I happened across this book at half price books a few months ago, and just got around to reading it. He gives a different perspective on H.M. Stanley than the impressions I have gotten of him in college history classes. Pretty much gave good information about his life, and his explorations. He kind of made it out that stanley was a pawn in the whole congo thing and that history has given him a bad rep. He also implies that the general thoughts about livingston have to do with how well Stanley played him up in his books. Jeal wrote a book in 1972 i believe about Livingston and i plan on getting it next. He also has a book out about some of the other explorers of the time. Overall the book was an easy read, even though it reads like a history book.