Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #72245 in Books
• Published on: 1992-04-02
• Original language: English
• Binding: Paperback
• 336 pages

Synopsis
This autobiography tells the story of an Italian woman whose life is driven by love of Africa. The prologue covers a string of deaths which shaped Kuki Gallmann's life including that of a woman friend who died in a car crash. The widower, Paulo (who then married Kuki), his two daughters and Kuki's son by a previous marriage all went to Kenya and bought a large estate. Paulo died in an accident and Kuki's son died aged 17, bitten by one of his own puff-adders. Kuki had a couple of affairs - one with a married white planter, another with a film stuntman who involved her in the film "Out of Africa". Finally she set up a foundation which in fact is more like a private wildlife park.

Customer Reviews

The ramblings of a pretentious egotist
I struggle to understand those who could not put this book down - I finished it but only through gritted teeth (if I start a book, I finish it - this has been the only book I have ever read where I came close to not reading it through to the end). The writing style is pretentious in the extreme, at times simply laughable. The story is very much told from the European/colonial perspective - and the tone is very "poor me". I would normally feel sypathetic to someone who had lost both husband and son early, but in this case I am sorry to say that I simply didn't care. The African population endures such tragedies on a daily basis and has done so for decades. Frankly, I don't think this woman looks beyond the end of her privileged nose. You will learn very little about the real Africa or its people from this book.

Best book I have ever read!!!!
It is a best booked I have read in my whole life and I have been reading many books. I am very interested about african culture and wildlife- it is all in that book. And I cried then Emanuele died. It is a very moving book. I think Kuki Gallmann is very brave woman. I will read that book many more times and I recommend it to everybody.

Every coin has two sides....!!!
I read Kuki Galman's book. I also watched the film "I Dreamt of Africa" based on her book. And I also read somewhere her daughter's comment," Karen Blixen ran away, my mother did not."

Well, last year I happen to stay in Loisaba Lodge, Laikipia, adjacent to Mrs. Galman's ranch. What I learnt there about Galmans was not very flattering. On arrival in Kenya, she mostly stayed in Nairobi while her husband managed the farm. She refused to stay in Laikipia. She only moved to the ranch when her husband died. And during making of the film "I Dreamt of Africa", she gave very hard time to the film unit people.

As far as the book is concerned, I would prefer Karen Blixen's "Out Of Arica" over "I Dreamt of Africa". Former is professionally written. Galman's book is like a child writing.