Audio Review: Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone by Martin Dugard

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.

Narrated by: John Lee 

Length: 11 hrs and 30 mins 

Unabridged Release date: 12-11-03 

Publisher: Books on Tape

****

I’m always fascinated with explorers, those that go out into the world who are brave enough to risk so much in their search. Stanley and Livingston are names I heard all through school, famous explorer and famous statement 'Dr. Livingston I presume' has stayed with me and left me wondering about their stories. I went with the audio version,  the reader was someone new (to me) so he did a fantastic job.

 The author doesn’t hold back as he describes this journey and the hostile environment Africa was during that time. This books isn’t just about finding Livingston but it gives the background information on both these men, the time period as well as what happens after their meeting. I grew up thinking Livingston was a missionary however this book doesn't really get into that aspect of his life but centered on his search for the source of the Nile.  History classes had me assuming the search for Livingstone was straight forward but as shown here it was anything but.  Disease was a daily concern, violence and desertion a common occurrence.  The weather was scary and the bugs/insects even more so. How these 2 managed to meet up was amazing and it took years.

There is a wealth of information here and I am glad to have gone the audio way this time around.  Nonfiction leans itself well in that direction.  My copy was from my personal library (via Audible).