They huddle together somewhere on a shelf in one of our rooms.

A Field Guide to the Mammals of Africa.

A Field Guide to the Birds of West Africa.

A Field Guide to the Birds of East Africa.

And now there is another Guide to the Birds of East Africa. All about birds, strange birds in Kenya and mainly in Nairobi. The most important wierdest bird is a man named malik, a small bald man who every week goes out looking for the most beautiful birds, with a living guide and binoculars. The group birdlovers is led by Rose Mbikwa, a lady with Scottish roots, who was married to a Kenyan politician, who died in mysterious circumstances.

Mister Malik, a widower, is secretly in love with Rose. To make known his love for her is very difficult for him and he looks all the time for a good moment to declare. He is the director of a factory in Nairobi, that produces cigars. Under a penname he writes a weekly column, a widely read column, in a daily.

Sudeenly, one morning, with the birdgroup, he meets an old classmate, who left for canada many years ago. At the club they meet again all of a sudden there is the bet who will Rose for a party? Will it be mister Malik, or his schoolmate. 

In a beuatiful and playful way Dayton describes the people and the birds in his book. His kind of writing reminds me of the book by Alexander McCall Smith about the first female private detective of Botswana.

The writer lived for some time in Kenya, when his wife had a job over there.

He has written a delightful book. 

Nicholas Drayson – A guide to the birds of East Africa – London 2008