Chasing Africa

“Lisa Duncan’s memoir Chasing Africa is as expansive as Africa itself. She dreamt of this trip, longed for these travels. And yet, in the years leading up to her departure, her father and brother fall ill with neurological diseases and her mother becomes a full time caregiver. As Lisa decides between following her dream or staying home, the reader feels her strength and cheers for her as she makes the decision to go. Through her beautifully rendered and interlaced descriptions, readers will experience the landscape and place that is Africa, and come to understand both Lisa’s curiosity about and fascination with this place, and the strength of character she possesses that drives her forward.” —Stella Harvey, author of the novels Nicolai’s Daughters, The Brink of Freedom, and Finding Callidora; founder of the Whistler Writers Festival “Chasing Africa is a beautifully constructed memoir that puts life into perspective. Skilfully interwoven with Lisa Duncan’s story of her once-in-a-lifetime African odyssey are candid personal accounts of her home life. The frank vulnerability in this writing is inspiringly thought-provoking and aligns with the subtitle of the book, “Fear Won’t Find Me Here.” —Angela deJong, author of Be Free and co-author of Polepole: A Training Guide for Kilimanjaro and Other Long-Distance Mountain Treks “Lisa Duncan’s vivid descriptions of her travels left me feeling as though I’d been picked up and plunked into the middle of Africa. Not simply a travel memoir, Chasing Africa captures the all-too-common struggle to balance our obligations toward family with our yearning for freedom, travel and self-growth. This book is a graceful warp and weft of internal conflict and worldly adventure.” —Jan Redford, author of End of the Rope: Mountains, Marriage and Motherhood “Lisa Duncan's story is a journey of healing and redemption, ranking high up there with the best of travelogues such as Cheryl Strayed’s Wild. Ultimately this book is about a strong, independent woman finding her home in the world, and most importantly in herself. Highest of recommendations for this extraordinarily well-written and well-told story. A must-read for lovers of travel literature!” —Kagan Goh, author of Surviving Samsara: A Memoir of Breakdowns, Breakthroughs, and Mental Illness “Lisa Duncan writes like a painter and brings her trained eye to every landscape, whether looking down from her airplane window at the Zambezi River gleaming far below or up at the red dunes of Namibia in the early morning sun.” —Caroline Woodward, author of Light Years: Memoir of a Modern Lighthouse Keeper “It wasn’t commonplace for a young woman to travel solo in 1996, let alone to explore the wilds of Africa. It took guts and determination for the author to go, and her positive attitude and sincere interest in experiencing Africa first-hand make her memoir an enjoyable and absorbing read. The writing is confident and energetic, and her travel stories exude youthful excitement, gratitude, and an admirable yen for long hikes, steep climbs, and cold swims. If you’ve ever wanted to travel to Africa, Chasing Africa is your second-hand, vicarious chance to go, and Lisa Duncan is a charming and upbeat travel companion.” —Wanda Baxter, The Miramichi Reader