrará con toda una gama de dificultades (algunas muy tercermundistas, con lo que no supe si reir o llorar) que le complicarán la existencia en casi todas las maneras posibles, y a nosotros nos aportarán diversión, humor y un poquito de desesperación.
Lo primero que me gustaría destacar de este libro es la forma en que está escrita. Tiene un estilo muy lindo y extremadamente simpático de narrar, aunque nunca supe realmente quién es el narrador y eso creo que es parte de juego.
Tardé en darme cuenta de qué era lo que lo volvía distinto de otros relatos –además de ser un estilo muy propio e, insisto, muy simpático– y creo que eso que se me escapaba es que el narrador (que imagino con la voz de Hugh Bonneville) nos habla con una familiaridad similar a la de los cuentos infantiles (pero sin ser condescendiente ni infantil en absoluto). Es él quien decide el ritmo de la historia y lo que nos va a contar, e incluso nos hace preguntas y nos corrige de nuestros posibles errores de entendimiento.
Pero no todo es cómico, hay un momento en que la historia y las divagaciones –que siempre vuelven a su cauce– del narrador se detienen un momento para contarnos un episodio oscuro del pasado de Mr. Malik en el que cometió un error garrafal que le marcó la vida, y con el que de paso nos hace tener presente uno de los grandes problemas de África.
Si bien en otras circunstancias podríamos haber señalado a Malik con dedo acusador por lo que hizo y pasar a desagradarnos el resto del libro, el autor logra con mucha habilidad que a los pocos párrafos lo perdonemos y hasta sintamos pena por él. Mr. Malik es realmente querible, y luego de saber lo que sabemos, aún más humano.
Algo que no puedo dejar de mencionar es que si les gustan las aves en este libro hay para rato. No en vano se llama "Guía de aves...", porque como al fin y al cabo el principal motivo de la historia es el avistamiento, van a aparecer muchos nombres de pájaros africanos (y dan ganas de buscarlos a todos para ver cómo son). Jamás me hubiera imaginado que había tantas especies de aves distintas... sólo en África del Este.
Salvo algún que otro detalle que me pudo haber estorbado momentáneamente –un capítulo y medio discutiendo gases corporales y un personaje que intercala demasiadas frases en latín– realmente fue una lectura que disfruté mucho, porque tuvo mucha más historia de la que esperaba y no le faltaron ciertos mensajes disimulados para hacernos tomar conciencia de la vida dura e injusta que se vive en Kenia.
Definitivamente voy a leer el siguiente pronto. Hubo muchas cosas que quedaron –intencionalmente– en el aire que quiero saber cómo concluyen, y además ya le tomé mucho cariño a Mr. Malik.
Reseña de Libros junto al mar
June 23, 2022
Иногда на душе кошки скребут, мыши шебуршат да гиппопотамы резвятся. И хочется прочитать что-то, чтобы "душа развернулась", что-то легкое и ненавязчивое. Только, если возможно, без пошлостей, тупости и примитивизма. Знаете, даже в минуты душевных невзгод до уровня "ниже плинтуса" опускаться не хочется. Листая мой список к прочтению, я остановилась на "Книге птиц Восточной Африки" и как же я была права!
Это замечательная книга о любви, когда ты сам на себе уже давно поставил крест, а все окружающие смотрят на тебя с видом о-душе-уже-подумать-надо, о любви, похожей на упрямый росточек, пробивающийся сквозь выжженую африканскую землю. Эта книга о природе удивительного континента, полного созданий больших и малых, но одинаково прекрасных и достойных восхищения. Но в то же время ничего розово-пушистого вы здесь не найдете. Дрейсон просто мастерски описывает особенности национальной кенийской политики (я кстати с какого-то перепуга решила, что эта книга о событиях начала ХХ века, а она где-то о начале XXI). Автор не углубляется в чувства страны, пережившей английский колониализм, но ему хватает одного-двух абзацев, чтобы идеально точно выразить свое мнение. За следующий абзац мне просто хотелось расцеловать автора.
И почему европейские исследователи, попадая в Африку, первым делом стремятся все переименовать? Что это: невинный каприз или обычная глупость? Слава богу, люди в этой части земного шара обретаются минимум три — плюс-минус копейки — миллиона лет. Странно думать, что за такой срок они не заметили у себя под носом ну, например, водоем — к тому же преогромный. Насколько? Да больше озера Мичиган, Тасмании, Коннектикута, Массачусетса, Вермонта и Род-Айленда вместе взятых! Водоем так велик, что люди, расселившиеся по берегам, даже называют его по-разному. Но доктор Ливингстон наплевал на это с высокой вышки. Ему и в голову не пришло выяснить у местных жителей, как именуется гигантское озеро в верховьях Нила, он просто взял и окрестил его в честь старейшины племени белых обитателей маленького острова на другом краю света. В результате для нас озеро называется Виктория. Ну и как по-вашему, это наивно или глупо? Я, право же, не могу решить.
Все это вместе, и любовь, и азарт поединка, и буйно колосящаяся коррупция, и налетчики с автоматами Калашникова, создают неповторимый дух Африки, который не может оставить равнодушным никого. Или ты полюбишь этот континент, или будешь питать к нему отвращение до конца своих дней. Осталось мне выяснить это по-настоящему! :) Вот как соберу денежку и поеду на сафари в Кению... Буду искать удода и пурпурную нектарницу! :)
Кстати, автор выпустил в 2012 году продолжение. Называется A Guide to the Beasts of East Africa . В сети не найдена, хнык.
10 / 10
March 15, 2017
Just absolutely a sweet little story about a widow and a widower who share an interest in bird watching. Neither is ready to act on their attraction until another man enters the picture. This is a romantic comedy, set among bird watching in an East African community. Malik pines for Rose, a widow who organizes bird watching tours, and wants to finally ask her out to the annual ball at a local country club. Then his rival shows up, with the same intentions. The honorable gentlemen of the club deem the only fair way to decide who can ask her out is to have a bird watching competition, with whomever can spot and list the most different species in a certain amount of time, and the winner awarded the honor of inviting Rose to the ball. Wry English humor, political satire, the depths men will go to win the heart of a woman ( or is it just to win a competition?) and charming characters made this a really enjoyable read.
September 11, 2013
This is not 'high' literature, but it is a beautiful book. I usually take one book from the library which I would classify as 'light reading' for those times when I HAVE to read but do not want to concentrate too much. Upon occasion I thus stumble on a little gem. It is like picking up a scrap of glass because it is shiny only to discover that it is 'THE REAL THING'.
This book, in my opinion, is such a find. As another reviewer said, it has everything to make it an excellent story. It is a quick read, but I did not want it to finish. I wanted to get to know some of the main characters, and quite a few of the subsidiary players, better. I wanted to learn to look at life through their eyes and thereby become a better me.
I will definitely recommend this book to my friends.
Of course I am now rather interested in exploring this author's other offerings.
This book, in my opinion, is such a find. As another reviewer said, it has everything to make it an excellent story. It is a quick read, but I did not want it to finish. I wanted to get to know some of the main characters, and quite a few of the subsidiary players, better. I wanted to learn to look at life through their eyes and thereby become a better me.
I will definitely recommend this book to my friends.
Of course I am now rather interested in exploring this author's other offerings.
June 5, 2017
The first 5 chapters or so were slow. But the book progressively revealed more and became more amusing after that point. Not heavy handed and dramatic, but really really good. While there is a lot of talk about birds in the book, it is more about people. The story is very good, mixing a bit of a fairy tale feel in with its insightful realism.
One slightly odd style point is that the 3rd person narrator occasionally refers to himself and some experience of his own in the first person (and even to the reader as "you") -- although the narrator/author is not a character in the story. I suppose it gives more a feel of someone telling you the story out loud, but it was a little jarring at first because I am used to the standard 3rd person omniscient narrator who is anonymous and does not inject his/her own experiences into the story in first person language.
One slightly odd style point is that the 3rd person narrator occasionally refers to himself and some experience of his own in the first person (and even to the reader as "you") -- although the narrator/author is not a character in the story. I suppose it gives more a feel of someone telling you the story out loud, but it was a little jarring at first because I am used to the standard 3rd person omniscient narrator who is anonymous and does not inject his/her own experiences into the story in first person language.
January 19, 2009
Sweet and charming story set in Kenya. Malik and Harry, two very different men, find themselves pitted in a birdwatching contest whose winner will have the chance to ask Rose to the Nairobi Hunt Club Ball. The story moves slowly but surely to a somewhat predictable ending but that's okay. I'd love to see all those great birds with the wonderful names. Now who was that strange but funny narrator?
July 30, 2014
чудова маленька річ, повна сонця, доброго гумору, любові до світу – навіть якщо в цьому світі пахне димом, стріляють із ак-47 і не скрізь є електрика (але не подумайте, що то загальний пейзаж, то тільки окремі деталі, а пейзаж складається ще з купи інших) – і, звісно, неймовірних пташок східної африки.
аж хочеться, щоб це була серія і щоб у цих симпатичних і благородних персонажів було більше схожих пригод.
користуючись нагодою, вітаю себе із тисячною прочитаною книжкою на гудрідсі.
аж хочеться, щоб це була серія і щоб у цих симпатичних і благородних персонажів було більше схожих пригод.
користуючись нагодою, вітаю себе із тисячною прочитаною книжкою на гудрідсі.
August 11, 2011
A charming tale set in Kenya. Two gentlemen race to see who can spot the most bird species, as the winner gets to ask a certain lady to the club dance. Written in the sweet and gentle style of Alexander McCall Smith, this book proves you're never too old to be a fool for love.
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