Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
A sensational story, 27 Feb 2005
I was not disappointed when I finally laid my hands on this translation of Nowhere in Africa. I had been looking forward to it after watching the movie. It is a rich nonfictional book, a beautifully written autobiography of a life in self-exile in Africa, precisely in Kenya. It is an extraordinary tale of Walter Redlich, his wife Jettel, and Regina their five-year-old daughter; a Jewish family that fled Nazi Germany in 1938 and made a new life in a remote Kenyan farm. It portrayed the different capacities of the Jewish family members to adapt to their new life. The father , a former attorney accepts the situation and works listlessly to nake life bearable for his family, Jettel the mother never reconciles herself to her new life, while their sensitive daughter overcomes her inhibitions and falls in love with her "new world". In Regina's enchanted kingdom, understanding started with learning the local language and customs, and feeling at home began when Owuvor, the family cook becomes her new friend, opening up the world around her and giving her the joy she never had in Germany. The family grows with the birth of a baby boy and eventually returns to Germany for another new and strange life for the children.The story is inspiring, the pace is fast and the characters are rich and wide-ranging. The fact that this story is set in a world we are not very familiar with, made it all the more unique. I also recommend DISCIPLES OF FORTUNE, DISGRACE and GRACELAND
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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Misuri Sana: The Language of Africa, 30 Sep 2005
This is the story of Jewish refugees from Germany coping in a foreign and magical land during WWII. It is beautifully told through the eyes of the Redlich family: Walter, a former attorney, Jettel, his beautiful and emotional wife, Regina, the precocious, intelligent and receptive child, and Owuor, their African "houseboy" or cook. With the purple Ngong hills of Kenya, the famous Norfolk hotel and the pink-flamingo-covered Lake Nakuru in the background, this autobiographical account tells a unique tale of the suffering and pain inflicted upon this family, forced into exile by the actions of the strict regime. The Redlich family was lucky enough to escape their beloved homeland, but not all members of their families shared the same fate. As she tells the story of a proud family losing everything, particularly social status and an understandable language, Stefanie Zweig uses a variety of languages to describe their myriad and varying emotions. Translated into English from German, this version loses a little bit of the importance of language barrier to the tale; however, Swahili, German and even a few Latin phrases are peppered throughout and do help. Regina, Zweig's alter ego, is the strongest and most enjoyable voice. In fact, I wished the entire story were told through her perspective, for she is the one who most captures the spirit of Kenya. This is primarily due to Regina's relationship with Owuor, and her own secret fairy, that guides her through lonely experiences at boarding school, a luxury her refugee parents can barely afford. Even though she is a child, she becomes the voice of reason for the entire family. If you've spent any time in Kenya, this book will bring your experience back to life and make you further appreciate the distinctions of class, race and ethnic heritage. I highly recommend.
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