A lean, fast-paced account of the almost absurdly dangerous quest by those two friends turned enemies, Richard Burton and John Speke, to solve the geographic riddle of their era.

The centerpiece of Ms. Millard’s book, goes beyond harrowing and into the ghastly.

Millard reminds us of the historical impact of this lethal fairy tale.

Millard exhibits admirable skill in crafting narratives of uncommon drama and detail.

... while [Millard's] book is neither as infectiously readable as Moorehead’s (which is now outdated) nor as comprehensive and deeply researched as Jeal’s, she does add a new dimension to the story. Perhaps as a corrective to the Anglocentrism of earlier accounts, she brings a third figure into the foreground: Sidi Mubarak Bombay, a formerly enslaved African who acted as guide and interpreter for Burton, Speke and several other explorers over the years. It’s a refreshing shift in emphasis and certainly overdue, but since relatively few details about Bombay survive in the historical record, there are limits to how much Millard can tell us.

Millard is an outstanding narrative historian, with the gift of breathing new life into long-forgotten stories, but what she does best is communicate to the reader the horrid details of suffering. There is a passage in which Burton’s companion and rival, John Hanning Speke, is attacked by an avalanche of beetles, one of which burrows into his ear and is poised to set off on an expedition for his brain. Speke was forced to try to dig the creature out with a knife, and Millard takes almost clinical care in exploring the depths of his misery.

It’s been nearly six years since popular Millard published Hero of the Empire, and eager fans and armchair travelers will gladly sign up for this enthralling and heartbreaking adventure..

Thanks to this richly detailed story well told by historian Candice Millard, a colorful and controversial chapter in world history resurfaces.

Fascinating.

A tense, vibrant history of several dramatic expeditions across East Africa that finally resulted in a successful discovery. Drawing on archival sources and her own multiple trips to Africa following the explorers’ paths, Millard creates a palpable sense of the daunting task undertaken by three ambitious men.