Wildflower

Wildflower: An Extraordinary Life and Untimely Death in Africa by Mark Seal
My rating: 2 of 5 stars

This is an interesting story about Joan Root and the contributions she made, with her husband Alan Root, and on her own to the cause of conservation and wildlife preservation, primarily in Africa and Kenya, but also around the world. It also chronicles her contribution to pioneering work in documentation of nature and wildlife in both motion picture and photography. Combining their excellence and passion for both film making and wildlife, they were able to be among the first to document nature as unseen by western peoples before, and to provide evidence for the tragic destruction of both wildlife and environment in Africa by business and government policy. Insight is given into the complicated, messy, and violent sociology and politics related to the environment and wildlife in Kenya, specifically around Lake Naivasha. It should serve as a warning for us, that no matter how wild and unspoiled a place may be, humankind can completely destroy it, without conscience. We have witnessed that all too often in the U.S. and North America. Joan Root paid dearly for being the conscience of nature in Kenya and Lake Naivasha.

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