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beckychristina's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
slow-paced
2.75
I was impressed by the research, it’s an interesting and exciting part of history, but I found myself bored by the narrative. The narrative style does work, and it must have been quite the challenge to collate, but it dragged for me.
redge's review against another edition
adventurous
dark
informative
inspiring
sad
slow-paced
4.0
Focused on two dudes figuring out the source of the Nile. Informative on their lives but tragic
crsherbo's review against another edition
adventurous
emotional
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
4.0
bobbo49's review against another edition
adventurous
informative
medium-paced
4.0
Although I thought that the book dragged a bit in the middle, overall the story of the linguist (25 languages) and explorer Sir Richard Burton (translator of The Arabian Nights) is filled with amazing twists and turns. Starting with Burton's disguising himself to enter Mecca on the Haj (his discovery would have meant instant execution), and winding through his lengthy but unsuccessful effort to find the source of the White Nile in Central Africa (including his rival John Hanning Speke's ultimate success), Millard digs deep into Burton's life; she also brings to the fore the story of Burton's assistant Sidi Mubarak Bombay, formerly kidnapped from Africa and enslaved in India, who had an absolutely remarkable life as a guide and an explorer, including helping guide Stanley to find Dr. Livingston (I hope to find a book about Bombay). Lots of forgotten history, particularly focused on the European exploration of central Africa.
laura_corsi's review against another edition
4.0
A very well researched story chronicling the English explorers who traced the source of the Nile. Millard tells their story very well and does a good job of explaining their perspective on their terms in the 1800s. It is difficult though reading from our perspective in the 21st century to not dislike these men immensely.