Sign in with Facebook
Loading...
Stanley: The Impossible Life of Africa's Greatest Explorer
by
Tim Jeal
"A magnificent new life . . .[and]a superb adventure story. . . . There have been many biographies of Stanley, but Jeal's is the most felicitous, the best informed, the most complete and readable and exhaustive, profiting from his access to an immense new trove of Stanley material." -- Paul Theroux, front page, New York Times Book ReviewHenry Morton Stanley, so the tale go
...moreHardcover, 608 pages
Published
September 28th 2007
by Yale University Press
Friend Reviews
To see what your friends thought of this book,
please sign up.
This book is not yet featured on Listopia.
Add this book to your favorite list »
Community Reviews
(showing
1-30
of
544)
I'm finding this really hard going. Stanley seems to have been an extraordinary man, and to have had thrilling adventures, but this writer just sucks all the life out of it. I will try and finish it, but only because I'm interested in Stanley himself.
A year later -I just couldn't finish it. Every time the writer related an interesting event in Stanley's life, he then went on to convince us it didn't happen. How can anyone make exploring Africa boring?
Later still - I tried, I really tried. Then,...more
A year later -I just couldn't finish it. Every time the writer related an interesting event in Stanley's life, he then went on to convince us it didn't happen. How can anyone make exploring Africa boring?
Later still - I tried, I really tried. Then,...more
“The impossible life of Africa’s greatest explorer.” No kidding! Quite an amazing life indeed. Courage, toughness, grit, and defying the odds – that’s my impression of Stanley after reading this book.
Young Stanley wanted adventure. Inspired by the likes of Richard Burton, he and some friends traveled to Turkey, intent on exploring, adventuring, and then writing about their experiences afterward to get rich and famous back home. Things did not turn out – their supplies and horses were captured an...more
Young Stanley wanted adventure. Inspired by the likes of Richard Burton, he and some friends traveled to Turkey, intent on exploring, adventuring, and then writing about their experiences afterward to get rich and famous back home. Things did not turn out – their supplies and horses were captured an...more
If you are a fan of Victorian exploration, then this book is for you. You will love it. It contains much new original research by the author, all meticulously documented. If, however, you picked it up out of curiosity, and because it was on sale for half-price, then there is probably way more information in this book about Stanley than you need. Although it was fascinating to find out that he almost certainly did not say, "Dr. Livingstone, I presume." And he was born a Welshman, but was abandone...more
An amazingly detailed and thoroughly researched biography of one of the world's greatest explorers. The detail of Stanley's early life certainly shed light on his later feats. His personal life was also dealt with in some detail during his years as an explorer. By the time I reached the end of the book and the end of Stanley's life, I felt I had somewhat gotten to know the man. This book shows a side of the explorer never seen before in any previous biography.
Big niggle: The author writes as if...more
Big niggle: The author writes as if...more
Jan 08, 2013
David Robertson
rated it
4 of 5 stars
Recommends it for:
David Meredith!
Shelves:
historical,
africa
I picked this book up at my parents and was immediately hooked. This is history at its best. Tim Jeal deconstructs some of the myths about Stanley (most famous for 'discovering' Livingstone) and does so on the basis not of speculation but a wealth of research and information. He tells the story superbly and gives a tremendous insight into Victorian Britain, the US and Africa. It is an honest and vivid story of an incredible man which covers accusation of homosexuality and also sheds new light on...more
This was a pretty disappointing read. Jeal had unprecedented access to Stanley's papers and has an excellent command of the period, yet he works so hard to redeem Stanley's reputation that he loses sight of the big picture. Entertaining, but far from enlightening.
The famous quote, "Dr Livingstone, I presume" is all that seems to be remembered about this great explorer who survived three major African expeditions in the late 1800s. He was later blamed as a colonialist and as someone who did not care for the native Africans. This book sets the record straight about Stanley, born Welsh and placed in a workhouse for children; American emigree who fought in the Civil War (for both sides!); and explorer who desired most to see an end to the slave trade in Afri...more
Henry Morton Stanley, so the tale goes, was a cruel imperialist who connived with King Leopold II of Belgium in horrific crimes against the people of the Congo. He also conducted the most legendary celebrity interview in history, opening with, �Dr. Livingstone, I presume?”
But these perceptions are not quite true, Tim Jeal shows in this grand and colorful biography. With unprecedented access to previously closed Stanley family archives, Jeal reveals the amazing extent to which Stanley’s public ca...more
But these perceptions are not quite true, Tim Jeal shows in this grand and colorful biography. With unprecedented access to previously closed Stanley family archives, Jeal reveals the amazing extent to which Stanley’s public ca...more
The reputation of Henry Stanley has suffered because of his involvement as an agent of King Leopold and his participation in opening the Congo to Imperialist land-grabbing resulting in horrible crimes against the population. The author attempts to rectify the situation with this biography. It is an in-depth and scholarly work based on information from Stanley's personal papers and diarys that were previously unavailable to Stanley's other biographers. The author, however,tries too hard to justif...more
Two stars because it was well-written and contained some interesting anecdotes and nuance... but on the balance this book made me rage. I can't even handle colonial apologetics. I can appreciate the idea that Stanley didn't have a full picture of Leopold's aims in the Congo, but Jeal explicitly aims to restore Stanley's reputation and ends up obscuring and minimizing the actual role--both structural and discursive--that Stanley played in helping to establish one of the most brutal colonial rules...more
This biography by Tim Jeal is sort of a biographer's biography, I think--it's not just the story of a life, but the argument of a man with a mission: to reform the reputation of Henry Morton Stanley (the "Dr. Livingstone, I presume" guy), who made not one but three great journeys into Africa, and died just at the dawn of the 20th century. I wasn't aware that Stanley's reputation was damaged, so the argument wasn't as interesting to me. But the man's life was, and this well documented biography g...more
What an education for me. So much of Livingstone's legend (hero, explorer) is not what it seems, and, little-known (at least for me) Henry Stanley (of "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" fame) was remarkable: born into abject poverty, haunted by his family's disregard and disdain, with remarkable reserves of spirit and strength, conquers all odds: finding Livingstone in Africa (remarkable in itself), mapping the Congo, Lake Victoria, establishing roads and settlements, fighting slavery and brutality.....more
I only lasted through 1/4 of Jeal's book (I stopped right after Stanley "found" Livingstone). While the title is accurate - the circumstances of Stanley's life are amazingly unlikely - this account is written too academically to be enjoyable. Jeal spends far too much ink defending his sources and disputing the findings of other authors. These digressions from the actual story, sometimes three pages long on their own, are far too distracting. I look forward to reading someone else's teling of the...more
An exhilarating look at the explorer Stanley. He is indeed an individual who overcame adversity – he was born in poverty, abandoned to an orphanage and successfully re-invented himself in the U.S. (where he changed his name)! He then became the famous explorer we all know - think of the immortal expression – ‘Dr. Livingstone I presume’.
As the author points out Stanley was constantly trying to prove himself. In the U.S. he fought on both sides of the Civil War. He was also given to exaggeration.
T...more
As the author points out Stanley was constantly trying to prove himself. In the U.S. he fought on both sides of the Civil War. He was also given to exaggeration.
T...more
Nov 14, 2011
Roy Kenagy
marked it as to-read
NYT review by Paul Theroux: http://nyti.ms/vxH18u
“'We went into the heart of Africa self-invited — therein lies our fault,' Stanley confided to his diary. The words are quoted in this magnificent new life of the man, by Tim Jeal, a biography that has many echoes for our own time."
"There have been many biographies of Stanley, but Jeal’s is the most felicitous, the best informed, the most complete and readable and exhaustive, profiting from his access to an immense new trove of Stanley material."
“'We went into the heart of Africa self-invited — therein lies our fault,' Stanley confided to his diary. The words are quoted in this magnificent new life of the man, by Tim Jeal, a biography that has many echoes for our own time."
"There have been many biographies of Stanley, but Jeal’s is the most felicitous, the best informed, the most complete and readable and exhaustive, profiting from his access to an immense new trove of Stanley material."
Educational and informative Biography of British explorer Henry Morton Stanley and his four main expeditions in Africa
1) Discovery of Dr. Livingstone in eastern/central Africa
2) Trans Continental Journey to discover source of Nile River and complete Livingstone’s work tracing the Lualaba River into either the Nile (incorrect) or the Congo River (correct)
3) Opening of Lower and Upper Congo River to trading/missionaries and subsequent usurpation by Leopold of Belgium
4) Relief of Emin Pasha in Suda...more
1) Discovery of Dr. Livingstone in eastern/central Africa
2) Trans Continental Journey to discover source of Nile River and complete Livingstone’s work tracing the Lualaba River into either the Nile (incorrect) or the Congo River (correct)
3) Opening of Lower and Upper Congo River to trading/missionaries and subsequent usurpation by Leopold of Belgium
4) Relief of Emin Pasha in Suda...more
The book is certainly comprehensive. I knew of Stanley only by his search for Livingstone (who wasn't really lost). I had no idea he charted the Congo or led a rescue of a guy who didn't want rescued. Interesting for the lies he told and for the truths he hid; sad for the way his work was co-opted for evil by King Leopold; and scary for the number of people who died on his three expeditions.
In interesting story for sure, but for me not as successful as other biographies, including my favorites Rise of Theodore Roosevelt or Team of Rivals. Where those are written with a sense of humor and whole appreciation for the eccentricities of their subjects, this one was all about two things: 1) the author's publishing various things about Stanley "for the first time ever" or "contrary to what has been accepted by all previous historians" and 2) how Stanley overcame is troubled childhood. The...more
This was a fascinating read. The difficulties of exploration at this time and the rate at which people died in the attempt is astounding. From disease and wild animals to being attacked with poisoned darts by natives, this was a very challenging place. Provisions were carried by humans because horses wouldn't survive in central Africa due to the tsetse fly. There was also no relationship drawn between being bitten by mosquitoes and suffering from malaria.
The other aspect of the book I found mos...more
The other aspect of the book I found mos...more
I didn't know much about Henry Morton Stanley other than he said, "Doctor Livingston, I presume."
This book ranks him as Africa's greatest explorer and debunks the stories of him randomly killing African people.
This book ranks him as Africa's greatest explorer and debunks the stories of him randomly killing African people.
See NBCC Board Member Art Winslow's review at Critical Mass, as part of 30 Books in 30 Days:
http://bookcritics.org/blog/archive/N...
http://bookcritics.org/blog/archive/N...
I registered a book at BookCrossing.com!
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11013237
http://www.BookCrossing.com/journal/11013237
good read so far,will rate when finished. Couldn't finish book.I agree
with a number of reading that this wasn't gripping and the author was
too apologetic towards Stanley.
* I did love INTO AFRICA by Dugard *
with a number of reading that this wasn't gripping and the author was
too apologetic towards Stanley.
* I did love INTO AFRICA by Dugard *
It turns out that Henry Morton Stanley was a lot more than a newspaperman who "found" David Livingstone in deep, dark Africa: "Dr. Livingstone, I presume". He was a complicated man and an intrepid explorer who made numerous geographical discoveries in Africa. He was horrified by the slave trade and the death and destruction that was brought on by European colonization. Although some parts of this biography dwelled too much on Stanley's insecurities, it was a great read.
Great book. I've spent some time in DR Congo and read "Leopold's Ghost". This is an essential addition.
There is much here that I was completely unaware of regarding a very important, but rarely studied historical figure. This book contests the conventional notion that Stanley was a cruel beast who enabled the devastation wrought by the Belgian King Leopold in the Congo.
Even though Stanley is painted in a much more positive light than history has treated him heretofore, there is still great amounts of death and brutality in this account of his life.
The research is very detailed. For some, it may...more
Even though Stanley is painted in a much more positive light than history has treated him heretofore, there is still great amounts of death and brutality in this account of his life.
The research is very detailed. For some, it may...more
PLodding. Parts great but more than I ever wanted to know about his sex life.
This book made a good case for Stanley not being Africa's worst explorer. He may have murdered and pillaged to achieve his exploratory goals, but only when 'necessary', and a lot less than his contemporaries.
Smithsonian Magazine: Dec 2011
Liked the ten chapters that I read, but found it much too long (with 23 chapters to go)!
There are no discussion topics on this book yet.
Be the first to start one »
Oct 30, 2008 04:49pm