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Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone Audiobook
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(3.04) - 1,140 listener ratings
Publisher Description
With the utterance of a single line—"Doctor Livingstone, I presume?"—a remote meeting in the heart of Africa was transformed into one of the most famous encounters in exploration history. But the true story behind Dr. David Livingstone and journalist Henry Morton Stanley is one that has escaped telling. Into Africa is an extraordinarily researched account of a thrilling adventure—defined by alarming foolishness, intense courage, and raw human achievement.
In the mid-1860s, exploration had reached a plateau. The seas and continents had been mapped, the globe circumnavigated. Yet one vexing puzzle remained unsolved: what was the source of the mighty Nile River? Aiming to settle the mystery once and for all, Great Britain called upon its legendary explorer, Dr. David Livingstone, who had spent years in Africa as a missionary. In March 1866, Livingstone steered a massive expedition into the heart of Africa. In his path lay nearly impenetrable, uncharted terrain, hostile cannibals, and deadly predators. Within weeks, the explorer had vanished without a trace. Years passed with no word.
While debate raged in England over whether Livingstone could be found—or rescued—from a place as daunting as Africa, James Gordon Bennett, Jr., the brash American newspaper tycoon, hatched a plan to capitalize on the world's fascination with the missing legend. He would send a young journalist, Henry Morton Stanley, into Africa 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 would one day captivate readers and dominate the front page of the New York Herald.
Tracing the amazing journeys of Livingstone and Stanley in alternating chapters, author Martin Dugard captures with breathtaking immediacy the perils and challenges these men faced. Woven into the narrative, Dugard tells an equally compelling story of the remarkable transformation that occurred over the course of nine years, as Stanley rose in power and prominence and Livingstone found himself alone and in mortal danger. The first book to draw on modern research and to explore the combination of adventure, politics, and larger-than-life personalities involved, Into Africa is a riveting read.
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"Wonderful book, well written and researched. I am learning how little I know about this historical episode and about Africa. It led me to read further about this period and about what went on in Africa during the exploration and colonization periods. I recommend reading "King Leopold Ghost" as a follow up to this book. Stanley is revealed there as not much of a hero, he is in fact a tyrant, bully, and racist.."
— Marilyn (4 out of 5 stars)
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An action-packed recounting of one of the most famous incidents in the history of exploration. Until well into the 19th century, European geography textbooks portrayed central Africa as a vast, uncharted wasteland, almost certainly a graveyard for any outsider unwise enough to enter it. . . . In the late 1860s, [David] Livingstone and a large entourage disappeared somewhere between Zanzibar and Lake Tanganyika while poking around for the source of the Nile. Enter New York Herald correspondent Henry Morton Stanley. . . . Braving disease, difficult terrain, and all manner of deprivation, Stanley for three years [followed] Livingstone’s trail, despairing of ever finding the senior explorer. . . . Fine entertainment for adventure buffs, solidly researched and fluently told.”
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—Kirkus Reviews (starred review)
Into Africa Listener Reviews
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" Amazing book. Dugard is fantastic at illustrating not only what was happening in and around Tanzania at the time, but how the events of the world intertwine. "
— Danae, 1/28/2014 -
" There are some very weird cultures out there--almost as weird as the obsessive manner Stanley and Livingston nurtured to find the source of the Nile. There is cannibalism, sadism, self-denial and a lot of heat...you'll be glad someone else explored this part of the world. "
— Angela, 1/24/2014 -
" This was an interesting retelling of Stanley's expedition into Africa to find Dr. Livingstone. I enjoyed much of the book, but towards the end, I really had to concentrate on not skipping ahead to the part where Stanley finally comes upon Livingstone and says, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" That's the problem with reading books about historical events - you know how they end. "
— Rhi, 12/15/2013 -
" One of the most exciting, challenging books I have read in many months/years though it gets a little tedious near the end. However, the end is well worth waiting for and you may be surprised! "
— Jerry, 11/3/2013 -
" Enjoyed this! Never really knew all the facts to this story. It was well done. "
— Janette, 10/25/2013 -
" one of the best non fiction books, Doctor livingstone i presume, unbelievable adventure "
— Copa, 10/4/2013 -
" I had a great time reading this dual biography-- both from the sheer adventure standpoint and also the psychological and sociological aspects of the story. I made up excuses to drive the car or shop for groceries just so I could listen to more of the story. "
— Jenna, 6/28/2013 -
" "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" -- And now I know the full story behind that phrase. "
— Ellen, 6/27/2013 -
" A look at the rugged explorers, Stanley and Livingston, who did not let anything get in the way of their ambitious expeditions. "
— Clare, 5/10/2013 -
" Already listened to an abridged audio book. Am now reading the full text and loving it. "
— Colleen, 5/7/2013 -
" What human endurance!! Edge of your seat reading, If you are interested enough to read this GET IT!! "
— David, 4/5/2013 -
" so far this is a really captivating read. "
— Jacqui, 1/27/2013 -
" A fantastic re-telling of a widely known story. Great at bringing the people in the book to life. "
— James, 11/27/2012 -
" The research that went into this book was fantastic. Very descriptive, facinating read. "
— Peter, 7/8/2012 -
" Well written history that corrected a few facts that I had learnt wrong. "
— Robin, 6/4/2012 -
" I liked how we were given this history, often in the explorers' own words ... With their views and prejudices of their time and place very evident. "
— Jennifer, 12/5/2011 -
" Fascinating historical account with interesting view of Africa, Europe and US from the middle of the 19th century. I gave it 4 stars more for the historical interest than the quality of the writing which I would give 3 stars. If it was available, I would have given this book a 3.5. "
— Joanne, 11/19/2011 -
" This was a great adventure read. It really opened my eyes to the dangers and hardships faced by these early explorers. It also provides a fascinating glimpse into the motivations behind the explorations. "
— Roger, 5/3/2011 -
" By the end of this book I was on the edge of my seat, biting my nails, and holding my breath. Skillfully crafted and smooth as silk to read, this got my heart rate up. "
— Sarah, 4/20/2011 -
" If you've read and enjoyed Undaunted Courage, you'd definitely enjoy this book. "
— Bryan, 4/2/2011 -
" One of my favorite non fiction books - this story was riveting and I couldn't put it down. I read it in a single day. From the very first moment of this book you are drawn in and wondering about the mystery of the source of the Nile. "
— Sara, 2/20/2011 -
" This book dispelled the myth behind the good missionary Livingston. What a farce. I have no idea why Christianity holds the drunk whoremonger so highly. Recommended by @mireyamayor "
— Wilson, 2/9/2011 -
" Amazing book. Dugard is fantastic at illustrating not only what was happening in and around Tanzania at the time, but how the events of the world intertwine. "
— Danae, 1/21/2011 -
" FASCINATING. Hard to believe what some people are willing and capable of enduring. "
— Anabel, 1/14/2011 -
" Well written history that corrected a few facts that I had learnt wrong. "
— Robin, 10/22/2010 -
" The most amazing book I've ever read. Get this book. "
— Andrew, 9/11/2010 -
" Fantastic, captivating, honest telling of the Stanley-Livingstone shit. <br/>Loved it. "
— *heartrl*, 8/19/2010 -
" Compelling stories, great structure. Only complaint was that Kindle version didn't seem to have any maps, which would have been extremely useful. "
— Callista, 8/11/2010 -
" Already listened to an abridged audio book. Am now reading the full text and loving it. "
— Colleen, 8/3/2010
About Martin Dugard
Martin Dugard is the New York Times bestselling author of several books of history. His book Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone was adapted into a History Channel special. He lives in southern California with his wife and sons.
About John Lee
John Lee is the winner of numerous Earphones Awards and the prestigious Audie Award for Best Narration. He has twice won acclaim as AudioFile’s Best Voice in Fiction & Classics. He also narrates video games, does voice-over work, and writes plays. He is an accomplished stage actor and has written and coproduced the feature films Breathing Hard and Forfeit. He played Alydon in the 1963–64 Doctor Who serial The Daleks.