Karen Blixen in the African book and literary tourism market

dc.contributor.authorMarais, Johannes Lodewyk
dc.date.accessioned2015-03-24T09:37:53Z
dc.date.available2015-03-24T09:37:53Z
dc.date.issued2015-01
dc.description.abstractIn 1937, the Danish-born writer Karen Blixen published Out of Africa, an autobiographical account, in English, of the seventeen years she spent in Africa (from 1914 until 1931). During those years, she forged a permanent bond with Kenya, where she managed a coffee plantation. This bond was immortalised in the book, leading to cult status for both the publication and its author. Out of Africa contains a blend of the essay, the sketch and the historical document. A contemporary reading of the book also reveals some offensive and racist passages; footprints, as it were, of the settler society of its day. However, the lyrical, introspective quality of this book has resulted in its becoming one of the great publishing phenomena of the twentieth century, reaching many readers through various reprints, translations and a film version. This article presents the publishing history of Out of Africa and gives an overview of its many translations across the globe. It also indicates the extent to which, and the reasons why, the book did (or did not) achieve success in Africa. A comparison is also made between Out of Africa and a number of texts by other female writers who wrote about their experiences particularly in African landscapes and/or places. Keywords: Book history, female writers, Karen Blixen, Kenya, literary tourism.en_ZA
dc.description.librarianhb2015en_ZA
dc.description.urihttp://www.letterkunde.up.ac.za/en_ZA
dc.identifier.citationMarais, JL 2015, 'Karen Blixen in the African book and literary tourism market', Tydskrif vir Letterkunde, vol. 52, no.1, pp.131-143.en_ZA
dc.identifier.issn0041-476X
dc.identifier.other10.4314/tvl.v52i1.9
dc.identifier.urihttp://hdl.handle.net/2263/44133
dc.language.isoenen_ZA
dc.publisherTydskrif vir Letterkunde Assosiasieen_ZA
dc.rightsTydskrif vir Letterkunde Assosiasieen_ZA
dc.subjectKaren Blixenen_ZA
dc.subjectBook historyen_ZA
dc.subjectFemale writersen_ZA
dc.subjectKenyaen_ZA
dc.subjectLiterary tourismen_ZA
dc.titleKaren Blixen in the African book and literary tourism marketen_ZA
dc.typeArticleen_ZA

Files

Original bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
Marais_Karen_2015.pdf
Size:
129.98 KB
Format:
Adobe Portable Document Format
Description:
Article

License bundle

Now showing 1 - 1 of 1
Loading...
Thumbnail Image
Name:
license.txt
Size:
1.71 KB
Format:
Item-specific license agreed upon to submission
Description: