Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness

By: Alexandra Fuller

Narrated by: Bianca Amato

Length: 7 hrs and 45 mins

Publisher's summary

Alexandra Fuller won worldwide attention, popular acclaim, and critical accolades for her memoir of her childhood in Africa, Don’t Let’s Go to the Dogs Tonight. This engaging follow-up explores Fuller’s parents’ childhoods and charts the trajectories of their lives through all the British couple’s experiences in war-torn Africa.

Fuller braids a multilayered narrative around the perfectly lit, Happy Valley-era Africa of her mother's childhood; the boiled cabbage grimness of her father's English childhood; and the darker, civil war- torn Africa of her own childhood. At its heart, this is the story of Fuller's mother, Nicola. Born on the Scottish Isle of Skye and raised in Kenya, Nicola holds dear the kinds of values most likely to get you hurt or killed in Africa: loyalty to blood, passion for land, and a holy belief in the restorative power of all animals. Fuller interviewed her mother at length and has captured her inimitable voice with remarkable precision. Cocktail Hour Under the Tree of Forgetfulness is as funny, terrifying, exotic, and unselfconscious as Nicola herself.

©2011 Alexandra Fuller (P)2011 Recorded Books, LLC

Funny, Sad and Reminiscent

I enjoyed this book thoroughly especially, since I have travelled to these African countries myself.

Is it just me or...

Is this just too annoying to listen to?!

I admit I should probably listen to more than just a few chapters before reviewing this, but goodness it was a challenge to continue, and allowing myself to give up is a 2016 resolution....

Some stories and characters feel very familiar, but not in a novel or endearing way. That was kind of the case for me with this book. Anyone seeking a supposedly 'achingly' colonial slice of life with 'eccentric' English folk behaving in 'outrageous' ways might enjoy this. As an English person I just wasn't convinced by the people or the dialogue - the word contrived springs to mind.

In the end I couldn't quite imagine myself caring enough about the characters to persevere. I might be entirely wrong and the whole thing sparks into 'arresting brilliance' shortly after where I left off... I'm going to give the story a 3 as I will assume perhaps my experience of it is at least partially blighted by the unconvincingly plummy, ponderous and obvious narration.

Wonderful listen!

I learned about this book through a friend. The narrator has the perfect voice for this book, very enjoyable to listen to. It was great to hear about a families life in another continent. "Nicola Fuller of Central Africa" what a character. Can't imagine the losses that she and her husband endured. A very funny yet sad book.

Inspirational

Alexandra fuller, gives an account of a family who, despite great tragedy and challenges, refused to give up. This account is an inspiration to all of us who suffer, and overcome adversity by never giving up. Thank you for sharing your story with us.
Deborah

A little less polish . A little more heart

Beautiful writing, just like I’ve come to expect. Somewhat confusing time jumps. Very sad and depressing story of losing 3 babies, always adjusting to events-even though the events killed her.

Another gem from Alexandra Fuller

Simply a fantastic book. I just enjoy her African stories and hearings about her mom and dad.

Top notch....

I was a little leery at first, approaching this novel, having been bowled over by Fuller's initial star effort "Dogs" but also being slightly disappointed by Fuller's follow-on work. This book is a perfect compliment to "Dogs", full of insight, compassion, grit and finally, courageous in depicting one's irrepressible mother with such fierce honesty yet admiring love and by being, thank goodness, free of victimhood. I was hoping that Lisette Lescat would once again be the narrator, but Bianca Amato more than measures up to the task. Bravos all around!!

Delightfully Entertaining Perseverance in Africa

If you want to get out of your world and into another's - sit back and enjoy. Struggles, conflicts and loss keep this family coming back for the love and beauty that is only unique to Africa.

A good follow on

I did not enjoy this as much as "Don't let's go to the dogs tonight" but it was still a very enjoyable listen.
It manages to capture so much of what is modern Africa.

Well worth the price.

I wish the author had narrated this memoir

After listening to Fuller read "Travel Light, Move Fast" I could not help being disappointed by the narrator here. The accent seemed wrong, and the odd pauses and, especially, the singing just put me off. Others will certainly disagree.

I did truly enjoy the story though. I have read three of Fuller's other books and this one pulls a lot of that history together from her mother's perspective but seen through the author's eyes.