Livingstone [Hardcover]

Tim Jeal (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 1973

David Livingstone (1813-1873) has been revered as one of the world's greatest explorers and missionaries, the first European to cross Africa and the first to find Victoria Falls and the source of the Congo. Tim Jeal's masterful biography reveals the man behind the myth, one capable of ruthless cruelty as well as self-sacrifice and bravery, one dogged all his life by failure as well as success. Served as the basis for documentaries about Livingstone on the Discovery Channel and on BBC TV. Selected as one of the best books of the year by the New York Times Book Review and the Washington Post Book Review.

--This text refers to the Paperback edition.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A rich and readable book." -- Jan Morris, Spectator

"An unhaloed portrait of a very great man. . . . First rate, absorbing, informative, judicious." -- New York Times

"This superb new biography differs from all previous ones in its political and historical sophistication." -- Fawn M. Brodie, New York Times Book Review

"Well researched and written, both analytical and intuitive . . . an excellent biography." -- Richard West, Sunday Times (London) --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

From the Publisher

Selected as a Notable Book of the Year by the New York Times Book Review and one of the "Best and Brightest of the Year" by the Washington Post Book World. Served as the basis for documentaries about Livingstone on the Discovery Channel and on BBC TV. --This text refers to the Paperback edition.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 464 pages
• Publisher: William Heinemann Ltd; Book Club ed. edition (May 1973)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0434372080
• ISBN-13: 978-0434372089
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,182,485 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

12 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars If Only Our Novelists Could Write So Well, June 19, 2007

By 

David Schweizer "Almawood" (Kansas, USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: Livingstone (Nota Bene) (Paperback)

Jeal's biography became an instant classic upon publication some years ago. It is doubtful that Livingstone will ever be so fully portrayed, "warts and all," as the saying goes. Quite apart from the life depicted, this biography is a work of art. The prose is gorgeous, quite simply among the best biographies of the decade. One is simultaneously gripped and repelled by the author's extraordinary subject. Livingstone is one of the two or three singularly impressive Victorian figures whom contemporaries admired but whom we now regard with dismay. Still, there are no such grand figures in our time, and it is doubtful any will ever emerge again with such courage and daring. He was in so many ways as hateful as his age, but a better man than we in our time who praise ourselves for finding fault with his undeniable accomplishments from the comfort of our little lives.

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very thorough, March 13, 2010

By 

Gregory Hope - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Livingstone (Hardcover)

I found this book quite interesting but I did think the author fails to fully grasp Livingstone's Christianity. Whereas in the author's excellent biography on fellow African explorer, Henry Stanley, the author seems to have a good deal of sympathy for the time and place his subject occupies, He seems to be overly critical and judgemental when it comes to Livingstone. I wouldn't recommend this book be read without also reading one of the other Livingstone biographies for some balance. My first recommendation would be Seaver's "David Livingstone - His Life and Letters" where the author largely lets Livingstone explain his motivations in his own words.

5 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great, Sensational, absolutely fantastic book, June 22, 2005

By 

P. Ford (Tampa, fl United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Livingstone (Nota Bene) (Paperback)

This author provided a great, unbiased account of Livingstone without being disrespectful. He also ended the book with a fantastic account of how Livingstone's legacy affected the world. This is a must read for all Christians or anyone interested in 19th century history or African history in general.