Dallas Book Diva

THE CAMEL BOOKMOBILE By Masha Hamilton
I love this book! I love the idea of this book! Masha Hamilton is an extraordinary person who has written a novel based on reality. Her story is about a restless young American librarian, Fiona Sweeney, who is searching for meaning in her life and chooses to travel in Africa to help start a library carrying books on the backs of camels.

The Camel Bookmobile is real and serves northeastern Kenya near the border with Somalia. In her interview with me, Masha told me she and her daughter actually went to Kenya and traveled with the Camel Bookmobile. I believe she has captured the culture of the region. It's people are divided by how they feel about the bookmobile, some embrace it, others oppose it, viewing it and Fi as a dangerous corrupting influence. This is a story about the unintended consequences of seemingly generous acts.

There is also an opportunity to support the Camel Book Drive created by Masha. Go to the website http://camelbookdrive.workpress.com/ to learn how you can help.

Powerful and thought provoking are words I use to describe this novel. What do you think?

listen to interview