An Irish grandmother and award-winning travel writer, Murphy rewards herself on her 60th birthday in 1992 with a state-of-the-art mountain bike and an adventure from Kenya to Zimbabwe, including a sojourn in Zambia. She frames her portrait of contemporary Africa around the AIDS crisis, providing a unique glimpse into the life of Africans in each of the countries she visits. But, beware: Murphy's attitude towards the international, animal-watching tourist trade is less than kind. Still, it's a vastly entertaining and eye-opening book.  (AFR01, $22.95)

Bicycling