Description
TRAVELS AND RESEARCHES IN SOUTH AFRICA
Book Summary
This work gathers the early and decisive years of David Livingstone in southern Africa, narrating his evolution from missionary to explorer. The reader will accompany the author on his bold crossings through unexplored territories: the traverse of the Kalahari Desert, the discovery of Lake Ngami and the Zambezi River, and the finding of the majestic Victoria Falls. An essential account of nineteenth-century exploration, written in the first person by one of the most celebrated adventurers in history.
What is it about?
David Livingstone narrates in the first person his early travels through southern Africa, initially as a missionary and later as an explorer. Driven by the need to open new trade routes, he ventures into territories completely unknown to Europeans. The account describes the epic crossing of the Kalahari Desert, the discovery of Lake Ngami, the exploration of the Zambezi River's course, and the sighting of Victoria Falls. The culmination of this period is the extraordinary journey that led him to cross the African continent from coast to coast, from Luanda on the Atlantic Ocean to Quelimane on the Indian Ocean. The book documents both the geographical and climatic difficulties and the encounter with diverse cultures and peoples.
Main themes
- Geographical exploration of Southern Africa in the 19th century.
- The evangelical mission and its link to the opening of trade routes.
- The encounter and relationship with local populations and cultures.
- Overcoming extreme challenges of nature (deserts, rivers, fauna).
- Travel as a scientific endeavor and personal discovery.
Who is it recommended for?
This book is aimed at readers passionate about classic travel literature, the history of exploration, and the biographies of legendary figures. It will also be of great interest to those seeking real adventure stories and first-hand testimonies about 19th-century Africa, as well as scholars of historical geography and anthropology.
What this book offers
- A direct and detailed testimony of the most important geographical discoveries in Southern Africa.
- The unique perspective of an explorer who combined missionary work with the opening of new routes.
- An epic narrative that immerses the reader in the harshness and beauty of nineteenth-century exploration.
- First-hand material to understand the history, geography, and cultures of Southern Africa.
Technical Data Sheet
- Author: David Livingstone
- Publisher: Ediciones del Viento, S.L.
- Language: Spanish
- Topic: Biography: general, Modern and contemporary fiction, Travel literature, Classic travel literature
- Collection: Viento Simún
- Binding: Hardcover
- Publication date: October 2016
- Number of pages: 792
- Weight: 1350 g
Editorial Review
This hardcover edition of "Travels and Researches in South Africa" recovers an essential classic of exploration literature. Livingstone's voice, rigorous and passionate, offers a foundational account of the knowledge of the African continent. It is a work of great historical and documentary value, which continues to fascinate due to the magnitude of the exploits it describes and the author's honesty in narrating them. A highly recommended read both for lovers of great journeys and for those who wish to know the complete work of a key figure of the 19th century.