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!

1 of 1 people found this review helpful

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.

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

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.

1 of 2 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 17 people found this review helpful

An enthralling glimpse into a different world

What an adventure, what an insight.

I ordered this expecting a dry, dated 19th century narative, but was drawn in by the desire to find the origin of the phrase 'Dr Livingstone I presume'. On the contrary, I was hooked, this was one of my favourite audiobooks.

The style is 19th century, but still easily understood and it adds to the atmosphere. The scale of the expedition is astounding - I would have guessed at a couple of guides and a gun, for a few months, but we're talking 50+ people and an astounding array of equipment and goods to trade (no currency at this part of Africa at the time), over the scale of years. All on behalf of an eccentric newspaper editor (Gordon Bennett, origin of the still used expression of surprise!). The author is to some extent a product of his time in terms of his attitudes to race etc, but overall he comes across as a decent man of great determination, a journalist who proved himself to be one of the greatest explorers of his time.

Fascinating and addictive - highly recommended.

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.