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Paperback Out of Africa V740 Book

ISBN: 0394717406

ISBN13: 9780394717401

Out of Africa

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Recommended

Format: Paperback

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$5.59
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Book Overview

In this book, the author of Seven Gothic Tales gives a true account of her life on her plantation in Kenya. She tells with classic simplicity of the ways of the country and the natives: of the beauty of the Ngong Hills and coffee trees in blossom: of her guests, from the Prince of Wales to Knudsen, the old charcoal burner, who visited her: of primitive festivals: of big game that were her near neighbors--lions, rhinos, elephants, zebras, buffaloes--and of Lulu, the little gazelle who came to live with her, unbelievably ladylike and beautiful. The Random House colophon made its debut in February 1927 on the cover of a little pamphlet called "Announcement Number One." Bennett Cerf and Donald Klopfer, the company's founders, had acquired the Modern Library from publishers Boni and Liveright two years earlier. One day, their friend the illustrator Rockwell Kent stopped by their office. Cerf later recalled, "Rockwell was sitting at my desk facing Donald, and we were talking about doing a few books on the side, when suddenly I got an inspiration and said, 'I've got the name for our publishing house. We just said we were go-ing to publish a few books on the side at random. Let's call it Random House.' Donald liked the idea, and Rockwell Kent said, 'That's a great name. I'll draw your trademark.' So, sitting at my desk, he took a piece of paper and in five minutes drew Random House, which has been our colophon ever since." Throughout the years, the mission of Random House has remained consistent: to publish books of the highest quality, at random. We are proud to continue this tradition today. This edition is set from the first American edition of 1937 and commemorates the seventy-fifth anniversary of Random House.

Customer Reviews

19 customer ratings | 6 reviews

Rated 5 stars
Out of Africa

This is a lovely book for those interested in the early part of the 20th century. It give a true voice to how native Africans lived and behaved and how the "white" view of life contrasted with theirs. There are also charming descriptions of the animals the author knew and lived with. Some of the descriptions of the land are pure poetry. Although a bit slow/pedantic for our world, it's a true account of an extraordinary woman...

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Rated 5 stars
luminous and magical as the African moon over her farm

Isak Dinesen (Karen Blixen) has been elevated to star status by the feminists for her independent stance and courage, but don't read this book because of that. Don't look for the tragic story of her misguided marriage and the heartbreak and barrenness it brought her, or for descriptions of her love affair with adventurer Denys Finch-Hatton. None of that appears here. Instead, "Out of Africa" is a storytelling book woven in...

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Rated 5 stars
A beautifully written love affair of Africa

Isak Dinesen, nee Karen Blixen, lived in East Africa for almost twenty years making a living as the proprietor of a coffee plantation. Out of Africa is a memoir of her experiences there. But the book is so much more. The stories are interesting to be sure. They relate to the plantation or the people and events that one way or another impacted her life there. But it is Blixen's writing that I found so sublime. I have never...

3Report

Rated 5 stars
Wonderful

This is one of the most beautiful books I've ever read. The writing is beautiful and delicate and brilliant. One of the miracles of the book (and I hope I don't scare anyone off by saying this) is that there are many incidents where not a lot is happening, but the writing is so fantastic, it keeps you reading. (There is plenty of drama in the book, too.) And Karen Blixen/Isak Dinesen paints the characters wonderfully. As...

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Rated 5 stars
FORGET THE MOVIE

Forget the movie and read the book instead. Isak Dinesen's love for Africa and her adopted homeland shines through every page as she helps us to vicariously experience like on a Kenyan farm. The book is loosely plotted and Dinesen is not shy about expressing her personal views, so expect some opinionated writing from this lady. She doesn't romanticize Africa, as many writers do. She tells it like it is, which is great,...

2Report

Out of Africa Mentions in Our Blog

Out of Africa in How Many Best Pictures Were Based on a Book?
How Many Best Pictures Were Based on a Book?
Published by Amanda Cleveland • March 21, 2024
With Oppenheimer's recent Oscars win, we had a question: How many Best Picture winners were based on a book? Countless classic films are adaptations, as if a great story tends to start in literature. Let's look at the numbers and the amazing books that have lead to great films.
Out of Africa in What's Leaving Netflix and HULU in July?
What's Leaving Netflix and HULU in July?
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • June 29, 2023

Every month, streaming services remove some of their offerings to make room for new ones. But that doesn't mean we can't watch them anymore. Here is a list of titles being cut by HULU and Netflix in July. Order your own copy to keep watching.

Out of Africa in Women Undercover
Women Undercover
Published by Ashly Moore Sheldon • November 22, 2019

On this day in 1819, the prominent author Mary Ann Evans was born. But you may not have heard of her because her books were published using the pseudonym George Eliot. And she’s not alone. There’s a long history of famous women writers who adopted male pen names.

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