Customer Reviews

To the Heart of the Nile: Lady Florence Baker and the Exploration of Central Africa

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4 star:		(2)
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2 star:		(1)
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To the Heart of the Nile is an exceptional work of historical writing. Pat Shipman has produced a very engaging, well researched biography of Lady Florence Baker and her husband, Sam Baker, from Florence Baker's early days spent in an Ottoman harem to the courageous journeys she and her husband made exploring the Nile river. Shipman skillfully provides a description of the relevant history, politics and culture of the Ottoman Empire, Great Britian, Egypt and the Sudan during the life of the remarkable Florence Baker and her husband. The characters and personalities of Florence Baker, Sam Baker, and many others are brought vividly to life. The book reads much like an adventure story, yet stays true to solid historical writing. Shipman does take some liberties with ascribing conversations and thoughts to the Bakers and others, which I initially had questions about. But this is done with very careful regard to the source material, and results in a more engaging tale. The book also contains excellent maps of the Nile River explorations, and a large number of beautiful illustrations. One of the best biographies I've ever read. Very strongly recommended, especially to those interested in women's history and the history of exploration.

This book notably advances understanding of the Bakers, wife/husband explorers extraordinaire. Most works focus on Samuel, treating Florence as an exotic appendage, but she was talented, fearless and an active agent in their adventures. The well-written text does justice to her inherently dramatic life, but problematic features lessen its credibility. First, there is much invented dialogue. While based on a sound grasp of primary sources and appreciation of Florence's character, such licence inevitably strays from the facts. Readers will wonder which parts are reliably documented and what is invention, but it makes for a stirring tale. More weighty is that Shipman is not an Africa specialist. This leads to numerous flaws, minor in themselves but cumulatively damaging. Many place and personal names have archaic spellings no longer used in their countries or by Africanists. Shipman routinely adopts the Bakers' negative views, repeating hoary insults about African laziness, theft, lying and dissipation. (The section on Florence's early life and Islamic education in the Ottoman Empire is more nuanced and sympathetic.) She also seems to endorse their Victorian ethnocentrism: "From his plantation days, Sam knew how to command large numbers of natives," p.62. Authors should hew closely to the sources, but also build on them without being constrained by their perspective. The Bakers achieved marvels of physical endurance in Africa, but disrupted many societies by using force to pursue their goals; the book elides this aspect of their 1870s military expedition to the Upper Nile. Cf. R. Collins's harsh but judicious chapter on Samuel Baker (R. Rotberg ed., "Africa & Its Explorers"), showing that the people Florence and Samuel met had their own valid concerns and goals.

Based on journal entries, private papers, and newspaper articles of the day, Pat Shipman has provided us with a true story of love and bravery. When Sam and Florence Baker set out together to search for the source of the Nile, they encountered unbelievable conditions as they painfully made their way on camel back across the burning desert, and often on foot through the jungle to the heart of Africa. Knowing that they eventually became Lord and Lady Baker is a consolation, as you suffer with their trials, debilitating fevers and horrendous tribal wars. Here we have a story of enduring love amidst great hardship. A book worth reading from beginning to end as you watch Sam Baker rescue this beautiful Hungarian girl from a highly specialized slave auction for girls who had been prepared to grace any Sultan's harem! This remarkable and beautiful young woman went on to save the life of her husband on more than one occasion. The charming black and white sketches and illustrations, plus two maps, add considerably to the value of the book.

This book is an hybrid, it's neither a novel nor a non-fiction. It's the attempt of a scientific mind to write a novel on a women explorer she is fascinated with. It sometimes happens that historical characters particullarly appeal to people who deal with something completely different. I think that is at the back of this interesting book. The author is not an historical novelist like Irving Stone, because the structure of the book is plain chronology and the dialogues between the characters sound accademic at best, if not false, but her fascination with Florence Baker gives at the end its fruits. Some stories are so good that however written remain an excellent read.
Women explorers are rare, and were more so in Victorian times. Florence Baker, an Hungarian girl, adopted in an harem to be later sold as a slave, rescued by the great explorer Samuel Baker lead an intense life accompaning her husband to the darkest part of Africa. The couple took part in the British exploration of the Nile together with Stanley, Grant, Burton and rule of the Sudan and the abolition of slavery with Gordon and others. During their years in England they were part of the best English society and got to know and influence the foreign politics of England. Their life was full of success and public recognition. And they loved each other, apparently from the first to the last day of their lives. Even if this is very romantic in this case it seams to be true and the author makes a point of letting us feel this love and mutual respect.
The book optimally contextualizes the african and egyptian situation in the period Florence and Sam stayed in Sudan, but better still immerges us in the English society once they got back. We get an excursus of the Baker family, which contributed with various great men to english foreign affairs, the prince of Wales, the Royal Geographic Society, the Mahdi and Charles Gordon another hero of those times. The excellent bibliography gives many further reading suggestions.

As a footnote, I would like to point out that Wikipedia reports Samuel Baker and Florence is mentioned only as his wife. Femminism still has a long way to go!

I would like to thank the author for having written about this woman, because some stories cannot be forgotten!

Wonderful story that reads like a novel. I didn't know anything about the early exploration of Africa by Europeans. It was fascinating! But better yet, the stories of Sam and Florence were pure magic... again, the things novels are made of: love, betrayal, courage, adventure. Made you wish you had the priviledge of knowing them personally. And if you're a person with a sense of adventure or wanderlust, their stories will stir something in your soul.

This is simply an amazing tale of an incredible womans life. Lady Baker led an extraordinary life of adventure and danger with the man she loved.Her travels and adventures in Africa were quite unusual for a women of her time.You have to root for her as it appears that her past will be exposed in victorian England and ruin her happiness. Hollywood should get a hold of this. It would make a spectacular adventure story. A great read.Right up there with Osa Johnsons early 1900's adventures.

The story of Florence Baker and Sam Baker was well known to me. In most histories of the discovery of the Nile these two are treated somewhat as a sideshow, an entertainment, not to rank with Richard Burton or John Hanning Speke. But how that view changes with Pat Shipman's worthy biography of this incredible couple. We meet Florence being orphaned and raised to be in a harem, not discovering she was a slave until the day she was to be sold and then an event happens that would make the three musketeer's proud. Sam Baker on holiday, hunting attends the slave auction and finds him self bidding on this 15 year old girl (half his age). He loses and she is condemned to life in an Ottoman harem as a slave. But then out of impulse, out of adventure, or a sense of attraction he kidnaps Florence and they begin one of the most marvelous romances and live their lives full of adventures. They choose to find the true source of the Nile resulting in a truly amazing story. My only complaint with the narrative is that I found the two Nile expeditions became a bit of a tedious read. I think this is because they dwell on many issues and events and don't seem to focus on the two's relationship; or maybe it is because the first 100 to 150 pages are so exciting and spellbinding that one is bound to be let down by just a trek though impossible terrain. The ending is marvelous proving that true stores can have an amazing arch and warmth. After Sam Baker's death Florence lives on to take interest in Sam's young grandnephew that grows up, learns Arabic, and is assigned to the Sudan Political Service. During this work he hears stories of the famous Sam and Florence. For those interested in jihads we even follow the events of the great Mahdi army's crushing defeat of the British and Gordon's death and loss of Khartoum. I recommend to anyone interested in adventure, the history of the Sudan, great romances and the Nile source discovery. And I must mention you must read Alan Moorehead's great books THE WHITE NILE and THE BLUE NILE that more fully tell the story of the discovery of the source of the Nile.

One of the best books written on early exploration of Africa by the British regime. Told by the wife of Lord Baker, it brings a human element to the culture, danger, excitement and added hardship when Lady Baker travelled with her husband. I recommend this book to anyone interested in history and human endurance.

2004 hardcover...

This reader is exposed to author Professor Pat Shipman for the first time... I read Shipman's TO THE HEART OF THE NILE: "Lady Florence Baker and the Exploration of Central Africa", knowing that exchanges in conversations, emotions and thoughts between the subjects from another century are dependent on imaging and imagination in hypothetical terms.

I tackled TO THE HEART OF THE NILE: "Lady Florence Baker and the Exploration of Central Africa", not knowing what to expect with thought that I might be in for a "dry" read of history. I knew naught of the heroine, Florence Baker, but pleasurably found a brave human being in the framework of the passages of this tome.

The author has brought non-fiction and fiction together by her narrative style, relating Florence and Sam Baker's adventures into initially unknown territories.
Non-fiction derived from research of records, journals, and generosity of Baker descendants in sharing of information...
Fiction through interpretations of research as the author admits: "... I have attributed thoughts and words to Florence and the people in her life. For those who believe the best biographies contain nothing but documented facts, I beg to disagree."

This reader has found the author's admission of the latter stated eloquently and honestly, as assumptions and imagination remain endemic to many non-fiction writings.

It becomes obvious that Professor Shipman resourcefully researched Florence & Sam Baker, bringing them to life through the use of historical facts intermingled with conjecture in the exchanges of a woman rescued from the slave auction block by Sam Baker; educated at an early age in life; passing into adulthood quickly; and taken into the world of travel and adventure. Most impressive is the ability and talents of Professor Shipman to have "jelled" the saga of Lady Baker, her relationship with her husband, Lady Baker's courage to face adversities in an era when activities of "women in a man's world" were obscurely and penitentially shunned.

A delightful saga of bravery, courage and stamina to explore little-known territories, not just once, but returning a second time with obstacles and impediments no lighter than the first voyage.

Professor Shipman has made a large contribution to my reading pleasure as well as extended subject matter. Another book, another education, another path, another author who has impressed this reader solely for her ability to bring to life the humanity of those who have gone before us.

To any reader, regardless of her/his taste for non-fiction/fiction historical writings -- "TO THE HEART OF THE NILE: Lady Florence Baker and the Exploration of Central Africa" is a recommended read -- it is meticulously crafted LIKE FINE CHOCOLATE and researched, creating an educational, informative and enjoyable writing.

(I wish I could give this adventure 3.5 stars.) When one takes into account the life and times, the journey itself is more amazing than the writing.