Nicholas Drayson has written extensively on wildlife and natural history, but this latest book is a fictional novel that is an absolute gem.
Set in post-colonial Nairobi, the plot centres on two gentlemen, the brash Harry Khan, and the more reticent Mr. Malik. The former has returned to Nairobi after decades abroad seeking a bit of respite from his latest divorce. When Harry Khan chances upon a bird walking tour, fate brings him to meet Mr. Malik. The two men soon realize they were once school mates. They were not friends by any stretch of the imagination, as Harry was a golden boy, while Mr. Malik was the butt of Khan's jokes and pranks.
Nonethelss as adults they find common ground when they both fall in love with the birdwalker's tour guide, Rose Mbikwa. When the two men begin a birdwatching competition to decide who shall take the lovely Rose to the Hunt Ball, the fun begins.
This book will delight all readers regardless of their depth of knowledge of birding. It's a wonderful read, humourous, thoughtful, and insightful.
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