Celia Buell (semi hiatus)’s Reviews > A Rock and a Hard Place: An American Geologist's Adventures in Africa > Status Update

I love the way a story about geology had so much history and adventure in it. It's a lot of fun to read about Zelt's adventures throughout southern Africa.

Well, I didn't expect a geology memoir to feature a full-blown autopsy. That was weird and not an experience I'd like to read again. Other than that, though, I really like Zelt's writing. It reminds me of Peter Allison's How To Walk a Puma. I'm looking forward to the way things are going to come to a head with Afrikaaner Joost; Zelt writes the conflict very well.

I really like how Zelt explores Apartheid-era conflicts as an American scientist. His insight is definitely very different than that of South African native Trevor Noah in his memoir, for instance, but I think both are perspectives we need to see in order to understand Apartheid fully.