Short description
David Livingstone is revered as one of the world's greatest explorers and missionaries and as the first European to cross Africa. This biography reveals the man behind the myth, one capable of ruthless cruelty as well as self-sacrifice and bravery, and dogged by failure as well as success.
Long description
David Livingstone (1813-1873) has been revered as one of the world's greatest explorers and missionaries, the first European to cross Africa and the first to find Victoria Falls and the source of the Congo. Tim Jeal's masterful biography reveals the man behind the myth, one capable of ruthless cruelty as well as self-sacrifice and bravery, one dogged all his life by failure as well as success. Served as the basis for documentaries about Livingstone on the Discovery Channel and on BBC TV. Selected as one of the best books of the year by the New York Times Book Review and the Washington Post Book Review.
Review
"A rich and readable book." Jan Morris, Spectator "Well researched and written, both analytical and intuitive... an excellent biography." Richard West, Sunday Times "This superb new biography differs from all previous ones in its political and historical sophistication, and in its fidelity to fact rather than to sentiment... Stripping the sentimentality from the life of Livingstone has served not to diminish but to enhance it." Fawn M. Brodie, New York Times Book Review "An unhaloed portrait of a very great man.., First rate, absorbing, informative, judicious." New York Times