Just another quasi-satirical book about an American man who marries into the Kikuyu tribe of Kenya and then travels there to meet the family, experience the culture, piss off the Maasai, and go on safari.

ISBN 1-932295-14-3 Todd Lane Artwork and photography by Todd Lane

Overview

American artist Todd Lane, noted for his edgy comic strip Protoblast and his exacting, lifelike wildlife sculptures, enters the literary world with his first book, An American Mzungu in Kenya. In this volume he details his adventures in Kenya while getting to know his married family and culture for the first time. Todd vividly and expertly describes the environment he finds himself in and the experiences he has while there -- humorous, marvelous, angering; sometimes flattering, sometimes deprecating, always honest.

The 164-page volume details his travels over three weeks during the 2004 holidays, relating both the day-to-day activities of his family from the view of a newcomer, and the wonder of the wildlife preserves and Maasai culture that dominate the minds of foreign travellers thinking of east Africa. American Mzungu includes many sidebars and excerpts providing more in-depth information about certain aspects of Kenyan culture and African wildlife. It also includes a special section by Jaimie Tanner, noted hyena expert, offering many insights on this oft-misjudged carnivore. Extra features include appendices on the Kenyan perspective of America, Kenyan proverbs, and facts about Kenya.

But any book by an artist will present far more than text alone. Todd brings to life the people he met, the places he saw, and the animals he studied with 49 original drawings and 40 photographs. These impressions of Kenya are given generous space in the volume to create a sensual experience of riveting storytelling and expressive illustration with every turn of the page.