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Telling Her Remarkable Story
Across Africa Alone tells the thrilling true story of Dr. Louise D’Oliveira’s solo journey across the continent of Africa in the late 1950s and early ‘60s and her missionary work to spread literacy to the people in African nations. What inspired you to tell her story?
How fortunate I was at a young age to know Dr. Frank Laubach, apostle to the illiterates, as an extended member of our family! He made a profound impression on me to what, over time, grew to working for him, teaching my first illiterate, and meeting Louise D’Oliveira. She gave me the journal she had kept on her trip and told me to do whatever I wanted to do with it. When Louise passed away, I decided to wait no longer in telling her remarkable story, with the gifted assistance of Heather Kemp who lives in South Africa and has traveled around the continent. Her vivid descriptions of the same places that Louise visited beautifully enhanced Across Africa Alone.
What were some ideas that were important for you to share in this book?
The statistics for illiteracy not only in Africa in the 1960s but also today and here in the United States are alarming. More than 54 percent of Americans are functionally or totally illiterate, unable to perform the normal activities that require reading and writing skills. Louise’s experiences in Africa made me curious about how widespread illiteracy is, what it takes to contribute to such a significant change, and what one person can do to lift people out of darkness. Her dedication inspired me. Her devotion to her mission moved me.
Did you find anything in your research of this story that surprised you?
Across Africa Alone shed light on illiteracy in a continent to which I had not traveled. My early exposure to the plight of illiterates made me determined to reveal the hardships of those who are in darkness and the concerted effort and dedication it takes to change their lives. I would say, however, that literacy statistics here in the United States are alarming. Internationally, the US ranks 125th for literacy. Think about that. Is the man having lunch in a café pretending to read the menu and then ordering what he saw someone else eating? How does an illiterate manage in today’s society? Out of necessity, illiterates are clever in disguising their plight.
What is one thing that you hope readers take away from Across Africa Alone?
My hope is that each reader of Across Africa Alone would take up the cause of teaching an illiterate. That need not be far away as in Louise’s case; opportunities abound here at home. It takes patience. It takes dedication, but it is rewarding to student and teacher alike. Teaching my student was an uplifting experience, especially on days when he would dash into my office, clutching a scrap of paper he had found on the sidewalk. “I can read it!” he said with the broadest smile on his face. There is little more rewarding than opening the eyes of the illiterate.
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In those days, indigenous people usually did not bother a single white woman traveling alone, assuming she was a teacher, a nurse, or a missionary, but Louise did encounter considerable danger, from herds of elephants to hostile mobs in the throes of political turmoil as they fought for independence.
Louise did not let danger, three cases of malaria, or exhaustion from driving thousands of miles alone deter her from her calling. She met with local leaders, literacy organizations, and missionaries to help them expand existing programs or to launch new ones. Later, Louise helped to found Operation Upgrade of South Africa that in its day taught hundreds of thousands of South Africans to read.
Her story must not be relegated to the past, for to this day, illiteracy rates are off the charts in some African nations and in many countries around the world. Even in the United States itself, as of 2022, 21 percent of adults were illiterate and only 54 percent could read above the sixth-grade level.
Across Africa Alone: A True Story Of Teaching Literacy In Africa
Susan Giffin’s Across Africa Alone tells the thrilling true story of Dr. Louise D’Oliveira’s solo journey across Africa in the late 1950s and early ‘60s. Blending memoir, travel adventure, and missionary work, the book documents Louise’s relentless pursuit of spreading literacy through Dr. Frank Laubach’s “Each One Teach One” method. Battling rugged terrain, wild animals, political upheaval, and deep isolation, she navigates a continent hungry for education and desperate for hope all from behind the wheel of a scrappy little VW Beetle.
Right off the bat, I loved how real and raw Giffin made the adventure feel. Chapter One had me holding my breath when Louise got trapped between two herds of elephants, praying she wouldn’t get trampled. That scene where she speeds through a gap between massive elephants (“Go, go fast but carefully,” she coached herself) was so intense it practically yanked me into the driver’s seat. It wasn’t just drama for drama’s sake either; you could feel her deep, bone-shaking fear and faith in that moment. Giffin didn’t overcomplicate it with flowery language. She told it straight, and it worked perfectly.
There were moments when the writing became weighed down by extensive lists and background information, which disrupted the narrative’s momentum. The detailed historical account of Dr. Frank Laubach’s accomplishments in the prologue, while undoubtedly significant, lacked the immediacy and vibrancy that characterized Louise’s personal story. Although Giffin’s intention to honor the foundations of the literacy movement is understandable and commendable, I found myself wishing for less exposition and more of the emotional resonance that Louise’s experiences provided. Each time Louise’s voice returned, particularly when she described the transformative impact of literacy on the lives of the people she encountered, the story regained its energy and emotional depth.
What really stuck with me, though, was Louise’s sheer guts and soul. This wasn’t just a sightseeing trip, it was a life mission fueled by heartbreak over illiteracy and real love for people. I found her work with the Pygmies in the Ituri Forest, crafting simple lessons in Kingwana, incredibly moving. And her run-ins with danger such as rogue elephants, shady visa officers in Bangui, and even the fear of cannibal country, were always layered with this fierce conviction that her work mattered. You can tell Giffin admired her subject deeply, but she kept it grounded. Louise wasn’t a superhero; she was vulnerable, stubborn, scared, and that made her heroic.
In the end, Across Africa Alone left me feeling both exhausted and inspired, in the best way. This book would be a great fit for anyone who loves true adventure stories, missionary memoirs, or tales of ordinary people doing extraordinary things. If you’ve ever wondered what real courage looks like, Susan Giffin hands it to you here, dust, sweat, elephant encounters, and all.
Pages: 123 | ASIN : B0D1RMFR2C
LITERARY TITAN 