Back to Dr. Livingston

I've finished the book--the CDs, actually--on Stanley and Livingston--

Dr. L. apparently had a son by a native woman--

Stanley, whom I had admired, turned out to have been a slaver, helping King Leopold with his slave trade--when he died, his funeral was in Westminister Abbey, but the dean of the abby refused to let him be buried there because of his activities on behalf of slavery--I'm surprised and disappointed--he seemed to have been a decent sort--

The Stanley-Livingston story was voted the most important story of the late 19th century by journalists--but now that men have walked on the moon, who cares that much about the exploration of Africa?

And who cares about trying to discover the source of the Nile -- which is what Livingston was after? Why was it such a big deal back then?

Stanley may not have said, "Dr. L, I presume," even though it quickly became a famous expression. His notebook has a page missing -- the page where he met Dr. L. The book suggests that he may have torn it out because it doesn't record what he later claimed that he had said.

Exciting book--clever device the author uses to head various chapters, "600 miles from Livingston" -- "300 miles from Livingston."

I realized that I am confusing Dr. L. with Dr. Shweitzer.