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The Man Whom Women Loved: The Life of Bror Blixen
Bror Blixen's godson, a Kenya hunter, presents an in-depth portrait of his godfather, the renowned safari hunter whose mythic passions for women and adventure attracted Isak Dinesen and Beryl Markham and inspired Ernest Hemingway
- GenresBiography
237 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 1987
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
January 10, 2022
After watching Our Of Africa, my all-time favorite film, I read the book: Out of Africa. I was/am fascinated by Karin Von Blixen because I related to her as an independent, strong woman who fought for what was right. For the record, her name is NOT Isak Dinesen (that's her nom du plume), it's Karin Von Blixen.
I read the bio on Karin Von Blixen by Judith Thurman, because the film was based upon both books. Still hungering for more about this AMAZING woman whose books were published into 200 languages, who traveled to NYC in the 1950s where she had dinner with Arthur Miller & Marilyn Monroe (there are photos). I looked at the bibliography of the Thurman's biography & read every book in it... except for the ones written in Danish! LOL!
That's how I found this wonderful read. It's interesting how poorly Bror was depicted in the film... when in reality Karin & Bror were great friends... Back in Denmark, Karin was in love with Bror's identical twin brother, who suddenly married another (wealthy) woman, leaving Karin devastated. Karin was not one to accept defeat. Since she was good friend's with her lover's brother, Baron Bror Blixen-Finecke, Karin proposed marriage because she WANTED a TITLE and her family had the money that Bror Blixen's family did not. So the two friends got what they wanted: a title & access to her family's money.
They decided to move to Kenya, with the intention of raising cattle. Bror went first. Karin arrived months later, only to discover that her new husband had taken her family's money, ignored her wishes and bought coffee plants. It was Bror Blixen-Finecke who introduced coffee to Kenya!
The couple remained great friends. Unlike the movie, he didn't constantly go off on hunting trips leaving her behind. Karin was his hunting partner. At one point she writes: "I've how shot two of every animal." A horrific statement nowadays but not at the turn of the last century.
Life in the English colony of Kenya was an opulent series of parties and lots of sex with lovers and husbands. They drank gin with their quinine aka tonic water; that's where the term tonic water came from: it was the quinine in the tonic water that was to keep one safe from malaria.
Bror supported himself by taking wealthy tourists on hunting safaris, he was never faithful to Karin, but neither was she faithful to him. Karin had an epic romance with Denys Fitchhatten; a man who could quote Shakespeare by heart, flew his own biplane, took wealthy tourists on hunting safaris, enjoyed opera and classical music and also had dalliances with other women (Beryl Markham).
Bror didn't give Karin syphilis, as depicted in the movie, Karin got syphilis by having sex with the married provincial Governor (the one she begs, at the end of the film, to give her land to the Kikuyu tribe, so they would not be displaced) while both were on a long, return trip from Europe to Kenya.
The Kikuyu still live on that land over 100 years later. The town is called "Karin" & her home is a museum. Karin had a Somali manservant, Farah, whose son she sent to private school and law school, long after she moved back to Denmark to battle syphilis. Karin never returned to her beloved Kenya, she was buried in Denmark. After her death, Farah made a trip to Denmark to visit her grave.
After his divorce from Karin, Bror made his living as a hunting guide, taking the rich on safaris. He married, had children, cheated on wife #2, married a third time. This book focuses on that part of his life. It was an amazing life... even Ernest Hemingway was impressed.
Baron Bror Blixen was the real life 'great white hunter' that Ernest Hemingway based his famous novel: "The Sun Also Rises" and his short story "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" upon.
I read the bio on Karin Von Blixen by Judith Thurman, because the film was based upon both books. Still hungering for more about this AMAZING woman whose books were published into 200 languages, who traveled to NYC in the 1950s where she had dinner with Arthur Miller & Marilyn Monroe (there are photos). I looked at the bibliography of the Thurman's biography & read every book in it... except for the ones written in Danish! LOL!
That's how I found this wonderful read. It's interesting how poorly Bror was depicted in the film... when in reality Karin & Bror were great friends... Back in Denmark, Karin was in love with Bror's identical twin brother, who suddenly married another (wealthy) woman, leaving Karin devastated. Karin was not one to accept defeat. Since she was good friend's with her lover's brother, Baron Bror Blixen-Finecke, Karin proposed marriage because she WANTED a TITLE and her family had the money that Bror Blixen's family did not. So the two friends got what they wanted: a title & access to her family's money.
They decided to move to Kenya, with the intention of raising cattle. Bror went first. Karin arrived months later, only to discover that her new husband had taken her family's money, ignored her wishes and bought coffee plants. It was Bror Blixen-Finecke who introduced coffee to Kenya!
The couple remained great friends. Unlike the movie, he didn't constantly go off on hunting trips leaving her behind. Karin was his hunting partner. At one point she writes: "I've how shot two of every animal." A horrific statement nowadays but not at the turn of the last century.
Life in the English colony of Kenya was an opulent series of parties and lots of sex with lovers and husbands. They drank gin with their quinine aka tonic water; that's where the term tonic water came from: it was the quinine in the tonic water that was to keep one safe from malaria.
Bror supported himself by taking wealthy tourists on hunting safaris, he was never faithful to Karin, but neither was she faithful to him. Karin had an epic romance with Denys Fitchhatten; a man who could quote Shakespeare by heart, flew his own biplane, took wealthy tourists on hunting safaris, enjoyed opera and classical music and also had dalliances with other women (Beryl Markham).
Bror didn't give Karin syphilis, as depicted in the movie, Karin got syphilis by having sex with the married provincial Governor (the one she begs, at the end of the film, to give her land to the Kikuyu tribe, so they would not be displaced) while both were on a long, return trip from Europe to Kenya.
The Kikuyu still live on that land over 100 years later. The town is called "Karin" & her home is a museum. Karin had a Somali manservant, Farah, whose son she sent to private school and law school, long after she moved back to Denmark to battle syphilis. Karin never returned to her beloved Kenya, she was buried in Denmark. After her death, Farah made a trip to Denmark to visit her grave.
After his divorce from Karin, Bror made his living as a hunting guide, taking the rich on safaris. He married, had children, cheated on wife #2, married a third time. This book focuses on that part of his life. It was an amazing life... even Ernest Hemingway was impressed.
Baron Bror Blixen was the real life 'great white hunter' that Ernest Hemingway based his famous novel: "The Sun Also Rises" and his short story "The Snows of Kilimanjaro" upon.
May 1, 2009
I first read this work back in 1992 when I was gathering more
information on the key players in “Out of Africa”. The reread
was just as entertaining as the first time I read it.
The time period, turn of the century, what an incredible time.
Add to that, an African adventure and I want to know more.
This is the story of Bror Blixen’s life. He came to Kenya to farm
but he is best known as a great white hunter, taking the rich and
famous on months long hunting and photographic safaris through
the African bush. Oh, let’s not forget the women.
His first wife Dinesen wrote, “If I should ever wish anything back
of my life, it would be to go on safari once again with Bror.”
Bror second wife Cockie wrote, “I was a fool. I have never so
regretted anything in my life as leaving Bror. He was a wonderful,
unfaithful, husband, and the best lover I ever had”.
It is said that his life exceeded his legend.
(These stories so intrigued me I had to go to Africa to see it for
myself. In 1998 I packed my bags and headed for Kenya...)
information on the key players in “Out of Africa”. The reread
was just as entertaining as the first time I read it.
The time period, turn of the century, what an incredible time.
Add to that, an African adventure and I want to know more.
This is the story of Bror Blixen’s life. He came to Kenya to farm
but he is best known as a great white hunter, taking the rich and
famous on months long hunting and photographic safaris through
the African bush. Oh, let’s not forget the women.
His first wife Dinesen wrote, “If I should ever wish anything back
of my life, it would be to go on safari once again with Bror.”
Bror second wife Cockie wrote, “I was a fool. I have never so
regretted anything in my life as leaving Bror. He was a wonderful,
unfaithful, husband, and the best lover I ever had”.
It is said that his life exceeded his legend.
(These stories so intrigued me I had to go to Africa to see it for
myself. In 1998 I packed my bags and headed for Kenya...)
March 7, 2021
After reading West With the Night, I wanted to learn more about Bror Blixen, The Great White Hunter.
This is at best a mildly interesting book but pales compared to Markam's book. It is proof that the license and licentiousness some think is so rampant in the 2oth/21st century might be tame by comparison to other ages and places. I enjoyed the picture of changing Africa more than the language or insights.
Not a book I would recommend as being worth the time.
This is at best a mildly interesting book but pales compared to Markam's book. It is proof that the license and licentiousness some think is so rampant in the 2oth/21st century might be tame by comparison to other ages and places. I enjoyed the picture of changing Africa more than the language or insights.
Not a book I would recommend as being worth the time.
January 24, 2021
Bror Blixen has always been a charming figure and he is even more so in this very biased accounting. Ulf Aschan is very dismissive of Karen Blixen's health problems which reveals more of his ignorance than anything else. Still a good read, especially the early and later parts about which less is generally known.
August 23, 2020
Kurzer Auszug a.d. viel längeren Rezension m. Links u. Hintergründen i. m. Blog:
Fazit:
Wieder und wieder geht's auf Safari, mit US-Millionären oder UK-Prinzen, oder mit dem Auto durch die Sahara, einmal sogar ganz ohne die Hauptfigur. Wieder und wieder listet Autor Ulf Aschan den vierbeinigen Body Count, samt Schätzgewicht des erbeuteten Elfenbeins (Ulf Aschan ist selbst "white hunter"). Die im Titel versprochenen Damenabenteuer erscheinen hier und da in einem Nebensatz, doch jede Ex singt ein Loblied auf den untreuen Schwerenöter.
Ulf Aschan konzentriert sich auf Anekdoten und liefert eine unübersichtliche, hagiografische Darstellung, die nur für den Familienrundbrief taugt. Er will vor allem seinen Patenonkel Bror Blixen (1886 – 1946) in gutes Licht stellen und dessen erste Frau Tania Blixen (Jenseits von Afrika) demontieren. Besser über Bror Blixens Zeit mit Tania Blixen informiert Judith Thurmans Tania-Blixen-Biografie (laut Vorwort regte Judith Thurman Ulf Aschan zu dieser Bror-Blixen-Biografie an; bei ihr erfährt man auch mehr über Bror Blixens Zwillingsbruder Hans als bei Bror-Blixen-Biograf Ulf Aschan).
Fazit:
Wieder und wieder geht's auf Safari, mit US-Millionären oder UK-Prinzen, oder mit dem Auto durch die Sahara, einmal sogar ganz ohne die Hauptfigur. Wieder und wieder listet Autor Ulf Aschan den vierbeinigen Body Count, samt Schätzgewicht des erbeuteten Elfenbeins (Ulf Aschan ist selbst "white hunter"). Die im Titel versprochenen Damenabenteuer erscheinen hier und da in einem Nebensatz, doch jede Ex singt ein Loblied auf den untreuen Schwerenöter.
Ulf Aschan konzentriert sich auf Anekdoten und liefert eine unübersichtliche, hagiografische Darstellung, die nur für den Familienrundbrief taugt. Er will vor allem seinen Patenonkel Bror Blixen (1886 – 1946) in gutes Licht stellen und dessen erste Frau Tania Blixen (Jenseits von Afrika) demontieren. Besser über Bror Blixens Zeit mit Tania Blixen informiert Judith Thurmans Tania-Blixen-Biografie (laut Vorwort regte Judith Thurman Ulf Aschan zu dieser Bror-Blixen-Biografie an; bei ihr erfährt man auch mehr über Bror Blixens Zwillingsbruder Hans als bei Bror-Blixen-Biograf Ulf Aschan).
October 3, 2009
I'm interested in colonial cultures in Africa, so I found it fascinating. The writing was not very polished, however, and it definitely read as an amateur writer reflects on a much loved godfather.
June 16, 2012
The life of Bror Blixen
December 17, 2013
Bror is irresistable- and his godson is able to get that across. The cast of the story sparkles, sadly the writing does not. An amateur job, but worth a read.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews