First published 1990
Caroline Alexander reads about Victorian explorer Mary Kingsley's journeys through French colonial Gabon and decides she must see the modern nation herself. She sets out alone into equatorial Africa's dense interior, following Kingsley's path through the challenging terrain. Alexander battles through thick vines in steaming rainforests and travels up the turbulent Ogooué River on crowded steamers. Giant cockroaches become unwelcome companions. The Gabon she encounters blends Africa's exotic heritage with contemporary realities. Along her journey, Alexander meets remarkable people who become her guides and friends. A reserved mission nun offers quiet wisdom. A eccentric French woman teeters on the edge of madness. A village chief adopts her like a wayward teenage daughter, providing unexpected protection and care. Through these encounters and her physical struggles with the unforgiving landscape, Alexander discovers both the dangers and rewards of solo travel in remote Africa. Her adventure becomes a bridge between past and present, connecting Kingsley's Victorian expedition with modern African life.
Genres: biography, travel, adventure, africa
Vibes: atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: fish-out-of-water, solo-travel
Setting: Gabon, French Colonial Africa
Period: Victorian Era
290 pages · Hardcover · Knopf