Between Two Rains

In writing that is imaginative and graphic, Heyman conveys the unpredictability and complexity of modern-day Africa, where ``facts are . . . turned inside out and upside down.'' Jarred by the death of her alcoholic mother and her boyfriend's infidelity, wildlife photographer Mirie Keane heads for Africa to shoot pictures of elephants giving birth. While roaming the countryside with fellow photographer Max Howden, however, Mirie discovers that death seems more omnipresent than birth. She sees a wildebeest mowed down by a vehicle, a tourist lethally gored by a buffalo, a gazelle successfully stalked by a cheetah. Mirie is also dismayed by the jaded decadence and sexual recklessness of some expatriates, and by the blatant disregard for the law she observes: game wardens poaching and other government officials engaging in corrupt practices. Nevertheless, Africa's timeless vitality triumphs over Mirie's disillusionment as she and Max risk their lives by entering remote, hazard-filled hinterlands. Former journalist Heyman aptly portrays the perils and allure of Africa, as well as the diversity of its inhabitants and visitors. (May)