So disappointed in this. I could see it was likely to be a puff piece for the charity in return for the junket but expected it to be leavened with the customary Bryson humour. Much more po-faced and worthy than I thought, with all the aid recipients 'saintly' and 'deserving' and inspirational. Also hampered with first world guilt and the western tendency to take responsibility for everyone else. Oh, we built them wells but they fell into disrepair because we hadn't instructed them in how to maintain them. Endless self-flagellation and castigation and resolution to do things better. Oh the government in question is corrupt and siphoning off millions of dollars. Why don't international bodies like the IMF step in and stop this? Paternalistic and patronising, treating African nations like half-wit children.

No ha estado mal. No es un Bill Bryson en estado puro, pues es demasiado corto como para ser considerado como tal, pero aun así te saca alguna sonrisa. Por lo tanto, tres estrellas. No se puede rascar más.

Llevado a Kenya como parte de un proyecto de caridad liderado por CARE International, Bill Bryson nos muestra las diferentes iniciativas que la organización ha llevado a cabo en el país a fin de dotar de cierta independencia alimenticia a sus ciudadanos más desfavorecidos. Como no podía ser de otro modo, su sentido del humor ayuda a paliar un poco la imagen tan angustiosa que la gente que vive en urbes improvisadas.

Me hubiese gustado que se hubiese extendido más, contando más anécdotas o directamente hablando más del país. Sin embargo los capítulos, si bien interesantes, se hacen demasiado cortos.

No ha sido suficiente como para quitarme las ganas de Bill Bryson... habrá que ir a por otro.

This was such a zippy little read; I think I finished in one insomniac rolling-about. My first Bryson was At Home, which I found to be plodding, then I read In a Sunburned Country (just a little bit ago) and saw his wit, and here I am, with another library-electronic-read. It is aptly titled, though, perhaps it shouldn't be called "African" diary, as it's all about Kenya, and all about a sponsored trip to Kenya, meaning to be a public service kind of ad. But it seemed more was devoted to being petrified of his transportation (with good reason) and the living conditions of each place he stopped in was touched upon, but never illuminated quite as much as I thought he could have done. It became, well, like blog entries, or just teeny articles, as opposed to something belonging to a Whole Book.

Two descriptive bits I loved from the small aircraft scene:

- "as if the windscreen were being pounded by wet bullets"
- "Nino was now bobbing around in his seat in the manner of someone who is trying to land an airplane while being attacked by fire ants."

All the Bryson goodness you've come to know and love at half the calories!

Actually, it's more like a 10th the size. In fact, the worst part about Bill Bryson's African Diary is its shortness. This slim volume is more about awareness and philanthropy rather than a literary or journalistic endeavor for its own sake.

Bryson heads to Kenya to check out CARE International's charitable works. Times are tough there. Clean drinking water is at a premium. There's some slight heart-string pulling, but it's not Sally Struthers sappy. Just the right amount of compassion.

Tidbits of Bryson's trademark humor are wedged in between the descriptions of the ravaged slums and gorgeous beaches. His style and low-key flair are present in small quantities. This would be perfect for the Bryson noob who wanted to test the waters before diving into the deep end of his more chunky books.

The only negative side of this book is its shortage of pages.

Other than that, I really enjoyed reading about Africa. If you like reading about parts of our planet you'll probably never visit in your life and the knowledge you possess on Africa comes from Hollywood movies alone, you have to read this, I will repeat it once more, regretably short book.

Another great adventure with Mr. Bryson

A slim volume, written for Bryson’s sponsors of this trip, CARE, but still unmistakably Bill. He sees clearly the beauty, poverty, danger and advancements of Kenya and I felt like I was there with him. Let’s hope he returns for a longer, less supervised trip, and writes about it.

Bill Bryson on tour in Kenya for Care. It's not quite the fast-paced fun of his other travels, but in ways a more important story, about aid to real people so they can make their own luck.
And if you are looking for that Bryson flavor, do not fear, there are dangerous travels by train and air, and sound advice to poke people with something bigger than a pool cue if they claim that aid money will disappear into the pockets of corrupt politicians. And even buying this book is doing good - it all goes to support Care's efforts.

Bill Bryson takes a small trip to Africa at the behest of CARE International, a charity organization. It's a short book, only about fifty pages, but still had Bryson's wit and sarcasm a plenty. Honestly, I wish he'd write an entire book about Africa. Basically I wish he'd write a book about every place in the world, every time in history...all of it. His books are just so much fun to read and listen to.

A short trip through Kenya that leaves you hungry to go there yourself and see more, though a bit intimidating. And since it's Bill Bryson, it had to be funny, yet I have to say I didn't appreciate some of the jokes, it's not OK to joke about people killed in a tragic train crash, for example. It was also good to learn about CARE organization too and their efforts to fight world poverty. One must also note that he could've talked more about Kenya and Kenyans, it could've been much more profound. A large part of it was describing his own experiences and fears, which I don't think was fair to the cause he was sent to support.

For eight days, Bill Bryson visited Kenya, and he reports on some of CARE International's projects there. Informative, entertaining, uplifting, sometimes humorous, and often horrifying. Like some other reviewers here, I would've liked it to be longer. But he wrote this for CARE, and presumably they wanted it short and to the point. Which it is.

A small book, quick insight about Kenya and people.