Adventure in the desert - an entertaing read!
An Entertaining Read - Adventure in the Desert
In 1925, Byron de Prorok , self-proclaimed ‘Count’ de Prorok, led an expedition into the Sahara desert seeking the resting place of the ancient Queen Tin Hanan of the Taureg Tribe. In his novel The Count of the Sahara, Wayne Turmel recounts not only the adventure but also the midwestern lecture tour that followed in 1926 as well as the Count’s personal life and the business “mis-adventures” that dogged him during the time.
In “The Count” we find an intriguing mixture of a serious archeologist in the mold of Indiana Jones with a more prominent side akin to P.T. Barnum. A lecture tour filled with home-made costumes and props passed off as the real thing seems now more like a self-promoting sideshow than a culturally enlightening experience. Such a show was probably common in the days of vaudeville and tent shows that preceded television but hardly the fare of National Geographic.
Turmel brings us the story in a quite interesting fashion that works well. Chapters move back and forth between the exploration, told in third-person, and the lecture tour presented in first person by the Count’s projectionist, stage-prop, and personal assistant.
“The Count of the Sahara” is a highly entertaining read that I can easily recommend to all of my friends. I rate it five stars. I look forward to reading Wayne Turmel’s newest
In 1925, Byron de Prorok , self-proclaimed ‘Count’ de Prorok, led an expedition into the Sahara desert seeking the resting place of the ancient Queen Tin Hanan of the Taureg Tribe. In his novel The Count of the Sahara, Wayne Turmel recounts not only the adventure but also the midwestern lecture tour that followed in 1926 as well as the Count’s personal life and the business “mis-adventures” that dogged him during the time.
In “The Count” we find an intriguing mixture of a serious archeologist in the mold of Indiana Jones with a more prominent side akin to P.T. Barnum. A lecture tour filled with home-made costumes and props passed off as the real thing seems now more like a self-promoting sideshow than a culturally enlightening experience. Such a show was probably common in the days of vaudeville and tent shows that preceded television but hardly the fare of National Geographic.
Turmel brings us the story in a quite interesting fashion that works well. Chapters move back and forth between the exploration, told in third-person, and the lecture tour presented in first person by the Count’s projectionist, stage-prop, and personal assistant.
“The Count of the Sahara” is a highly entertaining read that I can easily recommend to all of my friends. I rate it five stars. I look forward to reading Wayne Turmel’s newest
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