Customer Reviews

How I Found Livingstone in Central Africa (Dover Books on Travel, Adventure)

5 star:		(1)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This is a great book for those who would like to experience how Victorian men viewed Africa as well as what a great safari would have involved. As it is a day-by-day account, some of the geographical descriptions feel a little repetitive, but can be skimmed over without detracting from the story.It would be a great mistake to judge Stanley too critically by modern standards,however, or you may end up hating it from the beginning and getting nothing from it.

What can I say? It's already considered the greatest adventure book in the genre. If you've read Burton and Speke and Park and Livingstone and all the others, then you must read Stanley, and certainly read this, his crowning achievement.

This book was recommended to me by a friend. I love armchair adventure stories and this was one of the classics. The book itself is very nicely done: illustrations and maps supplement the story well. However, Stanley's egotistical and racist behavior, whether an exaggeration for Victorian audiences or not, made the book less enjoyable. When he meets Livingston near the end, the focus of the book shifts. This makes it much finer reading. Although I think that everyone should read this book because of its historical significance in the age of exploration, you may not find it to be a pleasant read front to back.