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Labyrinth of Kingdoms
- 10,000 Miles Through Islamic Africa
- Narrated by: Ed Phillips
- Length: 14 hrs and 51 mins
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Labyrinth of Kingdoms
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Summary
A true story that rivals the travels of Burton or Stanley for excitement, and surpasses them in scientific achievements.
In 1849 Heinrich Barth joined a small British expedition into unexplored regions of Islamic North and Central Africa. One by one his companions died, but he carried on alone, eventually reaching the fabled city of gold, Timbuktu. His five-and-a-half-year, 10,000-mile adventure ranks among the greatest journeys in the annals of exploration, and his discoveries are considered indispensable by modern scholars of Africa.
Yet because of shifting politics, European preconceptions about Africa, and his own thorny personality, Barth has been almost forgotten. The general public has never heard of him, his epic journey, or his still-pertinent observations about Africa and Islam; and his monumental five-volume Travels and Discoveries in North and Central Africa is rare even in libraries. Though he made his journey for the British government, he has never had a biography in English. Barth and his achievements have fallen through a crack in history.
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Average customer ratingsReviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.
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Overall5 out of 5 stars
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Performance4 out of 5 stars
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Story5 out of 5 stars
- the60sthrowback
- 05-09-22
a vital record of a forgotten man
I hadn't heard of Barth. yet he is without a doubt one of the greatest scientific explorers of Africa in pre colonial days. he deserves to be remembered and this book helps no end.
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Overall4 out of 5 stars
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Performance5 out of 5 stars
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Story4 out of 5 stars
- Jonathan
- 08-09-14
Fascinating But Drags in Places
I would definitely recommend this audiobook as a fascinating account of a little known but very important explorer. The early stages with totally compelling and I had to tear myself away from it. But some of the later stages definitely dragged -- there is too much detail and the progressions from one kingdom to another start to get a bit repetitive. And the description of the stay in Timbuktu is definitely over-long. But overall I found it both enjoyable and highly educational -- both about Barth and about that part of Africa. The reading is excellent, in my view.
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1 person found this helpful