River of the Gods by Candice Millard
River of the Gods: Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile
Author: Candice Millard
Genre: Non-fiction
Format: Kindle (via Libby/Library)
Publish Date: May 2022
Read: December 2022
Favorite Quote: “Nothing,” he wrote, “vexes the mind so much as feeling one’s self injured in a way that cannot be prevented or avenged.”
Synopsis: River of the Gods is the story of the explorers who sought the source of the White Nile. Millard dives into the lives of Burton and Speke, the two main explorers who attempted this mission several times. During the height of this exploration, very few Europeans had ventured into the heart of Africa, but Burton and Speke, both together and separately, would attempt multiple times. This book chronicles the plethora of individuals involved in those explorations and the rivalries between explorers and countries.
Thoughts & Feelings: I enjoyed this book, but it was a slow read. It’s incredibly detailed and thoroughly researched. This book is narrative non-fiction, which means it’s non-fiction, but reads like a story. The story starts strong and you feel compelled to learn more about these unorthodox gentlemen (for their time).
Millard also does an excellent job pointing out colonization and recognizes where written history changed the names of certain places. She also goes above and beyond, including the women who influenced the male explorers and those who aided the explorations.
Rating: 4.25/5