[.ca] The Shadow Of Kilimanjaro: On Foot Across East Africa (ISBN 0805053905)

From Amazon.com:
Known for such feats as being the first climber to reach the summit of K2 without bottled oxygen, climbing Antarctica's highest mountain, and leading a team to the top of a formidable 2,000-foot granite tower in the most remote corner of the Amazon's Orinoco jungle, Rick Ridgeway, in his latest book, takes a walk. Of course, it's no ordinary stroll. Accompanied by park officers, Ridgeway treks unprotected among lions and elephants, rhinos and oryxes. The Shadow of Kilimanjaro is as much a search for answers to an adventurer's most soul-searching questions as an account of a thrilling journey. In the introduction Ridgeway writes, Henry David Thoreau did not write that in wilderness is the preservation of the world, as he is oft misquoted, but that "In wildness is the preservation of the world." There is a difference, and it is significant. A wildness is intact. In wildness, all the original pieces are there. My own backyard mountains in California, from the Coastal Range through the Sierras, are in many places wilderness, but none of it is wildness because the grizzly is gone. We may have the grizzly on the state flag; having it there, however, is not a celebration of our heritage but a burlesque of what we have done to the most noble patriarch ever to walk the land. Starting at the top of Mount Kilimanjaro and ending at the Indian Ocean, Ridgeway's aim during this adventure is less to get there and more to be there. During his weeks on foot, he thoughtfully considers the effects of colonial expansion on Africa's indigenous peoples, its landscape, and its awe-inspiring animals--all the while contemplating with a conservationist's heart Africa's uncertain future. --Kathryn True

The Start of it All.....:
This book started my love affair with Kenya. The descriptions of the land, smells and sights and sounds of Africa are wonderful (not to mention the charging animals). This book led me to other books which led me to other books which finally led me to Africa itself. I had the dream trip of my life this past May and June when I went to Kenya. I have at present a collection of rare books on the early pioneer days of Kenya and it's being added to weekly. Thank you Rick for introducing me to some wonderful people, places and experiences through your book. By the way, I have written to your publishers twice asking for information about any book signings or lecture schedule you may have, but alas, no answer from them. Please let me know if that information is available. Contact me, or have someone at Henry Holt and Company do so at the following email address: operafan505@aol.com Thank you very much.

Not at all patronizing:
Rick Ridgeway has written a very informative and entertaining account of his 300 mile hike West to East across southern Kenya in 1997. The walk was metaphorically in THE SHADOW OF KILIMANJARO beginning on the summit of that great mountain and spanning the different ecological zones of mountain moraine, foothills, savannah, scrub, desert, and finally tropical white sand beaches of the Indian Ocean coast near Malindi. More significantly Ridgeway writes about his journey in the shadow of others who have written famously on Kenya, most significantly Hemingway, Dinesen, and Blixen. At yet another level this story is set in the shadow of Kenya's colonial history and its current struggles as a developing nation trying to make its way in the modern world. Ridgeway deals with all the relevant issues - ecology and the environment, conservation, domestic politics, the economy, tourism, the romantic literary images, the colonial legacy, the Mau Mau uprisings, cultural, ethnic, and social issues. And he deals with them in the way good travel writing should. Simply present the facts as you get them and let others speak their truths. No moralizing and very little contextualizing and therefore very refreshing. The image of Kenya that emerges is that of a real country. Not too much of the fantasy and gloss of a romantic wilderness nor the equally unreal vision of warring tribes at THE ENDS OF THE EARTH. Just reality. Strengths, weaknesses, beauty, blemishes, issues, agendas, and concerns. All the things that face a people making their way on a rapidly globalizing planet. Although Ridgeway's Kenya is a very different place than the country I knew in the 1960's when I lived there in my youth, it's still as rich and as alive as I remember it and Ridgeway has done an excellent job of bringing it home.

Much more than I expected:
I got this book as a present and thought would be just a nice one to add to my collection of adventure books. Not at all, Mr. Ridgeway has the right measure of literary writing, research and 'adventure', which I praise as something far from easy to find. My only criticism is that I find his focus on the late Mr. Woodley and his deeds sometimes too reverential. Nevertheless, a little masterpiece in his style. I will sure look for other books by Mr. Ridgeway!

Entertaining and Informative:
This book was absolutely engrossing and full of great detail and history about East Africa. The author brings together the lives that have helped shape the region into what it is today, and intertwines their stories thoughout. His detail of the history is not only thorough, but entertaining to read as well. His description of the trek itself often makes you feel as though you are there. This is an absolute must read if you are interested in visiting East Africa, or if you are generally interested in understanding the relationship between man and wildlife, and the struggle to find a viable balance between the two.

A great introduction to the issues facing Kenya today:
Rick Ridgeway's account of his trek from the summit of Mount Kilimanjaro to the Indian Ocean is interesting enough on its own. But it is the frequent sidetrips along the way -- into Kenya's colourful colonial history, it's wildlife management and parks policies, and it's current political climate -- that make this book such a compelling read. What is the best way to ensure the long term survival of Africa's wildlife? Who owns the elephants? Should hunting be permitted? How big do reserves need to be? Is there a future for tribes whose traditional way of life included hunting? How can the Kenyan people share in the revenue generated by tourism? Ridgeway touches on these and many other questions, taking care to let the reader see the personalities and the politics lurking behind the strongly-held views of the main proponents in the debates. Anyone looking for a good introduction to the challenges and opportunities facing Kenya today could do worse than starting here. I read this book before visiting the country and found it an excellent preparation for the trip and a great jumping-off point for further reading.