"Out of Africa"

[fiefoe]

It turned out to be a good book to bring with me on a trip to Europe. For the contrast in scenery, yes, but also because Isak Dinesen is very (old) European.

• There is a susceptibility to the Southern countries and races that is a Nordic quality... A queer illogical patience towards an alien world came out in these impatient people. As it is almost impossible for a woman to irritate a real man,... so were the hasty red-haired Northern people infinitely long-suffering with the tropical countries and races.
• Therefore does the world love the Swedes, because in the midst of their woes they can draw it all to their bosom and be so gallant that they shine a long way away.
• This assurance.. they had,.. because they had preserved a knowledge that was lost ot us by our first parent; Africa, amongst the continents, will teach it to you: that God and the Devil are one, the majesty co-eternal, not two uncreated but one uncreated.
• The Native mind works in strange ways, and is related to the mind of by-gone people, who naturally imagined that Odin, so as to see through the whole world, gave away one of his eyes;.. It is likely that the Kikuyu of the farm saw my greatness as a judge in the fact that I knew nothing whatever of the laws according to which I judged.
• The cold sensual Arabs came, contemptuous of death, with their minds, out of business times, on astronomy, algebra, and their harems. With them came their young illegitimate half-brothers the Somali, — impetuous, quarrelsome, abstinent and greedy, who made up for their lack of birth by being zealous Mhoammedans..  The Swaheli went along with them, slaves themselves and slave-hearted, cruel, obscene, thievish, full of good sense and jests, running to fat with age. 
  Up country they were met by the Native bird of prey of the highlands. The Masai came, silent, like tall narrow black shadows, with spears and heavy shelds, distrustful of strangers, red-handed, to sell their brothers.

Fata Morgana ,  Griselda , La Belle Otero (Armand Duval)
'fresh as Dian's visage' , 'its sire's name had been Rosinante'

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