Whether or not Beryl actually wrote the book herself - and the evidence seems fairly strong that she did not - it's a lovely read, and it hardly detracts from her many achievements. The colonial aspects, along with the sometimes thoughtless destruction of wildlife, while "appropriate" for their time, are unavoidably troublesome seventy years later, and I wish I'd gotten a little bit more insight into her life and personality. The book is solidly focused on her years in Africa, with a brief chapter covering her near-fatal flight to North America across the Atlantic, and the author/subject always remains at a distance. Nevertheless, it's a solid 3.5 - 4 stars for some beautiful writing and great adventure.