Brazzaville Beach

By William Boyd,

Book cover of Brazzaville Beach

Book description

Utterly engaging. A novel of ideas, of big themes.William Boyd is a champion storyteller. - New York Times Book Review William Boyd's classic Brazzaville Beach has been called as a bold seamless blend of philosophy and suspense [that] nevertheless remains accessible to general readers on a level of pure entertainment.(Boston…

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Why read it?

3 authors picked Brazzaville Beach as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

I adored this fascinating tale of scientists studying chimpanzees in Africa, intertwined with the story of a failing marriage between one of those scientists, Hope Clearwater, and her mathematician husband back in England.

Reading this book, I was engrossed in the interplay between the people and the chimps, the evocations of African and English landscapes, and the subtle way in which the struggle for power within the chimps’ territory is echoed by human conflict in the same country.

If this all sounds rather complicated, William Boyd is one of the best storytellers around, so I was effortlessly carried along by…

From Pippa's list on women doing science.

The compromising of science in close-up, claustrophobic microcosm as determination to preserve reputation, funding, and status battles emerging, inconvenient, horrifying truth. I was gripped by the power struggle between the guru-like head of a chimpanzee research centre and a young uncompromising researcher observing chimp behaviour which does not fit the accepted narrative. It's incredibly specific and also at the same time incarnates something absolutely universal. I will never forget it – it got right into my head and stuck.

An engaging, funny, and poignant read. Its central character engaged in her study of chimpanzees reminded me of some of the PhD students I came across while in Africa. It captures the feel of expat life, separated from local culture, estranged from back home, and feeling like flotsam that the continent will soon shrug off.

From Iain's list on African set political thrillers.

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We Are Made by John Ludlam,

You’re grieving, you’re falling in love and you’re skint. On top of it all, Europe’s going to Hell in a handcart. Things can’t get any worse, can they?

London, 1938. William is grieving over his former teacher and mentor, killed fighting for the Republicans in Spain. As Europe slides towards…

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Interested in chimpanzees, Africa, and mathematicians?

Chimpanzees 19 books
Africa 269 books
Mathematicians 37 books