Malik's observant, empathetic shamba boy helper, Benjamin. The object of his affection is red-haired and pale-skinned Rose Mbikwa, longtime leader of the weekly East African Ornithological Society's bird walks. Malik is a reserved, brown-skinned bird-lover whose undeclared passion propels the narrative. This quiet, gently humorous tale weaves the destinies of four principal characters: Mr. This is one of the subtexts of Nicholas Drayson's engaging new novel, A Guide to the Birds of East Africa. And yet, as I learned on a multi-day stay last summer, far from the foreign correspondent's camera and notebook, life goes on every day in the Kenyan capital with still considerable swatches of dignity and delight. Whether you know Nairobi only from sensationalizing headlines and news reports or from a furtive stopover en route to a Serengeti safari, chances are good that menace and chaos color your associations. A Guide to the Birds of East Africa, by Nicholas Drayson
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