For 15 years the Scott family lived in rural Botswana; Robyn's father, a doctor, flew across the country between his rural clinics while her mother schooled the children at home. Robyn and her siblings were free to explore the bush, catching insects and snakes, and the home curriculum involved lessons on identifying trees and alternative medicine.

Twenty Chickens for a Saddle is both the story of Scott's family, headed by her eccentric grandfather who served as pilot to the country's first president, and a contemporary history of Botswana. These two narratives are united under the roof of her father's medical practice, as a growing number of his patients succumb to Aids.

Though she argues that the government in Gaborone moved too slowly to act on the tragedy of Aids, Scott still maintains her passion for Botswana. This is a palpable tribute to the country where she enjoyed a remarkable childhood.

Chaz Folkes, The Financial Times, 31 May 2008