Author: Martin Dugard
Publisher: BANTAM (BDD)/RANDOM HOUSE, Apr 2003
Binding: Softcover
ISBN: 0-7679-1074-5
Synopsis
At once a gripping historical narrative & a thrilling adventure tale. Tells the story behind one of the most famous encounters in exploration history - the climactic meeting of Dr. David Livingstone & journalist Henry Morton Stanley in the dark heart of Africa. 8 page B&W insert; 6x9 inches, 288 pgs.
More Information
In the mid-1860s, an age-old geographic riddle remained unanswered: What was the source of the mighty Nile River? Aiming to settle the dispute definitively, England turned to Dr. David Livingstone, the legendary explorer who had spent years in Africa as a missionary. Livingstone set out in early 1866 with a large expedition, on a course that would lead through nearly impenetrable unmapped terrain, and into areas populated by fearsome man-eating tribes. Within weeks, his intended journey unraveled--his entourage began to desert him, and Livingstone vanished without a trace in the African interior. Two years would pass with no word from the explorer.
While debate raged in England over whether Livingstone coud be rescued from a place as daunting as Africa, James Gordon Bennet, a brash, young American newspaper tycoon, hatched a plan to capitalize on the world's fascination with the missing legend. He commissioned his star jouranlist, Henry Morton Stanley, to search for Livingstone. A drifter with great ambition but little success to show for it, Stanley undertook his assignment with gusto, filing reports that captivated readers and dominated the front page of the New York Herald for months.
Into Africa traces the journeys of Livingstone and Stanley in alternating chapters, capturing with breathtaking immediacy the dangers, disease, and beauty they encountered in the uncharted heart of Africa. Woven into the tales of their daring adventures is the equally compelling story of the remarkable transformation that occurrred over the course of nine years, as Stanley rose in power and prominence and Livingstone found himself alone and depleted. Stanley, the upstart determined to make a name for himself, succeeded beyond his wildest dreams, clinching his place in history with the famous question "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" The first book to examine the interworkings of extraordinary physical challenges, political intrigue, and larger-than-life personalities, Into Africa is a fascinating work of narrative history, told with all the power and drama of a novel.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Martin Dugard is the author of Farther Than Any Man: The Rise and Fall of Captain James Cook, Knockdown: The Harrowing True Account of a Yacht Race Turned Deadly, and coauthor of the New York Times bestseller, Survivor: The Ultimate Game. His dispatches have appeared in GQ, Sports Illustrated, and Esquire. A lifelong adventurer, he completed the Raid Gauloise race and was coholder of the around-the-world speed record. He lives in Orange County, California.
