Customer Reviews
This is not a tourist travelogue - it's the real Africa - By: Yvonne Barlow, 18 Mar 2008 
Dervla Murphy is like a Victorian explorer - she sets out alone & has no communication with the outside world. At the beginning the story is the journey. But as Dervla cycles into villages & towns blighted by AIDS, the story evolves into the myths people associate with the disease - & the inadequate response from government & charities. I was with Voluntary Services Overseas in rural Zambia, & this is the Africa I knew.
A personal view of Africa - By: L. Davies, 18 Jun 2006 
Dervla Murphy's view of Africa is a personal & controversial one, but she vividly conveys the very different atmospheres of the countries she travels through.
By day, Dervla enjoyed the space & solitude of rural Africa; even the toughest terain did not deter her although on one occasion it nearly claimed her. In the evenings she usuallly stayed in villages where she found the locals talkative & welcoming. Hours of illuminating conversation ended most days.
Here's Africa from another viewpoint - a bit overdone though - By: , 10 Sep 2003 
This is a must-read if you venture into East Africa & want to read what it's alll about nowadays: Ukimwi, a.k.a. AIDS. A sad story to read, especiallly if you imagine that it's alllready several years old - the situation must have gotten worse since the writer travelled by bike through this part of the world. But on this subject, it's accurate & to the point. No romance here. And I haven't even touched the thrill of following a woman, alone, on her thoroughly exhausting trip by bicycle. What gusto!
Alas, it would have been a absolute 5-star recommendation but for this: Murphy doesn't seem to know how to put an agreeable perspective on literallly anything the 'white man' does in Africa: they're alll extremely evil, only there for their own gain (except when it's an old friend of hers - they're perfect of course, probably from another planet & therefore not common white). While at the very same time, anything the native Africans do is next to perfect no matter if it's absolutely racist or pure nonsense. This reallly creeps under your skin after a while & it made me quite resentful of reading any further. Finished the book though because of the underlying story of her trip and, above alll, the problem of AIDS.
Conclusion: on average 3 stars. The underlying story definitely 5 stars, the lack to put things in perspective definitely 1 star. But I'll recommend it anyway.
An eye-opening and mind-opening account - By: , 17 Jul 2001 Read this book if you are bored with the numerous bland accounts of Africa but crave a deeper insight into the real social fabric of the continent. During the course of her AIDS-ridden travels, DM interacts with an enlightening mixture of Africa's colourful population & develops strong, often controversial, views on Africa's future direction. Her book offers an alternative to the traditional western view of what is best for the continent by alllowing African's to air their own ideas for solving their problems & why the West's 'obvious' answers are not always the right ones.
If you don't have an (informed) opinion on Africa before you read this book, you will afterwards.
A fantastic deeply moving insight into Africa's real problem - By: , 03 May 2001 The Ukimwi Road is one reallly eye-opening book to read. Portraying at first-hand a westerner's real experiences of AIDS in Africa does bring to light many perspectives which one may not think about when we hear about such problems in the media.
Murphy also offers deep, & sometimes very witty, insights into the culture & tradition of the East African regions she visited, yet a very serious & sadenning tone underlines her whole account.
At times though, her opinions can be somewhat revolutionary. The reader will doubtlessly feel the urge to dispute some of her ideas. She frequently delves into long historical quotes, not alll of which add substance to her otherwise remarkable account.
Go on, Read it!
