Follow Me to Africa by Penny Haw

 Follow Me to Africa imagines real story of Mary Leakey who became one of the world’s most distinguished paleoanthropologists despite not having formal education. Her passion, determination, curiosity and hard work earned her numerous prestigious awards and four honorary doctorate degrees.

Her story runs alongside a fictional character which purpose was to question “What would you tell your younger self?”

The story begins in 1983 when Grace arrives in Tanzania at Olduvai George where she feels unwelcomed by Dr. Mary Leakey. When Grace arrives at the archeological dig’s camp with her father from England, she is still in a state of sorrow after losing her mother.

When Mary lost her father at a young age, she found her strength in following her passion for archeology. Thus, Mary, knowing that Grace lost her mother, recognizes the need for mentorship for Grace who is lost in her sorrow and doesn’t have any goals in her life. When a cheetah in a dire state approaches the camp, she creates a bond between Mary and Grace as they care for the animal.

With dual timeline, the story goes back to 1930s London and reveals how Mary’s father had a big influence on her; and how she set her heart on archeology; how her passion led her toward the right people assisting her in her growth; and further leading her to meeting her husband, and their common interest on finding evidence of early hominids in East Africa.

The narrative is thoughtfully imagined with backstories beautifully building the dimensions to the characters. Mary’s archeological accomplishments make this biographical fiction very rich in historical background. The personal growth is caringly woven into this story, touching upon themes of parental influence, mentorship of others, setting goals, being passionate about one’s pursuits, challenging one’s believes, and influence of experiencing certain place.

Follow Me to Africa, a story of two strong female characters, is set against the wild African nature and bringing out the dimensions of the setting through vital ecosystem and animal conservation. Further showing how thoughtfully the story is imagined. The dimensions of this story are superb.

Published in February 2025

Source: Sourcebooks Landmark