Crossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure

Rate this book

Clear rating

1 of 5 stars 2 of 5 stars 3 of 5 stars 4 of 5 stars 5 of 5 stars

Crossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure

by Julian Smith (Goodreads Author)

3.57 of 5 stars 3.57 · rating details · 169 ratings · 52 reviews

The amazing true story of Julian Smith, who retraced the journey of legendary British explorer Ewart "The Leopard" Grogan, the first man to cross the length of Africa, in hopes of also winning the heart of the woman he loved.

In 1898, the dashing young British explorer Ewart "the Leopard" Grogan was in love. In order to prove his mettle to his beloved--and her aristocratic...more

Paperback, 344 pages

Published December 7th 2010 by Harper Perennial (first published November 23rd 2010)

more details... edit details

Get a copy:

More…

Friend Reviews

To see what your friends thought of this book, please sign up.

Lists with This Book

Taft Alumni Authors

21st out of 59 books — 2 voters

More lists with this book...

Community Reviews

(showing 1-30 of 451)

filter | sort: default (?) | rating details

Jan 04, 2013 Ashland Mystery Oregon rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: travel, mystery-africa

Facinating history of the exploration and mapping of Eastern and Central Africa as Julian Smith retraces the 1898 steps of Britisher Ewart Grogan. Grogan aptly describes political confusion and racial strife in the Congo and Rwanda, foreshadowing what Julian Smith discovers in 2010. Smith's findings in Rwanda are particularly chilling, the lush, green folds of the land that conceals the bones of the dead - genocide fertilizing a bread basket, not a generation later.

Ewart Grogan's near-insane cou...more

like · see review

Mar 22, 2012 Teresa O'Kane rated it 5 of 5 stars

I love Africa and travel there often but I had never heard of Ewart Grogan, the first man to cross the length of Africa. I was anxious to read Julian Smith's book detailing the exploits of this determined explorer.

More than a century ago Grogan set off on a 4000 mile journey across the heart of Africa. This was a time of grand expeditions and contests to be "first" somewhere, but Grogan didn't risk his life crossing Africa on foot for fame or fortune. He did it for love. He was a man desperatel...more

like · see review

Mar 25, 2011 Rise rated it 2 of 5 stars

I draw the basic outline of my trip in the air: six and a half thousand miles through seven more countries, a crooked line heading north and west up the scar of the western branch of the Great Rift Valley (technically the East African Rift System), a massive fracture in the earth's crust where the continent is tearing itself in two. My goal, like Grogan's 109 years ago, is to go as far as I can down the Nile into southern Sudan ... [34-35]

Julian Smith's Crossing the Heart of Africa is part trave...more

I draw the basic outline of my trip in the air: six and a half thousand miles through seven more countries, a crooked line heading north and west up the scar of the western branch of the Great Rift Valley (technically the East African Rift System), a massive fracture in the earth's crust where the continent is tearing itself in two. My goal, like Grogan's 109 years ago, is to go as far as I can down the Nile into southern Sudan ... [34-35]

Julian Smith's Crossing the Heart of Africa is part travel writing, part memoir. Smith journeyed into the continent following closely the itinerary of legendary explorer Ewart Grogan who undertook more than a century before what was then considered an impossible feat. The parallelism in the two men's travels rests not only on the similar roads they took but on their motive for their respective crossings: they both, in their own ways, did it for love. Grogan was challenged by his beloved's stepfather to the task as precondition for his marrying her. Smith, on the other hand, did his own travel on the eve of his scheduled wedding. Each of their separate travels was recounted in the book in alternating sections, with flashbacks of the developing relationship between Smith and Laura.

The book's subtitle, "An Odyssey of Love and Adventure," promises the reader two things. The romantic notion of braving all odds to get the girl was enacted here. Grogan accomplished it and he and Gertrude lived happily ever after. (There's a long denouement recounting Grogan's further "adventures" even after his famous journey.) Smith's attitudes on his own relationship with Laura were a bit more complicated.

Thankfully, the book escaped the self-centered kind of confession from Smith. He candidly shared his personal thoughts on the matter of love. This "inner" journey into the self, the parsing of feelings before a major life-changing commitment, the need to "know oneself" through solitary travel: these are all equally perilous territories for a writer to dwell on, one that could easily fall prey into the trappings of chick lit books. I was actually resisting the book from the beginning, not sure whether I will still find two journeys whose ends were already predetermined still engaging. Yet the book was filled with enough anecdotes and concrete stories to make it a singular reading experience.

"To travel" originally meant to "suffer." A thousand years ago, life was dangerous, but leaving home was worse. The word itself comes from the Old French travailler, meaning to toil, as in "travail." It's rooted in the Latin tripalium, a torture device made of three poles tied together, to which victims would be attached and lit on fire. [101]

I was initially a bit put off with the forced alternation of chapters, feeling lost as I navigated the brief transitions between the two men's parallel travels. This device felt a bit overused and artificial for me at first, but eventually the book grew on me. I much appreciated the cultural and political contexts that Smith integrated into the text. The realization that Africa is a place fraught with danger and threats precisely because men tried to tame it. That the heart of darkness in the continent stems from personal and historical interests staked on it.

In the end though, while I found interesting the mixture of romance and adventure in the book, I actually enjoyed more the larger silent story that Smith was telling in the background. One was shown revealing aspects of human nature as Smith recalled ordinary incidents with people he interacted with in his travels. The historical precedence of violence in Africa was evident in Grogan's time as it is in the present. The all too real incidents of genocide, cannibalism, colonialism, and slavery; the challenges of wildlife and national parks management; the unstable history of newly founded African nations - all of these provide a very forceful backdrop to the shared passions of Grogan and Smith, two lovers trapped by frontier dreams.

Crossing the Heart of Africa is a sometimes stirring, sometimes humorous, often barefaced and plain account of overcoming personal and emotional challenges amid the forces of nature, the clash of cultures, and the humanitarian crises enveloping the dark corners of a continent.

From here on, every step I take will be toward home. [202]

(less)

like · see review

Mar 13, 2011 Jennifer Rayment rated it 3 of 5 stars

The Good Stuff

* Fascinating and unusual story
* Loved how the story goes back and forth from Julian's journey to Grogan's - even if Julian's journey isn't as harrowing, but was impressed with Julian's honesty and emotional growth
* Historical information interspersed within the story, and done in such an intriguing and interesting way
* Grogan was a fascinating man and would be interested in reading more about him
* Mentions one of my favorite movies "The African Queen" and I learned a little m...more

like · see review

Dec 22, 2010 Nancy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Two men. Two women. One huge continent. This is the basis of Smith's story of the trip taken by Ewart Grogan 107 years before Smith replicated the same trail. Grogan was intent on proving to his hopefully future father-in-law that he was man enough to marry Gertrude Watt. He started off just prior to Christmas, 1899, by foot with food, rifles and a team of African porters. Along the way he met Arthur Sharp, a renowned explorer who became his fast friend. He shot elephants, hippos, snakes and, oc...more

like · see review

Nov 11, 2011 Elizabeth rated it 3 of 5 stars Recommends it for: fans of the dark continent

Shelves: 2011

Julian Smith sets out to retrace the steps of Brit Ewart Grogan's 1898 quest to cross the entire length of Africa, Cape Town to Cairo. Grogan did it to win a girl's heart, Smith does it as a last dash of singledom and focus before getting married. The two motivations seem very different.

The bestest things about this book are the continent Africa and reading about Grogan's journey. How difficult and ghastly a journey it was to undertake and how his love, Getrude, waited patiently for his return l...more

like · see review

Mar 08, 2013 Cace rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Fascinating true story...actually 2 stories...about a journey across Africa, from south to north. One follows British explorer Grogan who begins his trek in 1899, and the other follows Smith who attempts to re-trace Grogan's footsteps in 2007. I loved the descriptions of the people and landscapes as they trekked through several countries in east and central Africa.
Both men faced numerous challenges along the way, especially Grogan, who dealt with recurring fever from malaria, cannibals, rough t...more

like · see review

Jun 14, 2011 Amy rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2011

I love reading almost anything I can about Africa. I've always been fascinated by it- especially the animals and 19th century colonialism. I can't get enough of those subjects. I'm thankful Julian Smith's book brought the travels of Ewart Grogan to my attention. More than anything else, reading Smith's book made me want to track down Grogan's memoir and read that instead. I thought Smith was focusing too much on trying to connect his own (dull) love story to Grogan's much more romantic one. He d...more

like · see review

Feb 17, 2013 Maggie rated it 4 of 5 stars

This book is told in alternating parts. First we have the story of the dashing British explorer Ewart Grogan, who sets off in 1898 to travel the length of Africa and prove himself worthy of betrothal to his beloved. Next we have 35-year-old Julian Smith, also poised on the brink of marriage, who retraces Grogan's journey in 2007.

Through the two stories, we get a glimpse of Africa's lakes, volcanoes, cities, forests and savannas, both then and now.

I enjoyed both parts immensely. Grogan was a ch...more

like · see review

Nov 15, 2010 Andrea rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: africa, travel

This book was another in the popular genre "I did exactly (sort of) what a famous explorer did in Africa only much later". I actually often find these really compelling. This book was okay, but didn't measure up, IMO, to some of the examples I've read recently. The author is engaged to be married, but still apparently, for no real reason except basic lack of moral courage, having doubts. Being a travel writer, he decides to follow Ewart Grogan's "Capetown to Cairo" walk. Grogan did the walk part...more

like · see review

Mar 14, 2013 Clivemichael Justice rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: africa, biography, travel, library-ebook

I have mixed feelings about this book. He carries the historical narrative well, rehashing the incredible odyssey that was Grogan's journey. However I found his own story at times, less than compelling and pathetically indulgent at worst. I get the parallels but really there are three different stories and they do not always blend well. In fact I'm hard pressed to have a sense of what he actually experienced with the shallow coverage of his time in Africa. The moments of pathos and compassionate...more

like · see review

Dec 11, 2010 Katherine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads, reviewed

I found this book to be very interesting. One of the other reviewers felt that it was pretty shallow as books on Africa go and that may be if you have an intense interest in the continent and wish to truly delve into its story. I have never had that depth of curiosity--especially after Heart of Darkness and Lord Jim as well as the many name and regime changes that have occured in my life time. Exposure to Michael Caine in British red and other horrors really turned me off. But on occasion I have...more I found this book to be very interesting. One of the other reviewers felt that it was pretty shallow as books on Africa go and that may be if you have an intense interest in the continent and wish to truly delve into its story. I have never had that depth of curiosity--especially after Heart of Darkness and Lord Jim as well as the many name and regime changes that have occured in my life time. Exposure to Michael Caine in British red and other horrors really turned me off. But on occasion I have been fascinated with Camus' Algeria, or the story of deBeers and the exploitation of the diamond deposits, or the Egypt of the Pharoahs or the story of the Boer Wars or the final triumph of Mandela in S.Africa. As a science teacher I dreampt of the incredible wildlife of Africa--the Serengeti or the Rift area. Yet, for all that, I've never aspired to visit Africa and still do not for the dirt, insects and disease of the continent repel me.

In his book, Smith describes those things as well as the political unrest in many of the countries through which he and Grogan passed. It is hard to explain how he carried three story lines through the narrative but somehow I found it easy to follow and each to be interesting. He transitioned back and forth in a way that made me feel as though there was a fade between periods much like a good movie is able to blend shots back and forth through time. The transitions were smooth and non-jarring.

Grogan's experiences were almost unbelieveable, the time so primitive, in ways, and unmarred by outsider influence despite the colonization by European powers. The landscape so vast and inhabited by so much life. The current conditions, modern. without necessarily terribly advanced by technology but definitely ruled by money or its lack.

For a man so impressed by the beauty of the Utah landscape that he aspired to be married on one of its cliffs, Julian seems almost blind to the beauties of the African scene. In contrast to Grogan's detailed descriptions of people,places and the flora and fauna of the continent, his narration is almost superficial. But then again, he covered, more or less, the same territory in months when it took Grogan years. He rode motor bikes and buses and boats and planes over territory that Grogan walked, slogged and, at times, crawled over. While he spent,in most cases, less than 24 hours with any one person,Grogan was in the company of his porters, cooks,guides and bodyguards for many months and in some cases years.

The best description, for me, was Julian's trek with a guide, two guards and several other tourists up into the mountains to observe silver backed gorillas. This came the closest to the richness of Grogan's narrative;but then, it also come the closest to his whole journey. Perhaps Julian's appreciation of the Utah vistas and other areas of our West stems from the fact that he hiked them and camped in them--less a tourist,more an involved part of the scene.

So, though he claimed to be interested in replicating Grogan's trek that is not really what he did. Yet, though his own observations are lacking--the result of the tourists' here today, there tomorrow headlong race to cover lots in little time, his inclusinon of Grogan's experiences and the history of the tribes and European colonization of Africa is worth the time spent reading this book. It is certainly a jumping off place if it peaks one's interest in these aspects of Africa.

As to Grogan's quest for Gertrude's hand and Julian's quest for understanding and acceptance of his life changes through marriage--I was so amused. The more men change--or women for that matter--the more they remain the same. 45 years ago in my 20's the men I dated were exactly like Julian. 37 years ago, the man I married 27 years ago, could have written this book--notice it took ten years for him to bite the bullet. And now, our 25 year old daughter is meeting the new generation of men who are right there with Julian, Grogan and my husband. As Maurice Chevalier sang-I'm so glad that I'm not young anymore! LOL

Anyway, read this, you'll like it!!(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jul 03, 2011 Coffeeboss rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: foreign-lands, history, travel-adventure

Modern journalist Julian Smith retraces the turn-of-the-20th-century journey of Brit Ewart Grogan, who was the first European to cross African from south to north--specifically, from the Horn to Cairo. Making the tale of two journeys "an odyssey of love" Smith parallels the purpose of Grogan's adventure (to prove his worth to his fiancee) with his own last-gasp adventure before getting married his girlfriend of 7 years. I have to admit this parallel was kind of pushing it for me, as Smith just c...more

like · see review

Apr 12, 2011 Margaret rated it 2 of 5 stars

I wanted to like it, but found it actually a slog to finish, though not in the same sense as the slog(s) through Africa from Cape to Cairo depicted in this book . This account contains two intertwined tales: that of a little-known adventurer, Ewart Grogan, and that of the author himself. The author writes very well about Grogan, and makes me wish to read more about his amazing journey. But the parts of the book concerning the author's life, and his efforts to retrace Grogan's steps, simply fell...more

like · see review

Jan 12, 2011 Leeswammes rated it 4 of 5 stars

Ewart Grogan was a penniless university drop-out when he met the beautiful Gertrude in 1898. She was rich and her stepfather didn’t like the idea of her marrying this good-for-nothing man.

Grogan did manage to extract the promise that if he could travel from the South Cape of Africa to Cairo in the North, and come back alive, he would be allowed to marry her.

And so he went. On the way he endured the most terrible hardships and not only he. With him were his uncle and a varying number of natives....more

like · see review

Jan 20, 2012 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

So amazing! The author really weaves Grogan's past with his present, and the past of his relationship too all into one story. I really enjoyed his writing style and I found it hard to stop reading. I was a little confused at times as to the location of where the author was, but that is due to my own ignorance of Africa. It also gave me a little more insight into the male mind, I think, as far as commitment goes. It seemed like the author really opened up about all his feelings towards marriage a...more

like · see review

Sep 01, 2011 Maryellen rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

I absolutely loved this book. The story of Ewart Grogan is a fascinating one and his book From the Cape to Cairo: the First Traverse of Africa From South to North will be on my reading list as well. The author does a good job in retracing Grogan steps; done easier than his counterpart, however, still with political and social risks. By some other reviews, it appears that some may believe Smith's story is too contrived, particularly as it relates to his upcoming nupitals. But it was an interestin...more

like · see review

Sep 06, 2012 Jrobertus rated it 4 of 5 stars

This travel book has three layers, the story of Ewart Grogan's 1899 trek, the author's attempt to follow the path in modern times, and the authors romance of his bride to be. Grogan's eic trek was motivated by his desire to prove himself to his lady loves father and so he did in a two year expedition. He suffered from malaria and other ailments, was attacked by cannibals, and later by the Dinka as he crossed the Sudd. Smith made it about half way using buses and boats, but also won his lady. Jus...more

like · see review

Dec 01, 2010 Iva rated it 3 of 5 stars

Smith retraces explorer Ewart Scott Grogan's 1899 trip across Africa. However Grogan walked all 4,500 miles and Smith, a 21st century man, had a cell phone and uses buses, trains and planes. Smith weaves the story of the fiance he plans to marry at his return in alternating chapters, but it is debatable whether this is information is necessary for understanding Africa. The strongest parts of the book cover Grogan's African adventures: the wild animals, cannibals and illnesses as he covered "Cape...more

like · see review

Feb 09, 2013 Deon Stonehouse rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: books-set-in-africa, non-fiction-biography-memoir, non-fiction-history, travel-essay

This is the best sort of travel story, set in two time frames. Just before Julian’s nuptials put an end to his bachelor days he retraced the 1898 journey Ewart Grogan made in a bid to win the hand of fair Gertrude. Love, adventure, and gorgeous scenery all come together in this rousing good story.

Is the name Ewart Grogan known to you? It was not a name familiar to me until reading Julian’s book I am ashamed to say. We should know this name, right along with Burton, Stanley, and Livingston. Groga...more This is the best sort of travel story, set in two time frames. Just before Julian’s nuptials put an end to his bachelor days he retraced the 1898 journey Ewart Grogan made in a bid to win the hand of fair Gertrude. Love, adventure, and gorgeous scenery all come together in this rousing good story.

Is the name Ewart Grogan known to you? It was not a name familiar to me until reading Julian’s book I am ashamed to say. We should know this name, right along with Burton, Stanley, and Livingston. Grogan was a man who lived life big. An adventurer, a soldier, a swashbuckler, a spy, a romantic, a mountain climber, and a man hugely important in the early days of Kenya, he has been neglected by history. In 1898 he set out to make a journey no one had heretofore attempted, to go overland in Africa crossing from Cape Town to Cairo. Grogan had fallen for Gertrude, an heiress of immense wealth. Her step-father, Coleman, saw fortune hunter writ large all over Grogan. He couldn’t have been more wrong. Grogan proposed a quest to prove his worth and win his lady. Coleman was swayed, after all the chances of Grogan surviving such a trip were not high. Grogan and Henry Sharp set out on a grand adventure.

Over a hundred years later author Julian Smith was coming up sharp on the end of his bachelor days. Devoted to his betrothed, Laura, he was still nervous as a cat walking on hot coals. When he came across Grogan’s story, of his adventurous trip across Africa to win his bride, it caught Julian’s attention. It seemed just the sort of grand gesture to end his bachelor days, one last huge adventure. He would retrace Grogan’s footsteps.

The book does an excellent job of moving between time periods. I can’t say I prefer the more modern conveyances of Smith’s journey to Grogan’s time. There is something about the romance, danger, and adventure of Grogan’s journey when everything was so blessedly untouched and rife with possibility. I rather prefer the idea of Africa wild and not yet fully humbled by the colonial yoke. But you have to give Smith credit, his journey is invigorating. The contrast between the two trips is tremendously interesting.

Grogan won his lady love, they settled in Nairobi Kenya where they rubbed shoulders with Elspeth Huxley, Beryl Markham, and Karen Blixen. Grogan lived into his 90’s, a vigorous man always up to something. Gertrude was his companion until her death during WWII.

Julian picked an admirable man to emulate. Grogan’s won the lady and his marriage survived until death. He was also industrious and generous, working hard and becoming very wealthy in his own right he did his bit to help the oppressed. We wish Julian and Laura an equally rewarding union.
(less)

like · see review

Jun 11, 2011 Valerie LeComte rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: travel

==========
Crossing the Heart of Africa (Julian Smith)
- Highlight on Page 20 | Loc. 303-4 | Added on Wednesday, June 08, 2011, 11:33 PM

To him, the world was a place where you did what you wanted and had fun doing it. It was also full of fools who needed to be put in their place.
==========
Crossing the Heart of Africa (Julian Smith)
- Highlight on Page 43 | Loc. 654-55 | Added on Thursday, June 09, 2011, 10:03 AM

The kindness of strangers offsets much of the aggravation of traveling in the developing...more

like · see review

Jun 23, 2011 Matthew rated it 4 of 5 stars

Bit late on this review, been with out a computer for over a month now.

This book is part memoir and part history, as Smith attempts to recreate Ewart Grogan's almost-forgotten overland crossing of Africa from Cape Town to Cairo, the first such endevour ever attempted. Grogan undertook this feat in order to impress the father of the woman he wanted to marry (who was relatively certain he wouldn't come back alive); Smith, by contrast, is about to get married, and is fleeing his growing sense of a...more

like · see review

Feb 23, 2013 Deborah rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

I think I lean more toward 4.5. I found a little of everything in this book: humour, tidbits of information that I had not known before and found quite fascinating, a rollicking travel memoir, some love (and indecision for a while on the part of the author, animal attacks, attacks by hostile tribes, tropical illnesses and.....that should be enough to give you the general picture. It certainly makes me want to go back and read Ewart Scott Grogan's account of his journey of the same route over a c...more

like · see review

Nov 23, 2010 April is currently reading it

I just found out I won won this book on the "The Good Reads" Giveaway! I am thrilled to have been chosen to read & review this book because it really looks like a "Good Read!" April
I just received the book in the mail; on 11-23-10; will let you know my review when finished reading
this true tale; of 2 men who in different centuries; that walk the same courageous trail across the
entire length of Africa;from Cape Town to Cairo. Looks like an adventurous love story for both men-
We will see!

like · see review

Oct 02, 2012 Shauna rated it 4 of 5 stars

The book is told in three alternating story lines. The historic, turn of the last century crossing by Grogan is fascinating. The modern day tale of the author taking the same route is an interesting travelogue. The third portion, in which the author details his mundane and completely ordinary love life with his fiancée could have been left out entirely. Overall, a good read for those who love history and exploration.

like · see review

Jan 27, 2011 Kathleen Pooler rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

A young commitment-phobic contemporary man challenges himself to cross Africa to test his readiness for marriage after reading about an explorer from a century ago, Ewart Scott Grogan, who traveled 2 and 1/2 years from Capetown to Cairo to win the hand of his true love.The writing is excellent and he skillfully weaves the two stories and times together while providing exquisite details about life in Africa. Great read!

like · see review

Mar 03, 2013 Steve rated it 3 of 5 stars

Two parallel stories of driven outdoor adventurers crossing Africa--one in the 1890s and the other in 2007. Interesting descriptions of Africa by young men planning to marry at the end of their journeys. The author also describes his on and off courtship of the woman back home. I know I felt conflicted about the comittment of marriage myself, but it seemed like the author whined a bit much about his doubts.

like · see review

Jan 14, 2011 Catherine Sumner rated it 3 of 5 stars

I'd actually give this 3.5 stars if possible. Interesting back and forth between a contemporary man's journey through Africa, retracing the path of Ewart Grogan, a Victorian British explorer who walked (sort of) from Capetown to Cairo (sort of). My main complaint was that by the end of the book I was kind of sick of the author and his attitude toward his fiancee and marriage. Overall, the Grogan portions were more compelling.

like · see review

Dec 04, 2011 Sara Habein rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: own

Smith weaves Grogan and his tale together seamlessly between chapters, doing an excellent job of making Grogan's experiences seem just as present as his own.

I love to hear people's individual stories over a more detached perspective. Grogan's story interests me before a research paper on African exploration and imperialism would. Still, even Grogan's story on its own might not have been enough without having Smith's journey entwined with the narrative. It's an honest, though not overly heavy rea...more

like · see review

Jun 16, 2011 Susan rated it 2 of 5 stars

The author attempts to follow in the footsteps of Grogan, who crossed Africa from South to North in the late 1800's. The author's journey wasn't in the least interesting, but the chapters of Grogan's exploits were. However, I could have done without the flashbacks to the author's relationship with his fiance and his reluctance to get married until he had completed his "journey." Better to skip this one and just read Grogan's own book, From the Cape to Cairo (from which the author borrowed heavil...more

like · see review

« previous 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 … 15 16 next »

new topic
Discuss This Book

There are no discussion topics on this book yet. Be the first to start one »

Recommend it | Stats | Recent status updates

combine
Other Editions (5)

More editions...

Videos About This Book

Add a comment

Add a comment

Genres

Travel

20 users

Cultural > Africa

15 users

Non Fiction

10 users

Biography

5 users

Autobiography > Memoir

5 users

History

3 users

Adventure

2 users

See top shelves...

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Julian Smith

Julian Smith is an award-winning writer specializing in travel and science. His articles and photographs have appeared in Smithsonian, Wired, Outside, National Geographic Traveler, New Scientist, the Los Angeles Times, the Washington Post, and US News & World Report.

He is the author of travel guidebooks to El Salvador, Ecuador, Virginia and the Four Corners, and has won the country’s top trave...more

More about Julian Smith...

Books by Julian Smith

Moon Handbooks Ecuador: Including the Galapagos Islands

Moon Virginia: Including Chesapeake Bay, Shenandoah Valley, Blue Ridge Mountains, and Washington, D.C. (Moon Handbooks)

Four Corners: Including Navajo and Hopi Country, Moab, and Lake Powell (Moon Handbooks)

Rants Raves and Thoughts of Saddam Hussein: The Dictator in His Own Words and Those of Others

More…

Share This Book

Facebook Twitter Your website

Trivia About Crossing the Hear...

No trivia or quizzes yet. Add some now »

title link	preview: Crossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure
avg rating	preview: Crossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure Goodreads rating: 3.57 (169 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8879804-crossing-the-heart-of-africa?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348005728l/8879804.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/8879804-crossing-the-heart-of-africa?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]Crossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure by Julian Smith[/url]

Crossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure

Friend Reviews

Community Reviews

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website