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!

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.

0 of 1 people found this review helpful

Repugnant

This book is worth listening to by virtue of its complete presentation of repugnant colonialist values. Stanley is an abusive and entirely unselfconscious monster. He recounts at the end of the book his fondness for his "Pegazis", the people who carried his luggage and received regular beatings from Stanley. It is worth noting that Stanley, like the recent GOP, believes himself to be progressive. A prescient reminder that your heroes are imperialist scum.

0 of 13 people found this review helpful

A detailed account of Henry Stanley's journey

Aside from being the first hand account of this incredible journey, Stanley covers many details that are overlooked by other writers, how cloth and beads are packed and carried, exchange rates, recruitment, treating fevers etc.