Non-Fiction Pick of the Week: Wildflower

Wildflower: a story of love, murder and the woman who tried to save Kenya
by Mark Seal 2009

This atmospheric biography explores the life and tragic death of Kenyan wildlife conservationist and filmmaker Joan Root. Using Joan’s diaries and writings, author Mark Seal is able to offer the reader a lush love story set in the heyday of British colonialism in Nairobi. Joan, an “Ingrid Bergman lookalike” falls in love and marries nature documentarian Alan Root. Their partnership produced many award winning nature documentaries and television specials. Despite their incredible partnership, their marriage unraveled and Joan dedicated the remainder of her life to trying to save her home on Lake Naivasha from poaching and environmental ruin. This sadly led to her unsolved murder in 2006. Fascinating reading!