A Labyrinth of Kingdoms: 10,000 Miles through Islamic Africa [Hardcover]

Steve Kemper (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: June 25, 2012

A true story that rivals the travels of Burton or Stanley for excitement, and surpasses them in scientific achievements.

In 1849 Heinrich Barth joined a small British expedition into unexplored regions of Islamic North and Central Africa. One by one his companions died, but he carried on alone, eventually reaching the fabled city of gold, Timbuktu. His five-and-a-half-year, 10,000-mile adventure ranks among the greatest journeys in the annals of exploration, and his discoveries are considered indispensable by modern scholars of Africa.

Yet because of shifting politics, European preconceptions about Africa, and his own thorny personality, Barth has been almost forgotten. The general public has never heard of him, his epic journey, or his still-pertinent observations about Africa and Islam; and his monumental five-volume Travels and Discoveries in North and Central Africa is rare even in libraries. Though he made his journey for the British government, he has never had a biography in English. Barth and his achievements have fallen through a crack in history.

8 pages of illustrations

Editorial Reviews

Review

“A spirited reconstruction of the arduous five-year trek into Central Africa by Heinrich Barth (1821–1865), a German scientist exploring for England.... A nicely rounded literary study of an intrepid explorer undone by the cultural biases of the time.” (Kirkus Reviews )

“...He approached his expedition with an open mind and a willingness to engage with those around him regardless of their social status. Barth’s insights into the commonalities that exist among different cultures remain relevant today.” (Booklist )

“Steve Kemper’s elegant, richly rewarding biography should go a long way toward correcting [Barth’s obscurity]. On one level, the book is a superb chronicle of Barth’s travels, from the harrowing heat and physical danger to the dazzling diversity of people he encountered on his path. It’s also an astute character study of a relentlessly curious scientific personality.” (Kate Tuttle - Boston Globe )

“Mr. Kemper has written an enjoyable account of Barth's great journey packed with arresting details....” (Tim Jeal - Wall Street Journal )

“A Labyrinth of Kingdoms is a fascinating account both of one man's journey and of African cultures on the eve of European expansion.... Barth's story is equal parts adventure and scholarship. Kemper treats both with a sure hand.” (Shelf Awareness )

“Sometimes a book grabs you by the throat and won’t let you put it down. I recently experienced that with Steve Kemper’s A Labyrinth of Kingdoms: 10,000 Miles Through Islamic Africa.” (Pamela Toler, author of History in the Margins )

“If you have an ounce of historical exploratory curiosity in your veins, course through this forgotten tale. Timbuktu awaits.” (Robert F. Wells - Expedition News )

“Heinrich Barth belongs in the ranks of the greatest explorers of Africa. But unlike most of the others, he was less interested in imperial conquest and self-promotion than in the cultures, the peoples, the languages, and the ancient manuscripts that he found there. It's a pleasure to see a lively, readable biography of him in English at last.” (Adam Hochschild, author of King Leopold's Ghost and To End All Wars )

“Kemper's majestic account of Barth's journey restores the reputation of an explorer who was as passionate about science as he was about rigorous travel. It's an enthralling adventure, captivatingly told.” (Ziauddin Sardar - The Times (UK) )

About the Author

Steve Kemper is the author of Code Name Ginger. His work has appeared in many national publications, including Smithsonian and National Geographic. He lives in West Hartford, Connecticut.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 432 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company (June 25, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 039307966X
• ISBN-13: 978-0393079661
• Product Dimensions: 6.5 x 1.3 x 9.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.6 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (13 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #276,480 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

I've been a freelance journalist for more than 30 years and have written two books: A Labyrinth of Kingdoms: 10,000 Miles Through Islamic Africa, about the African explorer Heinrich Barth (June 2012), and Code Name Ginger: the Story Behind Segway and Dean Kamen's Quest to Invent a New World (2003), which was selected by Barnes & Noble for its Discover Great New Writers award. Harper published the paperback under the title Reinventing the Wheel.

I've written for many national publications, including Smithsonian, National Geographic, National Geographic Traveler, Outside, Wall Street Journal, and BBC Wildlife. I'm an adjunct professor at CUNY Graduate School of Journalism.

I grew up in Louisville, Kentucky, got a degree from the University of Detroit, then taught literature and writing at the University of Connecticut while earning a Ph.D. I live in Connecticut.

My website: www.stevekemper.net
My blog: http://blog.stevekemper.net

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Story of a great, little known explorer. July 8, 2012

By Gerald A. Roberts

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

Wow. This is a fascinating, carefully researched biography of a mid-nineteenth century German explorer who is quite likely the greatest explorer you've never heard of. I've long been an admirer of Richard Francis Burton, and am acquainted with the most famous of the explorers of Africa, but I hadn't heard of Barth.

The book is almost entirely focused on his epic 5+ year journey and seemingly has it all: desert caravans, slave raids, treacherous/opportunistic guides, hostile tribes, robbers and thieves, exotic disease, forced marches through brutal climates and punishing terrain, trade centers, rebellions, bungled communications, political intrigue, suspicious chieftains, eunuchs, harems, etc. You get the idea- it more than holds its own as an adventure story. Considering the many dangers and frequent setbacks, it's incredible he survived.

But what sets Barth apart from other explorers, especially considering the time he lived in, is that he was insatiably curious about, and respectful of, the many cultures he came into contact with as he navigated through several African Kingdoms and many different spheres of political influence. He was a Christian, but was well versed in Islam. He became intimate with sheiks, emirs and other rulers, as well as many ordinary Africans; and as a result he found scholarship, an esteem for learning, complex politics, and probably most surprisingly to Europeans of the time- a history. And he meticulously recorded it all. He was fluent in Arabic, and literally collected African languages as he went along. His treatment of Africans as fellow human beings went a long way in adding to the immense amount of knowledge he came away with.

When he returned to Britain, he wrote a five-volume, 3500 hundred page work about his journey, which apparently has been indispensable to African scholars ever since, from the many explorers who followed in his footsteps, to modern scholars who have only Barth's descriptions of places now gone and events not recorded elsewhere. I was surprised to learn that there hasn't been a biography in English about him before now. I would have thought some Brit would take on the task at some point. It's also amazing he isn't more well known today, considering his accomplishments, but the reasons for that are covered by the author.

The only map in the book is fine, but I found myself googling for more detailed ones, which helped in visualizing some legs of the journey. I obviously loved the book and would recommend it to anyone interested in history and exploration. It's packed with interesting historical asides, ranging from charming and amusing to grim and disturbing. The author's blog is also worth checking out. It chronicles his research trip to some of the places Barth traveled, including Timbuktu. It's interesting to see how things have changed since the mid-nineteenth century.

7 of 8 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars A Labyrinth of Kingdoms: 10,000 Miles through Islamic Africa June 26, 2012

By Charles H. Duponte

Format:Hardcover

Having read Philbrick's books on sailing adventures I was ready to venture into Africa. The story is about this 1850's adventurer and scientist, H. Barth, a German who travels 10K throughout the continent. The author Kemper has the difficult task of reading Barth's journals and history, along with his own personal travel log to Africa in order to follow Barth's trip. The story is remarkable on many levels, and perhaps more important today than ever as it open the portals of the mind to the often tragic Islamic history, slavery, disease, and beauty of the "undiscovered world" to European scientist.

At times the content can bog the reader down, just by the shear volume of science and descriptions, which can over shadow Barth and his personality. This artful trick lures the reader into the mind of Barth and finally as you close the book the reader becomes one with the scientist as a tragic and yet brilliant figure.

150 years after one of the worlds greatest adventure some things have not changed. Wars, cabal,sickness spiced with cloaks of color and a Murdock like press makes A Labyrinth of Kingdoms a worthy read.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Brilliant! August 5, 2012

By C. A. Good

Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase

What a fascinating story and compelling person. The book is beautifully written and fully researched. I loved all of the small details gathered from so many sources - a paragraph on roasted locusts, for instance. I only wish the world had remained as open and curious as Barth and not taken the turn towards imperialism.