By Jonathan B. Wight

Mark Thornton, a former student, got the wanderlust and after graduation moved to Africa. There he created one of the top-rated safari companies, concerned with preservation of local cultures and natural habitats, as well as stunning photography.

In 2011 he wrote a charming short novel I only recently encountered. Kid Moses is the unnerving story of a street orphan from Dar es Salaam who winds up in the wild countryside.

The story weaves back and forth in time, and Moses confronts and overcomes dangers in the Tanzanian countryside far different from these he is accustomed to in the big city. Over-confidence is a persistent feature of human nature, and is exhibited here by some of Moses' choices. 

In this moving narrative we experience life from the perspective of a child who is given chances for success, and how circumstances, institutions, policies, and personalities interweave to create a unique life.

The book is highly recommended, especially for students contemplating a career in economic development.