What to read, watch, and listen to if you lovedOut of Africa
Sydney Pollack · Film · 1985
If you loved Out of Africa, start with Out of Africa (Karen Blixen, 2001) — a book from the same story. Below: 4 books, 4 series and 2 podcasts, each matched to Out of Africa across media.
What hooked you in Out of Africa was the way the immense, sweeping landscape mirrors the profound internal transformation of an outsider.
Start with the source
Books on the same thread
The Story of an African Farm
Olive Schreiner · Book · 2022
Shares a thread with Out of Africa: Colonialism.
Much like the protagonist of Out of Africa, you will find a similar preoccupation with how the vast, unforgiving South African landscape forces a deep existential reckoning with one's identity.
Outlander
Diana Gabaldon · Book · 1991
Shares 2 threads with Out of Africa: Forbidden Love, Historical Romance.
If the forbidden love and culture clash in Out of Africa captivated you, this narrative offers a similarly immersive experience where the environment dictates the stakes of a central romance.
The Far Side of the World
Patrick O'Brian · Book · 1994
Explores: Naval Warfare, Friendship, Exploration.
Those who appreciated the sense of exploration and the atmospheric scale of Out of Africa will find a familiar commitment to historical detail and the rigors of navigating unknown territories.
Things Fall Apart
Chinua Achebe · Book · 1958
Shares a thread with Out of Africa: Colonialism.
Where Out of Africa explores the colonial experience from an internal perspective, this novel provides the essential, contrasting counterpoint, capturing the profound cultural shift when tradition meets an encroaching colonial influence.
Series on the same thread
Outlander
Ronald D. Moore · Series · 2014
Shares a thread with Out of Africa: Forbidden Love.
The fish-out-of-water experience that defines the protagonist in Out of Africa is mirrored here as a woman is displaced by time and forced to adapt to an entirely foreign culture.
Roots
Alex Haley · Series · 1977
Explores: Family Saga, Cultural Identity, Oppression and Resistance.
This epic family saga provides the same historical gravity found in Out of Africa, focusing on the intersection of personal ancestry and the broader, often painful, forces of cultural history.
North and South
Richard T. Heffron · Series · 1985
Shares a thread with Out of Africa: Epic Romance.
If the complex personal relationships set against a backdrop of sweeping historical change in Out of Africa resonated with you, this drama offers a similar exploration of loyalties amidst conflict.
Into the West
Steven Spielberg · Series · 2005
Explores: Westward Expansion, Clash of Cultures, Manifest Destiny.
The epic scale of Westward expansion in this series captures the same sense of place and clash of cultures that made the African setting of Out of Africa so impactful.
Podcasts on the same thread
1619
The New York Times · Podcast · 2019
Explores: systemic racism, national identity, legacy of slavery.
This podcast provides a necessary, rigorous look at the historical foundations of the colonial tensions that peripherally shape the world and lifestyle depicted in Out of Africa.
The Preamble
Sharon McMahon · Podcast · 2026
Explores: Critical thinking, Media literacy, Civic engagement.
Much like the intellectual curiosity required to navigate the changing world in Out of Africa, this series offers the clarity needed to understand the complex ideas shaping our modern environment.
Keep exploring
Common questions
Is Out of Africa based on a true story?
Yes, the 1985 film Out of Africa is based on the 1937 autobiographical novel by Karen Blixen. It depicts the life story of the Danish author who moved to Africa at the beginning of the 20th century to build a new life for herself.
Should I read the book Out of Africa before watching the movie?
You can choose to read the book or watch the movie in either order. The 1985 film is an adaptation of the 1937 autobiographical novel, meaning both versions tell the story of Karen Blixen and her experiences in Africa during the early 20th century.
What is the source material for the movie Out of Africa?
The 1985 film Out of Africa is based on the 1937 autobiographical novel written by Karen Blixen. The movie follows the narrative of the book, detailing the life of the Danish author as she establishes a new life for herself in Africa.
Is the 1985 film Out of Africa a direct adaptation of the book?
Yes, the 1985 film Out of Africa is an adaptation of the 1937 autobiographical novel by Karen Blixen. The movie portrays the life story of the author as she moves to Africa at the start of the 20th century to build a new life.