"Out of Africa" is a collection of four short stories written by Karen Blixen/Isak Dinesen about her life running a Kenyan coffee plantation between 1914 and 1931. Turned into the 1985 Academy Award winning film of the same name, this book is a literary classic in my opinion. Although somewhat didactic, which, admittedly, I find enjoyable, Blixen writes in the beautiful style of her era, making many illusions to Greek myths and other religious or mythical figures. She utilizes an enormous and entertaining vocabulary, which always contains the right word for her purpose, although occasionally, especially for modern readers, calls for a trip to the OED. This is definitely not a book for everyone, but if you do read it, you can't help but learn something from this woman's fantastic experiences.
Often, rather than tell you her opinion of a person, she will relate a number of anecdotes about them to you, letting you come to your own conclusions. You get the sense, though, that the conclusion you have reached is the one she wants you to form.
Despite enjoying her writing, I did want to take my style in a different direction from that of Blixen's. This is the reason for the "snapshot" effect in my original piece. It is my attempt to get away from the longer, more intricate, and connected style of writing.
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