I Married Adventure by Osa Johnson
Release date/ Length: 1940 / 370 pages
Synopsis (from jacket cover): Here, in a story about everywhere else in the world, is romantic Americana that will
one day be history. These pages are themselves adventure. Here the watchmaker’s boy from Independence out in Kansas meets the Santa Fe engineer’s daughter from Chanute, plain people from the prairies. Against that homespun background is woven a life and career filled with exotic color.
First line: In the light of the placid expectation that, because I was born in Chanute, Kansas, I would grow up, marry, raise a family and die there, I find it amusing to recall a certain hot September day of my seventh year, when I asked my father for ten cents.
Review: This novel was given to me to read by my mother-in-law’s best friend last Christmas. The length — and a dearth of review books and quick turn-around library books — kept me from reading it until October! But once I sat down and read the first page, I was truly transported into the exciting lives of Osa and Martin. And I read it in one sitting! It is a very fast read, mostly because their lives were so fast-paced and Osa is a very comfortable, easy writer. I was never distracted by her prose, but instead felt fully immersed in whatever remote island or in the wilds of Africa.
I was initially apprehensive — so many things couldv’e gone wrong in the writing of this novel. The couple are devoted to photographing remote tribes in even more remote areas and I was afraid a turn-of-the-century (not millenium) perspective would feel out-dated (or worse) when exploring and examining “pygmies” and other tribes… But Osa is so respectful of each group of people she meets — yet still honest about her repulsion regarding head-hunters and cannibals. She managed to respect the people while still being true to herself.
The second half of the novel is devoted to the Johnsons experiences in Africa — photographing animals over a period of time to capture their routines and personalities. I particularly loved this section, which brought back many happy memories of when my family went on a safari in Kenya. Watching lions play or elephants trumpet in their natural environment is like nothing else I’ve ever imagined or experienced since and Osa really portrayed this experience well.
I was also fascinated by the life of a couple who were childless — and seemed fine with this. This isn’t even brought up until the very end, which I also enjoyed. It was refreshing to read about a couple not defined by their children. Now, I have to warn you — if you choose to try this — the ending is quite sad. Of course if you know about the Johnsons already, then you would know this (I didn’t).
So, I thoroughly recommend this as a memoir and an adventure story. I think you will be as transported as I was!
put me in to be a winner of this winner! sounds like a good read!
theresa
I’m so sorry, Theresa, but I only giveaway the books I review during the week, but not the Sunday Salon books… I hope you will read it anyway, though! I thoroughly enjoyed it!
I actually have this book, down to the same cover! I had read an article somewhere (possibly Smithsonian?) many years ago about them, and happened across the book in an used bookstore not long after the article.
You are right, the ending is sad, but over all a good book!
Thank you for reviewing Osa Johnson’s best-selling autobiography I Married Adventure (it is still in print from Kodansha America).
For more information about Martin and Osa Johnson please visit the museum’s website www.safarimuseum.com and the Martin + Osa clothing brand’s website www.martinandosa.com.
Best safari wishes,
Conrad Froehlich, Director
Martin and Osa Johnson Safari Museum
Oh good! I’m so glad to hear from someone else who enjoyed this… A hidden gem that should be rediscovered!