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Spirited Oasis
Tales from a Tanzanian Village

​When two curious biologists seek a new home in a remote part of Tanzania called Mangola, they find adventures in abundance. They are greeted with dramatic scenery, red-dust whirlwinds, a lush oasis, bad roads, and a striking cast of colorful characters.

This fascinating memoir about an intrepid, homesteading couple tells the story of the people they met—foragers, herders, farmers, anthropologists, government officials, and tourists. With humor, pathos and vivid illustrations, they show how they survived and flourished by learning the ways of their fellow pioneer villagers. 

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Beyond The Oasis
Safaris Of Song And Stone

Open this book and step into the East African bush. Climb into a Land Rover with Jeannette and David, and head for adventure!
 
Take a lion-mauled warrior to hospital. Search for singing stones and hidden treasure. Explore the rock paintings of central Tanzania with Dr Mary Leakey and Hadza hunters. Go on safari to Serengeti and Ngorongoro. Battle with bureaucracy in sweaty Dar es Salaam. Capsize on Lake Eyasi. Witness the elaborate funeral rites of a chief, and the terrible fate of a thief.
 
In Spirited Oasis, the authors described how they settled in the remote Lake Eyasi region of Tanzania after years of wildlife research and teaching. This sequel is about dramatic events in their village and journeys of discovery beyond. Learn what it takes to live such a life, and what it takes to leave it.

ABOUT THE AUTHORS

​Jeannette Hanby
​& David Bygott
Jeannette Hanby has taken on jobs ranging from working with abused and abandoned children in Los Angeles County to placer gold mining in the Sierra Nevada mountains. After completing her Ph.D. dissertation in Oregon on monkeys, she went to Cambridge in England for further study of primates—one of whom, David Bygott, became her husband.
 
David Bygott began observing wildlife and drawing as a child exploring the countryside of southern England. He was finishing his Ph.D. thesis on wild chimpanzee behavior when he met Jeannette, his partner in field research, conservation, and business for almost five decades. 
​
The couple studied lion biology in Tanzania’s renowned Serengeti National Park and Ngorongoro Conservation Area. They have worked as conservation educators, university lecturers, safari guides, writers, and artists. Together, Jeannette and David have produced numerous guidebooks, educational booklets, activity books, and museum displays in both English and Swahili. 

They now live in an intentional community in Tucson, Arizona, still learning about primate behavior, as well as continuing to travel and explore the world.

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Beyond The Oasis is AVAILABLE NOW

REVIEWS

What readers and reviewers said about
Spirited Oasis...


From other authors: 

"I couldn't put it down, and each chapter whetted my appetite for the next. I look in the mirror, and I'm surprised not to be covered in dust; I look out the window and wonder where all the Hadza, Iraqw and Datoga might have gone - they surely were just there a few moments ago. I hope the promised sequel comes out soon - I'm going through withdrawal.... - Craig Packer (author of "Into Africa)

"I believe this is the best book you will ever find about the lives of ordinary African people" - Dale Peterson (author of "Jane Goodall")
From Amazon readers: 

“This is a book of intimate portraits of local life in one of the most beautiful areas of Africa. Both the words and drawings complement each other describing a time that unfortunately has all but disappeared. This is set to become an African Classic. “ - D. Roderick

“With wit, wisdom, warmth and the eyes of a behaviorist, Hanby will take you on a memorable adventure, including some laugh-out-loud moments. Bygott’s delightful and detailed portraits bring the subjects of the stories alive. The book itself is a reading oasis and the spirits that inhabit it are well worth the encounter.” - G. Siegel

“The chapters are by turns funny, touching, thought-provoking, and unsettling, both for the insights into the residents of Mangola and the sharp mirror the authors focus on their own culture.” - J. Johnson

“This is a really good book.” - D. Herlocker

"I'm 13 and I enjoyed it!" - R. Eddy
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GALLERY

Scenes from Spirited Oasis
Illustrated by David Bygott

Maps for Spirited Oasis and Beyond The Oasis

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