How I Found Livingstone in Central Africa

By: Henry M. Stanley

Narrated by: James Adams

Length: 15 hrs and 57 mins

Publisher's summary

This riveting history is a firsthand account of the long and arduous search for one of the greatest explorers of the 19th century. Journalist and adventurer Henry M. Stanley was known for his search for the legendary David Livingstone, and their eventual meeting led to the popular quotation "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?"

A real-life adventure story, How I Found Livingstone in Central Africa tells of the incredible hardships - disease, hostile natives, tribal warfare, impenetrable jungles, and other obstacles - faced by a daring explorer. This must-have account also includes a wealth of information on various African peoples.

Henry M. Stanley (1841-1904) was a Welsh journalist and explorer. After doing freelance journalism, he joined the New York Herald and in 1868 accompanied an expedition to Abyssinia. He also visited Egypt, Palestine, Turkey, Persia, and India. He is most famous for his exploration of Africa and his search for David Livingstone, whom he met in Tanganyika.

Public Domain (P)2012 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Remarkable courage and pluck!

Hard to imagine the motivation that drove Stanley through SO many setbacks to find Livingstone. The stories of persistence in the face of terrain and physical illness alone are enough to deter most of us. When added to the threat to life caused by never ending negotiation with indigenous people and the onslaught of warring peoples and navigation in an uncharted wilderness, it is a testimony to determination that one can scarcely understand! I have seen much of this land and it is beautiful. But to have seen it like this makes Stanley's regret when his journey was finished quite understandable. His account of Livingstone leaves us in awe of that man. His own character while later shown to be of more dubious quality regarding his attitude towards African people is nevertheless enviable as an example of the very best in pioneering spirit and wilderness exploration.

The book can be tedious at times. But even though names of places have usually been changed, it is still both possible and interesting to track Stanley's progress on Google Maps using his own charts to be found online and then transferred to our current maps by use his recorded latitude and longitude. Together with his remarkable and often times even poetic descriptions, one can imagine oneself traipsing the magical African bush at his side!

Outstanding piece of literature

As an African, this was not a palatable read but I give it to the author. He was honest in his writing as far as he could be and as far as I can see. The expedition is by no means a picnic and to have gone through From Bagamoyo to Ujiji and back shows up a man of true character and commitment. I am saddened by his outlook and perspective of the black people's to whom I belong as well as some of the treatment he mets out to those who travelled with him. However putting that aside, this is a book the whole world should read.

Excellent book! well written & well read

A well written and well read book describing H M Stanleys remarkable journey from Zanzibar to the aid of Dr Livingstone

Excellent book for a first hand account of what it was like for the first western travelers in Africa.

If you have traveled or are traveling through Africa, this book will bring a lot of your experiences into context. It gets a bit daunting in the chapters following Stanley’s meeting up with Livingston, but still highly recommended!!

Amazing story wonderfully narrated

Loved listening to this wonderful narrative. Very sad to say goodbye at the end.

Great story

Great story, great adventure. Listened to it three times. Stanley was a brave explorer who had to overcome many hardships in finding Dr. Livingstone.

Incredible story

This was an amazing glimpse into history when the portions of the earth were still unknown. The narrator was fantastic and the book comes to life.

Dr. Livingston, I presume.

Nearly everyone knows that famous phrase was uttered by New York Herald newspaperman Henry Stanley when he had found Dr David Livingston in the African jungle. This is the oftentimes account of Henry Stanley’s search for the vaunted African explorer. This is a fascinating and well written book, but you have realize when you read it that beliefs and attitudes about race and racism were much different then and you can’t apply modern standards to Stanley and Livingston. You have to keep an open mind, today they would be considered racists, but by the standards of that time they were liberal and progressive. It’s a riveting first hand account of man against the elements in a time before motorization and antibiotics.