Product Description

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #226240 in Books
• Published on: 1988-07-01
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 432 pages

Customer Reviews

Bula Matari "The Rock Breaker" indeed
The natives of Africa who worked with Stanley called him Bulla Marari - "The Rock Breaker", and with good reason. It is really very hard to appreciate Stanley's accomplishments from today's perspective. In 1874, Stanley left Zanzibar. By 1877, he had crossed the continent and reached the Atlantic Ocean. There is nothing modern man can do that would equal this accomplishment. Today's daring adventurers climb rocks or mountains or go bungee jumping. Stanley was traveling into the unknown. Not even space exploration today holds the quality of the unknown, as did Africa in Stanley's time. The hardship he faced during this time was unbelievable by today's standards. His circumnavigation of Lake Victoria alone contained a constant stream of near death scrapes that not only required staggering amounts of physical courage, but a mental toughness as well. A lot of the reviews I have read on this work focus on Stanley's political incorrectness. I urge a closer reading of the work. Stanley was actually extremely open minded and, more than anything, fair in his views and certainly very progressive. When discussing the character of the African natives, Stanley was of the opinion that "they are, in short, equal to any other race or colour on the face of the globe, in all the attributes of manhood." Stanley was an insightful enough observer to draw comparisons between African legends and Christian beliefs, giving each equal respect and recognizing their similarities. Stanley even at one point performs the ceremony of blood-brotherhood with the famous chief Mirambo, which involved the sharing of blood by mutual cuts on the leg. I would suggest that Stanley was not only a progressive during his own time, but for any time. He judged men simply by deeds, nothing more or less. If only Stanley recieved the same standard of judgement. In Stanley's time, so much was unknown, and the world seemed so large and rich. In our time, so much more is known, and yet our world has become so narrow, specialized and petty. There can never be another man like Stanley. We are all far more interested in watching a teenager eat a plate of worms on "Fear Factor."

Hate the author, Love the Historical Perspective
Yes, this book is full of lies and it's the least PC thing I've ever read, and for that it is worthy of interest. The voice is the thing here, and it really adds a dimension of understanding how the Europeans could have been so stupid and so entrepreneurial at the same time.

Of note: It is lacking in the delicious details that make up a good adventure read, a-la Cherry Gerards's "Worst Journey in the World." After reading this book, I know little about the lower classes on the expedition, nor have I learned anything about the how's and what's of the everyday life of the explorer. But what I did get was invaluable insight into the mind of a quite exceptional (American) imperialist of the time, unfiltered through the lenses of modern sensibilities or morals. Yes, Stanley was a colossal a-hole, but just because he is so objectionable doesn't make his accomplishments any less extraordinary or this book any less valuable.

Lies? Yes. But That's The Point
Of course this book of full of lies, but that is what makes it so great. If you are reading this book through the eyes of a historian, and can't get past the lies, your eyes aren't open all the way. Stanley's "Through the Dark Continent" shows us the European idealogy of African colonization. All his lies are not produced simply for the purpose of lying, or hiding the truth. He lies to give Europe what it wants: a perfect arena for the civilizing mission. These savages that throw themselves at the feet of Stanley are perfect for conversion. This book helped propel imperialization in its own time, and now shows us how they did such.
When reading this book, use your knowledge of Stanley's deception to get in the mind frame of a late 19th century explorer, not just to experience the adventures; that is the true joy of reading primary sources.