Rated of 5
by Joy N. (Gilbert, AZ) Three Weeks in December by Audrey Schulman
This is a story about a young engineer from a small town in Maine and an ethnobotonist from the same small town in Maine that travel to East Africa to work in their particular field. What makes it really interesting is their experiences in East Africa occurred 100 years apart from each other. This was a pretty quick read. I was fascinated by the detailed descriptions of plant life in Rwanda and what the culture was like in East Africa in1899. It brought to life the conflict of preservation of the land and animals and the need for progress.
Rated of 5
by Kate G. (City Island, NY) Africa in 2 Centuries
The author wrote an ambitious novel about The Congo during the month of December in 1899 and 2000, utilizing two different protagonists from the same family. The stories involving Africa were interesting on their own, but the addition of the main characters personal issues decreased my enjoyment of this story. Sometimes, less is more and I think the author tried to do too much. It would make a good book group book because of the various issues presented and that seems to be the author's audience.
Rated of 5
by Darlene C. (Simpsonville, SC) Three Weeks in December
I enjoyed this book immensely! An original plot, produces two alternating tales, either of which would have made an excellent book in their own right. The two storylines make it a perfect book to compare/contrast in a book club discussion. Not a book I would have picked up on my own, which would have been my great loss. Enjoy. D.
Rated of 5
by Elise B. (Macedonia, OH) Excellent Book!
I really enjoyed this book, and would recommend it to any reader who enjoys reading adventurous books. The two main characters in the book are misfits in mainstream society who develop a love for Africa despite all the mosquitoes, wild animals, and other things many would not find agreeable! There are many topics that would definitely appeal to most book clubs.
Rated of 5
by Catharine L. (Petoskey, Highly Recommend
The book follows two characters over a three week period in Africa. In 1899, Jeremy, a young engineer from Maine with a "shameful" secret is sent to British East Africa to build a railroad with hundreds of Indian laborers. Besides the malaria and primitive working conditions, he must hunt and kill the two lions killing his men. In 2000, Max a brillant botanist with Aspergers travels to to Rwanda to find a plant that could save many lives. She shadows a family of gorillas who hopefully will lead her to it. Both characters are misfits in their worlds; both have challenges - Jeremy the lions, Max, the Kutus (boy soldiers). The stories never intersect except at one small point which ties everything together. There's lots of interesting information and lots of suspense. Couldn't put it down.
Rated of 5
by Sarah H. (Arvada, CO) Thorough and genuine
Often books that were built upon significant research lose authenticity, they become forced, the story a conduit for the facts. That is not the case in Three Weeks in December, where the author has maintained respect for both storytelling and fact building. You learn through vicarious experience of vibrant characters through a story as strong as the data used to create it.
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Z, the novel about the life of Zelda Sayre Fitzgerald is at points charming and; like another reviewer, I kept thinking of the movie, "Midnight...
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Although heavy on the scientific details, which slowed down the story for me (OK, I admit, I was one of those liberal arts majors who skipped out on...
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Loved this book. Magical, quirky, enchanting I could go on. All books do not have to be literary fiction, sometimes it is just so comforting to read...
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