Adam Edwards is a young, intelligent, and well-meaning but somewhat naïve American who finds himself thrust into a maelstrom of intrigue, violence, competing relationships and political crisis in the African country of Kombonia. He arrives in-country as the Kombonian President, Simon Mushi is seeking to oversee and manage the potentially most democratic election in the country's history. Adam directs a project funded by the U.S. government to help ensure legitimate elections in collaboration with a Kombonian civil society group. He also embarks upon an ill-fated relationship with a Kombonian journalist who happens to be a secret activist with a secessionist movement. Events evolve and build up to climax in which Adam must decide how interventionist he will be in Kombonia's political crisis.This tackles themes of failure, redemption, growth, and maturation. It contains a positive and optimistic conclusion - which nonetheless has a hook to it. These themes are explored along two, related tracks - one is key character personal development, and the other is a fictitious African country's halting and tentative evolution from autocracy towards democracy. This manuscript also deals with issues that are relevant for contemporary US politics and society.The title This comes from a West African proverb "Wisdom is like a Baobob Tree; no one individual can embrace it." This refers to an underlying theme in the book; that whether to achieve either individual or collective self-fulfillment, one needs to be able to collaborate with others.