Africa has a way of luring you in, Scott Corey writes in the opening lines of Whistling for Hippos. It begins with a flash of dark eyes in the firelight and ends with life-long fascination. Or it may begin with a mud-brick village awash in moonlight, the delicious taste of peanut sauce and rice, or the grunt of a hippo from midstream. The strongest tug on Corey's heart came the first time one of his students raised a slender dark hand and asked a question. This was the true Africa, the living, breathing Africa he came to love.

Corey's charming and humorous account of life in West Africa will appeal to readers of all ages who enjoy adventure and love of travel. The memoir contains characters and stories that show the depth and resilience of human nature.