No Room in the Ark

Read during Fall 2003

Dated but still highly enjoyable travelouge through the wild game parks and wilderness of Southern and Central Africa, with an excursion on the Upper Nile as well.

Well I don't want to be too critical, so perhaps it's best to start by saying that this book was written in the late 1950's, and played a significant role in bringing the richness and fragility of African wildlife into the public eye. Moorehead was perhaps one of the first (and certainly one of the more accomplished) writers to describe African wildlife as something to be seen and experienced rather than to be shot at. That said, his observations about the decline and further poor prospects for African wildlife couldn't really be said to be any more than casual. It certainly didn't seem to be the theme of the book, although the title suggests otherwise. He mentions a scheme 'here and there' to preserve wildlife, but he doesn't write show more about them with any particular passion or deep analysis, or put forward any ideas of his own.

What I am left with is a travelogue. What he does write about with some passion, and talent, is his experience of travelling to some of the remoter parts of Africa and the animals and tribes he encounters along the way. Indeed it seems at times (or perhaps all the time) that Moorehead is observing the tribal peoples in much the same way he observes the wildlife - assessing their value in terms of how attractive they are to look at, or how entertaining they are to the Western eye and sensibility. Some of this is jarring, and frankly sexist.

I am left with the impression that Moorehead loved travelling in Africa, and wanted to share the experience by writing about it. In his very restrained 1950's British way, he has managed to convey some of that passion. That this book, this enthusiasm, appears to have inspired others, particularly in the 1960's, is I think its saving grace. But unlike books that tell the story of Africa, or books written by people who were part of that story, Moorehead's has not stood the test of time. It was a significant book in its day, but it was always a book about looking at Africa, written from the outside looking in, and frankly we don't look at it that way any more. I read it as a historical curiosity, building a picture of how Africa was seen by outsiders in this period. But if you want to read about Africa, whether as it is now, or as it was then, I'd recommend going elsewhere. show less

This book describes the author's various safaris to view wildlife in Africa during the 1950's. I really enjoyed reading his vivid descriptions of the weather, landscape and animals- especially incidents where he came into closer contact with the wildlife. Not so nice was reading his descriptions of the various native tribes- he only praised those that had tall, slender people, and spoke in really insulting and derogatory terms of others whose appearance did not please him, especially the pygmies. Some of the animals were also recipients of his prejudice- his party found wild dogs so distateful that they threw stones at them to drive them away. There is one chapter specifically about poaching operations, and another on how the Masai's show more needs for land to graze their cattle conflicted with wildlife. One of the most interesting sections of the books described a hike his party took into the foothills of Mount Muhavura in hopes of seeing moutain gorillas.The final chapter is about his trip down the Nile, where I found a very interesting passage about which books are good to read while on vacation in Africa.

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Good travelogue book and great info. on wildlife in Africa.

Verslag van diverse safari trips in Centraal en Zuid Afrika in de jaren 1950/60.

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