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A biography of David Livingstone giving a balanced account of his strengths and weaknesses. Revered for years as a saint, he was in fact a much more interesting character, difficult, demanding and unsympathetic but also single minded, determined, patient and outstandingly brave. At ten he worked a fourteen hour day in a mill and at sixty was buried in Westminster Abbey. The first European to cross Africa, he discovered the Victoria Falls and survived shipwreck, attacks by natives and being mauled by a lion.
List of contents
List of Illustrations List of Maps Acknowledgements Chronology Note of Spelling Abbreviations used in Notes Foreword by David Livingstone Wilson Blantyre: The Boy Glasgow, Chipping Ongar and London: The Student Kuruman and Mabotsa: The Newcomer Chonuane and Kolonbeng: The Missionary Lake Ngami, The River Zouga and Cape Town; The Traveller To the West Coast of Africa: The Pioneer Across Africa from West to East; Great Leader of Africans Britain: National Hero The Zambesi and Shire Rivers: Flawed Leader of Europeans The Shire and Rovuma Rivers: The Husband The Indian Ocean: Ship's Captain Britain: Author and Father Lakes Nyassa, Tanganyika and Moeru; The Explorer Ujiji and Unyanyembe: Scoop To Chitambo's Village: The Dying Man From Africa to Westminster Abbey: Venerated Leader From Blantyre to Westminster Abbey: Neither Saint for Failure Appendix: Livingstone's Alleged Love Child Bibliography Index
About the author
MERIEL BUXTON read Law at St Hugh's College, Oxford and is a qualified but non-practising solicitor.
Summary
A biography of David Livingstone giving a balanced account of his strengths and weaknesses. Revered for years as a saint, he was in fact a much more interesting character, difficult, demanding and unsympathetic but also single minded, determined, patient and outstandingly brave. At ten he worked a fourteen hour day in a mill and at sixty was buried in Westminster Abbey. The first European to cross Africa, he discovered the Victoria Falls and survived shipwreck, attacks by natives and being mauled by a lion.
Additional text
'...a clear, succinct, and balanced assessment of Livingstone's complex character, achievements and failures and enduring legacy.' - Choice
'...this is an admirably concise, carefully considered and well-argued account of Livingstone's achievements and failures in the light both of his time and ours...warmly recommended as the best possible modern introduction to an extraordinary, if not always very sympathetic character.' - John Spurling, Times Literary Supplement
Report
'...a clear, succinct, and balanced assessment of Livingstone's complex character, achievements and failures and enduring legacy.' - Choice
'...this is an admirably concise, carefully considered and well-argued account of Livingstone's achievements and failures in the light both of his time and ours...warmly recommended as the best possible modern introduction to an extraordinary, if not always very sympathetic character.' - John Spurling, Times Literary Supplement
