Burton and speke book

Burton s life comes to a sad end for such a richly led life. Great novelization of the relationship between john hanning speke and sir richard francis burton, the famous 19th century african explorers. At best it is a superficial attempt and the size of the book symbolizes the lack of profound reason to make speke appear not as he was. Richard francis burton mcgill university school of.

How feud wrecked the reputation of explorer who discovered niles source. He was commissioned into the british army in 1844 and posted to india where he served in the punjab and travelled in the himalayas. Correspondence between captain richard burton,captain john speke and others, from burton s unpublished east african letter book. Tim jeal, who has accessed speke s personal papers, suggests that it was more likely the other way around, burton being jealous and resentful of speke s determination and success. He is most associated with the search for the source of the nile and was the first european to reach lake victoria. The complete works of captain sir richard francis burton, including his journal articles, together with the standard biographies, numerous portraits, images and critical commentary. In the end, the royal geographical society promoted a debate. This book lead me to read other books about the fascinating burton, but i know little about speke, so i do not know if the author is correct in his portrayal of speke as. The eightpage supplement to speke s 1864 book, what led to the discovery of the source of the nile, was referred to by the. Harrison, known primarily for fiction of a feverish, melodramatic kind, makes a surprisingly sober historical novel out of the contrasting, intertwined careers of nile explorers sir richard burton and john speke.

A new book reappraises 19thcentury explorer john hanning speke s place in history. My second expedition to eastern intertropical africa. The expedition was a severe financial loss and speke s natural history specimens from his earlier leg were used to make up for some of it. Speke accompanied richard francis burton on his 18545 somali expedition, then again on the 18579 east africa expedition, which aimed to find the sources of the nile.

Speke handed burton his diaries that burton used as an appendix in his own book on his travels to harrar. The adventures of sir richard francis burton in africa. John hanning speke 4 may 1827 15 september 1864 was an english explorer and officer in the british indian army who made three exploratory expeditions to africa. What led to the discovery of the source of the nile john. John hanning speke speke, john hanning, 18271864 the.

Next chapter burton and speke in central africa, 1856. They are the british pair who are credited with finding lake victoria, the source of the nile, and this book covers their harrowing journey and the strained, combative relationship afterwards. John hanning speke was born on 4 may 1827 in bideford in devon. Everyday low prices and free delivery on eligible orders. Burton subsequently contracted ulcers on his tongue and could hardly. Burton would publish the lake regions of central africa in 1860, attacking speke for a paucity of evidence and for unsubstantiated speculations. Suppressed story of richard burtons rival explorer surfaces.

Browse the amazon editors picks for the best books of 2019, featuring our favorite reads in more than a. However, tim jeal reveals a very different man in explorers. Despite the confusing titles, the journal actually covers his second expedition, with james grant, while what led to narrates his first journey in the company of burton. How feud wrecked the reputation of explorer who discovered. On an expedition with richard burton which reached lake tanganyika, speke went on alone to investigate rumours of the lake he would later name victoria and proclaim the source of the nile. Explorers of the nile the triumph and tragedy of a great. Tim jeal, author of a new book explorers of the nile, has unearthed. However, formatting rules can vary widely between applications and fields of interest or study. Burton s sympathizers contend that speke resented burton s leadership role. Dec 01, 2017 so in burtons view, speke had betrayed him and gone beyond the evidence. One of twelve family copies of spekes source of the nile. According to alan moorehead, this is the best of all the african exploration books. Jan 28, 2020 perhaps it was burtons tasteless handling of the end to the drama, and spekes ultimate victory, that played a role in burtons name largely absent from presentday east africa, while spekes legacy lives on in five vertebrates and a camp in the maasai mara.

Suppressed story of richard burtons rival explorer. Sep 10, 2011 how feud wrecked the reputation of explorer who discovered niles source. During their second expedition they located lake tanganika, and speke, leading a subsidiary party, discovered ukerewe lake on 3 august 1858, which he named the victoria nyanza. Read, highlight, and take notes, across web, tablet, and phone. This is a study of the famous controversy between richard burton and john hanning speke, fellow explorers who quarreled over spekes claim to have discovered the source of the nile during their african expedition in 185759. Burton and speke is a 1982 historical novel by william harrison recounting the 1857. John hanning speke speke, john hanning, 18271864 an online book about this author is available, as is a wikipedia article speke, john hanning, 18271864. This quaint little volume attempts to put speke s personality in perspective. Burton and speke a star book by harrison, william paperback. Oct 30, 2006 discover book depositorys huge selection of john hanning speke books online. This book recounts the victorianera search for the rivers headwaters. This quaint little volume attempts to put spekes personality in perspective.

Rejoining burton and herne, the trio eventually managed to escape in a boat passing along the coast. Richard burton s exploring companion, john speke was the first european to reach lake victoria, which he correctly identified as a source of the nile. Mountains of the moon 1990 mountains of the moon 1990. Oclcs webjunction has pulled together information and resources to assist library staff as they consider how to handle coronavirus. The discovery of the source of the nile by john hanning. John hanning speke s tumultuous expedition to find the source of the nile river. Burton and english aristocrat and amateur hunter john hanning speke. Reliable information about the coronavirus covid19 is available from the world health organization current situation, international travel. William harrisons historical novel burton and speke reveals both explorers. In spite of his long and colorful life, burton is probably best known today for the second of two african expeditions he made in the company of john hanning speke 18271864, who seems to. Burton and speke is a 1982 historical novel by william harrison recounting the 1857 expedition of the search for the source of the nile by the famous victorian explorer, linguist and anthropologist sir richard burton and english aristocrat and amateur hunter john hanning speke. Discover book depositorys huge selection of john hanning speke books online. The lakes region of central africa is burton s compelling narrative of the expedition he and john speke undertook from zanzibar to.

The secret agent who made the pilgrimage to mecca, discovered the kama sutra, and brought the arabian nights to the west by edward rice charles scribners sons. Burton and speke by harrison, william and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. Later on it was richard francis burton, who suffered from illnesses, and it was speke who discovered lake victoria by himself, which he thought of as the source of river nile. Suppressed story of richard burton s rival explorer surfaces. This is a study of the famous controversy between richard burton and john hanning speke, fellow explorers who quarreled over speke s claim to have discovered the source of the nile during their african expedition in 185759. The sad story of burton, speke, and the nile stanford university. I didnt think the font style of the book would bother me, but it does. Supplemented by the complete works of isabel burton, and john hanning speke. Journal of the discovery of the source of the nile gutenberg text. Their differences become more profound the deeper their adventure takes them and finally speke leaves burton as he goes for the glory for himself.

Larry mcmurtry believes it to be one of the best travel books ever written. Only two books were published by speke the journal of 1863, which follows, and its sequelwhat led to the discovery of the source of the nile, which appeared in the year of his death, 1864. Dec 11, 2011 burton was so ill he had to be carried for the last 200 miles. Both travellers received from the french geographical society the medal awarded for the most important discovery of the year. The eightpage supplement to spekes 1864 book, what led to the discovery of the source of the nile, was referred to by the. John hanning speke, born may 3, 1827, bideford, devon, englanddied september 15, 1864, near corsham, wiltshire, british explorer who was the first european to reach lake victoria in east africa, which he correctly identified as a source of the nile. Burton and speke hardcover september 1, 1982 by william harrison author. I first read this book in the 90s, and it was definitely worth a second reading.

The book was adapted for film in 1990 by harrison and director bob rafelson. The author argues that, while burton is justifiably admired as a linguist and swordsman and for his staggering 50 books, including translations of works such as the kama sutra, speke was looked. Book overview the source of the river nile was one of the great mysteries of the victorian age. Speke and burtons dispute stemmed from their first joint expedition to africa in 18541855, and continued to blight their second expedition in 18561859. Let us be honest, richard burton, a brilliant mind and a total renaissance man was an opinionated, cynical, domineering type, no. Burtons life comes to a sad end for such a richly led life. A novel about the great african explorers paperback september, 1982 by william harrison author. These articles were answered by burton in his book, the lake regions of equatorial africa, in which he criticised spekes nile theory and ridiculed his imaginary discovery of the mountains of the moon. It makes difficult reading, the english grammer is terrible but maybe that has nothing to do with the publisher and that is spekes way of writing. Burton and speke by william harrison book cover, description, publication history. The source of the river nile was one of the great mysteries of the victorian age. In a book of his own, burton said that speke was no good as a scientist, that he didnt have any scientific or linguistic training, and that he, burton, had done all the real work and speke had taken the glory. Sep 05, 2017 suppressed story of richard burtons rival explorer surfaces. Livingstone had just left loanda and was making his way across africa from west to east, when an english expedition set forth to find the great lakes still lying solitary and undiscovered, although they were known to exist.

The relationship between burton and speke is the heart and soul of this book. The author deeply creates the mindsthoughts of burton and speke quite wonderfully, albeit from a victorian and british male perspective, quite sexist in expressed and unexpressed tone, not to mention racist in their view of africans and muslims from speke s perspective. Two recent books provide insight into the changing ways in which this controversy might be understood. Burton and speke by william harrison fantastic fiction. I saw that old father nile without any doubt rises in the victoria nyanza, and as i had foretold, that lake is the great source of the holy river which cradled the first expounder of our religious belief. Journal of the discovery of the source of the nilenook book. John hanning speke books read all the books about his three voyages of. The source of the nile by john hanning speke and a great selection of related books, art and collectibles available now at. It makes difficult reading, the english grammer is terrible but maybe that has nothing to do with the publisher and that is speke s way of writing.

All of our paper waste is recycled within the uk and turned into corrugated cardboard. Spekes raging ophthalmia meant he could barely see the lake. Sir richard francis burton and his mate, john hanning speke s travels to find the source of the nile, and travails to claim the rigth to say that either of these two gentlemen adventurers discovered the source of the nile makes for one of the biggest and best epic adventure films in recent memory. In the years 1863 and 1864 speke published, respectively, journal of the discovery of the source of the nile and this book, what led to the discovery of the source of the nile. Mountains of the moon by william neal harrison goodreads. Burton has had the upper hand in subsequent accounts. Speke died of a gunshot wound, probably accidental, the day before a scheduled debate with burton in 1864. Numerous and frequentlyupdated resource results are available from this search. Burton and speke hardcover 1 sep 1982 by william harrison author. Burton became painfully jealous of speke for upstaging him.

Speke and burton s dispute stemmed from their first joint expedition to africa in 18541855, and continued to blight their second expedition in 18561859. A novel about the great african explorers william harrison on. During his life, speke s claim to have the found the nile source was challenged and his achievements were diminished by fellow traveller sir richard burton, who described him as a deluded nonentity a view repeated by successive biographers. The book of burtoniana, in four volumes, edited by gavan tredoux.