Facing the Lion: Growing Up Maasai on the African Savanna

Joseph Lemasolai Lekuton is a Maasai tribesman of Kenya. In this fascinating autobiography, he shares stories about growing up in his nomadic tribe¿from licking sweat off cows¿ noses to survive a drought, to facing down a lion at age 14, to playing soccer for the president of Kenya.

The only member of his family to receive a formal education, Joseph sometimes lived as much as 40 miles away from school. While at school, he learned about Western culture and traditions. A member of two very different communities, Joseph struggled with what he was taught and what he already knew. But eventually, he learned to balance two worlds.