About this title: OUT OF AFRICA is the classic account of the experiences of Karen Blixen (aka Isak Dinesen) in Kenya, where she managed a coffee plantation for 17 years, from 1914 to 1931, first with her difficult husband the Baron von Blixen and, after their divorce, by herself. One of the most popular books of the 20th century, it provides a vivid and lyrical but very realistic description of colonial Africa and life in the bush country far inland. In SHADOWS ON THE GRASS, written years later, Dinesen continues the story,
Note: This is a general synopsis. Each listing is described below.
Edition: 1st
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Vintage, N. Y.
Date Published: 1985
Description: Cover Art. Reading Copy. No Jacket. Paperback. 12mo-over 6¾"-7¾" tall. Reading copy is rated from good to very fine.........The book may have minor flaws that may have gone unnoticed.... read more
Edition: First Vintage Books Edition
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Random House, New York: December
Date Published: 1985
Description: Softcover. Good condition. At the age of twenty-seven, Isak Dinesen (the pen name of Baroness Karen Blixen) left Denmark for East Africa to marry her Swedish cousin, Baron Bror Blixen. Together they bought a four-thousand-acre coffee plantation in Kenya. For the next seventeen years she managed the plantation, even after she and her husband separated, and she recorded the experience in these two memorable books, both of which are filled with her affection for and understanding of the land and ... read more
Edition: First Vintage Books Edition
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: Vintage Books, New York
Description: Softcover. Reading copy. At the age of twenty-seven, Isak Dinesen (the pen name of Baroness Karen Blixen) left Denmark for East Africa to marry her Swedish cousin, Baron Bror Blixen. Together they bought a four-thousand-acre coffee plantation in Kenya. For the next seventeen years she managed the plantation, even after she and her husband separated, and she recorded the experience in these two memorable books, both of which are filled with her affection for and understanding of the land and its ... read more
Edition: First Vintage Books Edition
Binding: Softcover
Publisher: St. Martin's Press, New York
Date Published: 1976
Description: Softcover. Reading copy. At the age of twenty-seven, Isak Dinesen (the pen name of Baroness Karen Blixen) left Denmark for East Africa to marry her Swedish cousin, Baron Bror Blixen. Together they bought a four-thousand-acre coffee plantation in Kenya. For the next seventeen years she managed the plantation, even after she and her husband separated, and she recorded the experience in these two memorable books, both of which are filled with her affection for and understanding of the land and its ... read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Longmeadow Hall
Date Published: 1965
ISBN-13:9780681401808ISBN:068140180X
Description: Very Good. LARGE PRINT EDITION. Please remember: This item is in used condition. SOME NOTES AND/OR UNDERLINING THAT DO NOT OBSCURE TEXT. Good: Copy has been read, but remains in good condition. Normal shelf wear on edges and corners. Binding is tight. Very usable. read more
Description: Good. 068140180X Former library item may have library binding and show stamps, stickers or other marks. Items not meeting quality expectations may be returned. Due to the large scale of our operation, we do not have access to the specific contents/condition of our items. read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Vintage
Date Published: 1989
ISBN-13:9780679724759ISBN:0679724753
Description: Acceptable. Moderately heavy wear to cover; else good condition overall! Thanks for your business! Your satisfaction is guaranteed! read more
Binding: Paperback
Publisher: Vintage
Date Published: 1989
ISBN-13:9780679724759ISBN:0679724753
Description: Good. Used Condition-GOOD can be a well cared for Book that is in great condition to a Book that may show some signs of wear. GOOD Books sometimes are permanently marked; have some spine or page creases; exibit signs of aging or an ExLibrary copy. ** Sometimes grease pencil or permanent marking on cover. May contain limited notes and or highlighting. 100% Satisfaction guaranteed on all purchases. ** SHIPS FROM USA-Domestic Delivery takes 5-14 days ** read more
Description: Acceptable. 1985 Paperback. Keywords: "General, English" Not a first edition copy. All books in stock. We ship daily from our warehouse. Over 200, 000 customers served online! Our feedback reflects our service...."Fast delivery, great seller", "Fantastic, came right away and was in perfect condition--thanks! " read more
Description: Acceptable. 1989-Paperback----Used-Acceptable-Hall Street Books proudly ships from Brooklyn, NY. All orders are processed and shipped within 24 hours, M-F. 100% money back No-Worry guarantee with expedited delivery and delivery confirmation available. read more
Edition: Edition Unstated
Binding: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Vintage Books, New York, New York, U.S.A.
Date Published: 1989
ISBN-13:9780679724759ISBN:0679724753
Description: Very Good- As issued No Jacket. Spine lean, corner bumps and corner creases to both covers, reading crease to the front cover, hanlding creases to both, and other light to moderate shopwear. Text is clean. read more
Edition: 7th Printing
Binding: Trade Paperback
Publisher: Vintage Books, New York, New York
Date Published: 1989
ISBN-13:9780679724759ISBN:0679724753
Description: Good + Good + trade paperback. May be some rubbing, bumping and creasing to edges, corners and spine of book. Overall a good tight copy. read more
"There is not much of a plot in this book. It is just a series of memories and events in her life. Shadows in the Grass is very repetitive of Out of Africa, and not necessary to read. It is, however, interesting to get insight into the mind of a colonialist. For example, there are times when the things she writes about the Native Africans seem incredibly racist, but you still get the sense that she feels she is being honest, fair, and respectful. In her mind she treated the Natives kindly and felt responsible for their well-being. But anyone reading this today will feel that she over-generalized the Natives, the Somalis, and the Indians and treated them as inferior people."
These 4 essays (about 85 pages) are an epilogue to "Out of Africa." The writing is so poignant as to make you want to weep, and still fills your heart with love."
"Karen Blixen (Isak Dinesen) wrote this collection of memories from her time owning and operating a coffee farm in the Ngong Hills. If you're reading this expecting to see the script from Out of Africa, you'll be sorely disappointed. That was my initial expectation but I stuck with the book and it's stories and as a result, feel like I have a much richer and more detailed picture of life in Kenya in the early 20th century.
Some readers have objected to Blixen's language and description of Kenyans and various tribal people. I think to place modern standards and interpretations of her language is to ignore that fact that this book was written nearly 80 years ago. Language, society, customs and cultures have changes so much that we cannot judge her language and her views. What this book accomplishes is to preserve the mindset (and a pretty damn forward thinking on at that!) of an age for future readers. I don't think I have to remind other readers that if we don't know our history, we are doomed to repeat it.
Books like Out of Africa are precious not only for their historic importance, but about for the preservation of a way of telling stories. This is a written ethnography of a particular group of people at a particular time. While I struggled at times with the narration, it was good to be reminded of how stories were told. I bet this book would be an amazing audio book as they verbose and descriptive style would be better heard rather than read.
If you've only seen the film, I highly recommend the book. It's lovely, different and some of the passages are absolutely breathtaking."
"Beautiful (but mildly racist) prose. The lack of a coherent plot and my lack of attention span made this really tough to read now in the home stretch of senior year. I may try and re-read again when there's less of a time crunch, and then maybe the slow moving narrative won't bug me as much. Pretty descriptions of the African landscape made me want to visit Kenya -- but I really wanted Dinesen/Blixen to stop comparing "the Natives" with ostriches."
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