Immersed in West Africa follows one man’s journey across many roads less traveled, giving a glimpse into a part of the world that is unfamiliar to most. Terry Lister begins his 2-month journey in Senegal, where he loops the region, exploring Gambia, Guineas Bissau and Conakry, amongst others, before ending his journey back where he began.

The beauty of Lister’s journey is that he writes in a way that made me feel like I was right there with him. Every page in this book was as if I were reading a postcard from a friend, accompanied by photos of Lister’s journey. It made for a quick read that I finished in one sitting, and his very casual style of writing meant it was easy to consume.

Before coming across this book, I was entirely unfamiliar with Lister. However, he addresses the reader as if you have a long history. Often, he reminds us of things that you ‘know’ about him, such as that he has a “thing for volcanoes… and a thing for waterfalls” and his passion for “renewable energy sources”. I am still not clear how we would already be aware of that information, but I found it charming, nonetheless.

Personal highlights include the tale of the time-consuming tea-making ceremony in Mauritania.  Once again, Lister’s casual way of accounting the story made it feel like he was recounting the memory over a beer or coffee.

With that being said, I am unsure if this is intended to be read by anyone. The title mentions immersion, and while I have no doubt that Lister achieved that on his travels, the brisk explanations made it hard for me as a reader to feel the same way. More a memoir than a guidebook, I can picture future generations of Lister’s family sitting around and reading this compelling story.

Lister’s unwavering positive attitude throughout was undeniably charming. Given the endless amount of challenges Lister faced, from customs inspectors to taxi drivers, it was hugely admirable. It’s quite hard not to imagine Lister’s smiling face as I read the words on the page.

Pages: 156 | ASIN: B07WH7JH6G