Into Africa: The Epic Adventures of Stanley and Livingstone

Into Africa examines the true story behind the famous 1871 meeting between Dr. David Livingstone and journalist Henry Morton Stanley in central Africa, marked by Stanley's iconic greeting: "Doctor Livingstone, I presume?" In the mid-1860s, exploration had largely stalled—seas and continents were mapped, the globe circumnavigated. One major mystery remained: the source of the Nile River. Great Britain sent Dr. David Livingstone, a legendary explorer and former missionary, to solve it. In March 1866, Livingstone led a massive expedition into Africa's interior, where he encountered uncharted terrain, hostile populations, and deadly wildlife. Within weeks, he disappeared. Years passed with no contact. As debate raged in England about whether Livingstone could be found or rescued, American newspaper tycoon James Gordon Bennett, Jr. sent young journalist Henry Morton Stanley to search for him. Stanley, an ambitious drifter with limited prior success, pursued the assignment aggressively, filing reports that would appear in the New York Herald. Dugard traces both men's journeys in alternating chapters, documenting the perils they faced over nine years. The narrative captures Stanley's rise in power and prominence alongside Livingstone's increasing isolation and danger.