Kenya

A Guide to the Birds of East Africa, by Nicholas Drayson (2008).This gently humorous tale weaves the destinies of bird-lover Mr. Malik; the object of his undeclared passion, Rose Mbikwa; and flashy Harry Khan, who flies in from North America and incites a romantic rivalry for Rose's attentions. Based on a bird-watching challenge between Malik and Khan, Drayson's narrative interlaces details about the birds of Nairobi and environs with equally insightful depictions of the capital's human inhabitants.

*Out of Africa, by Isak Dinesen (1937). This is the beguiling story of a Danish woman's life managing a coffee plantation in Kenya from 1914 to 1931. The book is vastly more colorful and engaging than the movie.

*West with the Night, by Beryl Markham (1942). Aviatrix Markham shares a spellbinding account of her childhood in Kenya, her experiences as a bush pilot in the 1930s, and her landmark solo flight across the Atlantic from east to west—she was the first person to accomplish this feat.