24 August 2009, 15:23
WinkStanley: The Impossible Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer
I am now reading
Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer by Tim Jeal. I haven't read any other books specifically dealing with Henry Morton Stanley, but I can say that this biography is excellent and will probably change whatever opinion of Stanley you may have. The descriptions and detail about how an expedition was conducted in the last half of 19th century are excellent.
When reading the chapters dealing with the expedition to find Emin Pasha, going through the then unexplored Ituri Forest, one can understand what motiviated Joseph Conrad to write
The Heart of Darkness.
27 August 2009, 06:40
JBrownI read this book while traveling in Zambia this summer. I was not interested in H.M. Stanley, and only picked up the book because it was thick and I had been tearing through Wilbur Smith at a rate of one every two or three days.
I have to say the book was a real eye-opener. I was impressed with what Stanley was able to do on pluck alone. But was really impressed me was the job Tim Jeal did in researching and writing this book. It was a very good read.