John Speke, the greatest Victorian explorer? by William Boyd, in TLS, 5 Oct 2011
Burton, Speke, Livingstone, Stanley and Baker were all notable outsiders, driven by their own egos, demons and motives. And Africa acted as a potent catalyst. Solitude, strangeness, danger and the lure of great fame and wealth (not to be forgotten) propelled these men to test themselves to the limits. And at the same time, in stark contrast, were the unending displays of petty bickering, petulance and self-regard that went on among these brave explorers.
Tags: Africa, Burton, explorers, Speke
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