Livingstone (Tim Jeal, 1973)

Livingstone is another one of those folks whose story - if presented by a writer of fiction - would be considered too unrealistic to have much merit.

Not much point in recounting details of his life here, but I would recommend reading the basic information via this link.

I was particularly struck by the odds that the guy overcame to gain an education. His father worked in the mills, and Livingstone worked there as a child - 6a to 8p. The entire family (mom, dad, five children) lived in a 14 x 10 foot room with two bed recesses. And he taught himself enough Latin, botany, theology and math to get into medical school by the age of 23.

Livingstone eventually figured out that missionary work in China was a ticket out; he had an urge to explore early on. Ended up in South Africa (the first Opium War broke out and cut off China opportunities) under the thumb of a domineering older missionary. Eventually focused far more on exploring than on being a missionary, though his PR back home depended on emphasizing the missionary work. Later switched to anti-slavery rather than missionary as a cover for his explorations. Spent lots of time looking for the source of the Nile but ended up on the wrong track. It appears that he was willing to be less than forthright about risk of disease and local conflict, ending up bringing folks over to Africa that were not prepared for conditions and there were plenty of casualties.

The toughness that permitted him to escape the mills turned him into a pretty heartless, insensitive type; he functioned far better with native workers than with Europeans. Unbelievable ability to travel under impossible conditions, fight off malaria, etc.

I never get tired of reading materials on the 19th century explorers of Africa - the ultimate intersection of completely different cultures.

Later on of course was the famous meeting with Henry Stanley: "Dr. Livingstone, I presume?" Followed by his death in Africa, and the unbelievable return of his body to England. Project Gutenberg has an e-book of his last journals which is located here - this is very much worth perusing if you want a sense of what he was going through.

Incredible popularity in England and beyond, well explained in the article linked above.

The map shows his wanderings; some in search of the Nile, others for waterways that would bring commerce into the interior. Amazing that they were still unable to find the Nile source well into the second half of the 19th century.

Jeal writes well and has just published a new work on Stanley, which is on the list.