As I mentioned in my overview, "My Heart is Africa" is one of the best books I've read this year. Griffin's easily understood yet tastefully descriptive writing style, the fascinating characters, and the refreshingly unique story speed the reader through this book like a cheetah on the hunt. Although he did occasionally discuss the plight of the African people, he did not get fixated on the theme of extremely terrible things happening to incredibly nice people, which seems to be the only thing one hears about Africa now. Gone are the days when it was a land of beauty and power. It has now become a feel-good money pit for the purpose of feeding the West's guilty conscience. "My Heart is Africa," however, follows in the spirit of movies such as "Zulu" and "Out of Africa" in portraying the continents immense natural and cultural beauty.
Excerpts from other books providing details and background, historical, technical, or otherwise, contributed immensely to the novel. The words and phrases in local African languages, most often Swahili, also satisfies that feeling of "authenticity" that readers sometimes look for, as well as exposes you to a form of communication unlike anything we are familiar with.
Griffin's book does a splendid job of conveying to the reader his experiences in Africa, and what living there can actually be like. Top marks all around.
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