An African in Greenland

I learned so freaking much in this strange travel book, which was unlike any other book I've read. For one, though it's all about Kpomassie's travels to and around Greenland – which is fascinating! – it did NOT make me want to actually GO to Greenland. (It's cold 100% of the time there, and either totally dark or the sun never sets for like 8 months of the year, and also I'm vegetarian and I don't think seal blubber is going to go down easy.) All joking aside, it sounds like it's a very hard place to live. I appreciated the detail Kpomassie included about his adventures: how he learned the Greenlanders' language and was curious about the local traditions. He did his best to fit in and really live like the natives did, including going hunting in the ice, and sleeping in the giant communal bed with the rest of the family he was staying with, and drinking copious amounts of coffee since that's what the locals did when they visited each other.

This was originally published in 1981, and I wonder about some of the traditions and living conditions and how they might have changed with the advent of some newer technology (as well as the general march of time). I mean, I know 40 years isn't that long, but maybe some of the villages have gotten more modern plumbing since then?? And I also wondered what was missing from Kpomassie's experience - for example, the last family he stayed with in the book lived in a one-room earthen turf house, and the daughter of his host was very pregnant. I assumed that she would have to give birth at home, but a throwaway sentence indicates she stayed at the hospital for a week. But where was the hospital! How did she get there! Did the hospital have plumbing!!!

I could have easily read 300 more pages. Entertaining and interesting tale.