Corinne Hofmann (1) (1960–)
Author of The White Masai
For other authors named Corinne Hofmann, see the disambiguation page.
Series
Works by Corinne Hofmann
Associated Works
La Massaï Blanche - D'après le best-seller de Corinne Hofmann — Associated Name — 1 copy
Tagged
Common Knowledge
- Other names
- HOFMANN, Corinne
- Birthdate
- 1960-06-04
- Gender
- female
- Occupations
- memoirist
- Short biography
- Corinne Hofmann is a Swiss author most famous for her multi-million selling memoir Die weisse Massai (The White Masai).
Born on June 4, 1960 to German father and French mother, Corinne studied in the canton of Glarus and eventually went into the retail trade. At the age of twenty-one, she opened her own clothing store.
In 1986, Hofmann and her fiancé Marco made a trip to Kenya. There, she met a Samburu warrior named Lketinga and instantly found him irresistible. She left Marco, went back to Switzerland to sell her possessions, and returned to Kenya, determined to find Lketinga, which she eventually did. The couple moved in together, married, and had a daughter. The Samburu are a pastoralist people related to the Masai, and live in small villages in an arid area of central Kenya. Hofman moved into her mother-in-law's manyatta (compound) and learned to live as a Samburu woman, fetching wood and water. She opened a small shop in the village, to sell basic goods.
Hofmann suffered several hardships, including diseases (mainly malaria) and marital problems. Increasingly paranoid jealousy from her husband, possibly a side effect of his addiction to the drug khat (miraa), severely damaged her relationship, and eventually she decided to return to Switzerland for good, taking her daughter with her. Later on, she wrote a book about her experiences. The book, titled Die weisse Massai, went on to become a phenomenal success. It has then been translated into several languages, and in 2005, made into a movie starring Nina Hoss and Jacky Ido.
Hofmann has since written two other books, Zurück aus Afrika (Back from Africa) and Wiedersehen in Barsaloi (Reunion in Barsaloi), which are sequels of the first book. She returned to visit her Samburu family for the first time in 2004. - Nationality
- Switzerland
- Birthplace
- Germany
- Places of residence
- Switzerland
Kenya - Map Location
- Switzerland
Members
Reviews
The story of a Swiss woman who goes to Kenya, falls in love with a Masai warrior, and moves there to live with him, The White Masai is also a story of love, cross-culture marriage, life in an African village, and domestic abuse.
I started off with disliking the author a little. She was extremely mean to her Swiss boyfriend and dumps him unceremoniously for a Masai man. It is also a little weird how she gets obsessed with a man she knows nothing about. Call her silly and obsessive, or naive show more and innocent, Corinne does manage to find the Masai and he reciprocated her feelings. The other thing that annoyed me is that she continuously refers to Lketinga as 'my Masai' as if he were some object she had purchased. The 'my darlings' also began to grate on my nerves after a point.
But in spite of this, I began to warm up to her. Once the initial lust is satiated, she does genuinely fall in love and tries against all odds to keep the relationship going. She is the only person who actually treats the Masai with basic human respect. Both the white tourists and the local blacks act as if they are automatically criminals, and Corinne gains my respect by standing up for them. She is a wonderful businesswoman and actually started three successful businesses in Africa, only to lose them for lack of a reliable partner. Hofmann is incredibly resilient and nothing fazes her - malaria, hepatitis, living in a small hut and carrying many litres water from the river everyday. Nothing! As the story progressed, I began to sympathise with her and admire her more and more.
While Corinne is busy trying to make a living and make her relationship work, her husband, Lketinga wanders aimlessly about the place, being completely useless. He does not work to feed his family, no sir! Other tribals who herd animals work hard over the day and enjoy with other people in the evenings, but Lketinga seems to spend most of his time attending weddings and doing nothing constructive. That is, when he is not chewing miraa or drinking beer. He is sulky most of the time if things don't go his way. Not to mention, he is as dumb as a brick. No, dumber! He makes illogical decisions in the business, throws tantrums at customers and behaves atrociously at the hired workers. Gradually, he becomes more and more abusive to Corinne and keeps insinuating that she is being unfaithful and going off into fits of rage and disappears for days on end.
The book is really compelling and kept me hooked till the end. I was rooting for Corinne as she went from strength to strength. Apart from Corinne, the other people I really liked in the book are Lketinga's mother - a wise and wonderful woman. James, Lketinga's brother, is an example of a Masai man who is nice, and I really liked him. It would be interesting to know he he fared in life. I also liked Father Guilio though I generally don't have much time for missionaries. There is much to learn and enjoy in here! Don't read this book if you are expecting a love story. Read this book if you want a gritty account of life in Africa under extreme conditions of poverty. Read it for a description of how domestic abuse starts and spirals out of control without you even realize. show less
I started off with disliking the author a little. She was extremely mean to her Swiss boyfriend and dumps him unceremoniously for a Masai man. It is also a little weird how she gets obsessed with a man she knows nothing about. Call her silly and obsessive, or naive show more and innocent, Corinne does manage to find the Masai and he reciprocated her feelings. The other thing that annoyed me is that she continuously refers to Lketinga as 'my Masai' as if he were some object she had purchased. The 'my darlings' also began to grate on my nerves after a point.
But in spite of this, I began to warm up to her. Once the initial lust is satiated, she does genuinely fall in love and tries against all odds to keep the relationship going. She is the only person who actually treats the Masai with basic human respect. Both the white tourists and the local blacks act as if they are automatically criminals, and Corinne gains my respect by standing up for them. She is a wonderful businesswoman and actually started three successful businesses in Africa, only to lose them for lack of a reliable partner. Hofmann is incredibly resilient and nothing fazes her - malaria, hepatitis, living in a small hut and carrying many litres water from the river everyday. Nothing! As the story progressed, I began to sympathise with her and admire her more and more.
While Corinne is busy trying to make a living and make her relationship work, her husband, Lketinga wanders aimlessly about the place, being completely useless. He does not work to feed his family, no sir! Other tribals who herd animals work hard over the day and enjoy with other people in the evenings, but Lketinga seems to spend most of his time attending weddings and doing nothing constructive. That is, when he is not chewing miraa or drinking beer. He is sulky most of the time if things don't go his way. Not to mention, he is as dumb as a brick. No, dumber! He makes illogical decisions in the business, throws tantrums at customers and behaves atrociously at the hired workers. Gradually, he becomes more and more abusive to Corinne and keeps insinuating that she is being unfaithful and going off into fits of rage and disappears for days on end.
The book is really compelling and kept me hooked till the end. I was rooting for Corinne as she went from strength to strength. Apart from Corinne, the other people I really liked in the book are Lketinga's mother - a wise and wonderful woman. James, Lketinga's brother, is an example of a Masai man who is nice, and I really liked him. It would be interesting to know he he fared in life. I also liked Father Guilio though I generally don't have much time for missionaries. There is much to learn and enjoy in here! Don't read this book if you are expecting a love story. Read this book if you want a gritty account of life in Africa under extreme conditions of poverty. Read it for a description of how domestic abuse starts and spirals out of control without you even realize. show less
A poignant read for me as this is the last book I purchased for my mother. I am happy that it was a fascinating read, although I did become frustrated with the author and her decisions at times.
Corinne Hoffman is a 27 year old Swiss woman when she arrives in Kenya with her boyfriend, for a holiday. She becomes besotted with a Masai man and breaks off her relationship with her boyfriend. She returns to Kenya to pursue and win his affections. She overlooks the obvious distinctions, not only show more race but his lack of education and very different cultural outlook, thinking that their love/passion will overcome all hurdles.
The descriptions of her life in a very primitive village are very frank and eye-opening. The contrast to western life is quite shocking and the reader follows in horror some of her experiences but it is the gradual break down of their relationship that finally breaks her will to stay.
I look forward to continuing this series although I suspect they won't be as gripping as this first book. show less
Corinne Hoffman is a 27 year old Swiss woman when she arrives in Kenya with her boyfriend, for a holiday. She becomes besotted with a Masai man and breaks off her relationship with her boyfriend. She returns to Kenya to pursue and win his affections. She overlooks the obvious distinctions, not only show more race but his lack of education and very different cultural outlook, thinking that their love/passion will overcome all hurdles.
The descriptions of her life in a very primitive village are very frank and eye-opening. The contrast to western life is quite shocking and the reader follows in horror some of her experiences but it is the gradual break down of their relationship that finally breaks her will to stay.
I look forward to continuing this series although I suspect they won't be as gripping as this first book. show less
This is a memoir of a “hit-by-a-truck-in-LUV” Swiss/German woman and the Masai warrior she lusts after. Despite her protestations of love (both she for him, and he for her), there is no love here. Love requires knowing one another and mutual respect. She’s just infatuated.
She spends the first third of the book telling us over and over how handsome “my Masai” is, despite his occasional bouts of moodiness. She spends the middle detailing all the problems they have getting the show more paperwork done for … a car, a shop, a passport, a marriage. The last third is her bemoaning her own stupidity as she realizes she has married a lazy, alcoholic, mental case and is reduced to sobs every other page.
PUHLEEZE!
Yet, this horror is strangely compelling. I give it 2 stars for keeping me turning pages. show less
She spends the first third of the book telling us over and over how handsome “my Masai” is, despite his occasional bouts of moodiness. She spends the middle detailing all the problems they have getting the show more paperwork done for … a car, a shop, a passport, a marriage. The last third is her bemoaning her own stupidity as she realizes she has married a lazy, alcoholic, mental case and is reduced to sobs every other page.
PUHLEEZE!
Yet, this horror is strangely compelling. I give it 2 stars for keeping me turning pages. show less
I've read 83 pages. Out of 307. That will have to be enough.
This book is the testimony of a young Swiss woman, who narrates her own story. She's a victim of 'love at first sight' with a Masai tribesman whom she sees across a crowded room whilst on holiday in Kenya with her boyfriend. She gives up everything to be with this man and join his tribal existence.
While the accounts of life with the Masai are interesting, and while Hoffman is undoubtedly brave, I became increasingly irritated by show more her. Hoffman seems to be the victim of a lustful crush. She pursues her 'warrior' as she calls him, with an intensity that shows little understanding of him, or his culture. She's willing to live with him in his village, but seems to have litle inkling of the impact her appearance in his community has on either him or his community.
I've skipped to the end. I know it will all end in tears. I just don't want to spend any more time in Corinne Hoffman's company to find out where and how it all goes horribly wrong. show less
This book is the testimony of a young Swiss woman, who narrates her own story. She's a victim of 'love at first sight' with a Masai tribesman whom she sees across a crowded room whilst on holiday in Kenya with her boyfriend. She gives up everything to be with this man and join his tribal existence.
While the accounts of life with the Masai are interesting, and while Hoffman is undoubtedly brave, I became increasingly irritated by show more her. Hoffman seems to be the victim of a lustful crush. She pursues her 'warrior' as she calls him, with an intensity that shows little understanding of him, or his culture. She's willing to live with him in his village, but seems to have litle inkling of the impact her appearance in his community has on either him or his community.
I've skipped to the end. I know it will all end in tears. I just don't want to spend any more time in Corinne Hoffman's company to find out where and how it all goes horribly wrong. show less
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Statistics
- Works
- 6
- Also by
- 2
- Members
- 1,464
- Popularity
- #17,550
- Rating
- 3.3
- Reviews
- 39
- ISBNs
- 139
- Languages
- 17
- Favorited
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