Livingstone's River: A History Of The Zambezi Expedition 1858-1864
Condition: SECONDHAND
This is a secondhand book. The jacket image is a photograph of the exact copy we have in stock. This image shows the condition of this book. Further condition remarks are below.
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good , price clipped
Markings: No markings
A gripping work of historical narrative, Livingstone's River: A History of the Zambezi Expedition 1858-1864 chronicles one of the most ambitious and ill-fated exploration ventures of the Victorian era, tracing David Livingstone's government-sponsored mission to open the Zambezi River as a highway into the heart of Africa. George Martelli presents a meticulously researched account of the expedition's mounting hardships, internal conflicts, and ultimate failure, painting a vivid portrait of Livingstone as a complex, driven, and often difficult leader whose vision outpaced the realities of the African interior. The narrative uncovers the human cost of imperial ambition — from the deaths of crew members and missionaries to the devastating discovery that the Kebrabasa Rapids rendered the Zambezi unnavigable — while situating the expedition within the broader context of Victorian attitudes toward Africa, commerce, and Christianity. Written with authoritative clarity and a keen eye for dramatic detail, Martelli's account stands as an essential study of exploration history, illustrating how even the most celebrated figures of the age could be undone by geography, disease, and the limits of their own certainty.
Author: George Martelli
Format: Hardback
Published: 1970, Chatto & Windus
Genre: African history
Condition remarks:
Book: Good
Jacket: Worn/faded, no tears
Pages: Good , price clipped
Markings: No markings
A gripping work of historical narrative, Livingstone's River: A History of the Zambezi Expedition 1858-1864 chronicles one of the most ambitious and ill-fated exploration ventures of the Victorian era, tracing David Livingstone's government-sponsored mission to open the Zambezi River as a highway into the heart of Africa. George Martelli presents a meticulously researched account of the expedition's mounting hardships, internal conflicts, and ultimate failure, painting a vivid portrait of Livingstone as a complex, driven, and often difficult leader whose vision outpaced the realities of the African interior. The narrative uncovers the human cost of imperial ambition — from the deaths of crew members and missionaries to the devastating discovery that the Kebrabasa Rapids rendered the Zambezi unnavigable — while situating the expedition within the broader context of Victorian attitudes toward Africa, commerce, and Christianity. Written with authoritative clarity and a keen eye for dramatic detail, Martelli's account stands as an essential study of exploration history, illustrating how even the most celebrated figures of the age could be undone by geography, disease, and the limits of their own certainty.