Supriya's Banter
A Guide to the Birds of East Africa
Author: Nicholas Drayson
Publisher: Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (10 September 2009)
Language: English
Paperback: 208 pages
What if a book could ferry you to Nairobi? Not to the wild safari clichés but to the dusty sidewalks, the mix of languages in the air, and the quiet dignity that hums in its everyday rhythm. Drayson opens the novel with Mr. Malik, a small, roundish widower whose comb‑over is more artifice than hair. This avid birdwatcher has a secret crush. After three years of silently admiring Rose Mbikwa, the fiery-haired leader of the Tuesday Morning Bird Walk, Malik finally summons the courage to invite her to the annual Hunt Club Ball, but the day turns turtle. His nemesis from childhood, Harry Khan, swaggers onto the scene, his eyes on the same prize.
But these men, instead of getting down and dirty over their romantic crossfire, strike a wager. One who spots the most bird species in a week earns the right to ask Rose. And that literally leads to a wild-goose chase, which proves quite a treat for the readers.
The contrast between the suitors becomes more apparent. Harry’s flamboyance and sassy ways are nowhere near Malik’s calm, passionate search, one that lands in both hilarious and disastrous consequences.
It’s a clever, contrarian setup that turns birding into a romantic battlefield—and gives Drayson room to sketch Nairobi’s neighbourhoods and Kenyan life in rich, affectionate strokes. From sewers to safari, roadside bonfires to political intrigue, the city feels alive and real.
The main characters are fleshed out with care and detail, replete with tidy backstories that get you hooked. The club members bring comic relief. The sense of community, courage, and fairness, conveyed in a lighter, humorous tone, demonstrates Drayson’s grasp of the subject.
Nairobi’s blend of natural beauty and urban chaos remains in the background throughout the book. Poverty, corruption, or kidnapping threats are splashed across the scenes without letting them take centre stage.
Of course, there is no dearth of birding metaphors.
And then there are the laugh-out-loud moments—taxing national guilt, flatulence bets in clubrooms, the snort of political satire.
Drayson’s tale is like spotting a rare bird in an urban scrub: unexpected, charming, and colourful. If you love character-driven stories soaked in regional flavour, then you’d love to soak in this warm, witty love triangle nestled in Nairobi’s soaring cityscape.
