When the American reporter Henry Morton Stanley stepped out of the jungle in 1871 and doffed his pith helmet to the Scottish missionary-explorer Dr. David Livingstone; his greeting was to take on mythological proportions. But do any of us really know what his words meant at the time--and what they have come to mean since? Far from meeting in a remote thicket in "Darkest Africa;" Stanley met Livingstone in the middle of a thriving Muslim community. The news of their encounter was transmitted around the globe; and Livingstone instantly became one of the world's first international celebrities. This book shows how urgently a handshake between a Briton and an American was needed to heal the rift between the two countries after the American Civil War. It uncovers for the first time the journeys that Livingstone's African servants made around Britain after his death; and it makes a case for Stanley's immense influence on the idea of the modern at the dawn of the twentieth century. Drawing on films; children's books; games; songs; cartoons; and TV shows; this book reveals the many ways our culture has remembered Stanley's phrase; while tracking the birth of an Anglo-American Christian imperialism that still sets the world agenda today. "Dr. Livingstone; I Presume?" is a story of conflict and paradox that also takes us into the extraordinary history of British engagement with Africa. Clare Pettitt shows both the bleakest side of imperialism and the strange afterlife of a historical event in popular mythmaking and music hall jokes.
#776893 in Books 2004-05-28 2004-04-12Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 .84 x 8.84 x 11.26l; 2.49 #File Name: 0674013859208 pages
Review
2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Careless errors throw reliability into questionBy James W. WilliamsThis is an important resource; but a couple of flaws jumped out at me early on that throw the accuracy of the whole work into doubt. The first was a simple grammatical error/typo -- it's for its. That struck me as slipshod for a publication of this caliber. However; soon after; on p. 8; I found the dates given for the first caliph's reign wrong: "(r. 624-632)" which should read (r. 632-634). An error of that kind would seriously mislead a reader reasonably relying on a publication from this source as authoritative. If such errors are present; it immediately throws the reliability of the entire work into question. I find that very disappointing; because I bought this as a reference to fill in my own; major gaps in knowledge. Now I find I'll have to do more checking.11 of 11 people found the following review helpful. very good; but I have two better onesBy Bruce D. WilnerThis excellent volume devotes too much time (IMHO) to recent developmental trends; particularly demographic ones; skimming over the historical and cultural aspects of Islam and its inherent beauty. Try your hand at "Historical Atlas of the Islamic World" by Nicolle--which offers a very friendly format; typically in the form of two-to-four-page spreads (very nearly a la Dorling Kindersley)--and "Islam: An Illustrated History" by Jordan--which is about as balanced a treatment as one could ask for (O.K.; O.K.: "for which one could ask"). And for page after page of stunning photographic beauty; try Kazuyoshi Nomachi's "Mecca the Blessed; Medina the Radiant" and Michaud's "L'Orient dans un Miroir."3 of 4 people found the following review helpful. An AWAIR PickBy Audrey ShabbasAmong the great civilizations of the world; Islam remains an enigma to Western readers. Now; in a beautifully illustrated historical atlas; noted scholar of religion Malise Ruthven recounts the fascinating and important history of the Islamic world.From the birth of the prophet Muhammad to the independence of post-Soviet Muslim states in Central Asia; this accessible and informative atlas explains the historical evolution of Islamic societies. Short essays cover a wide variety of themes; including the central roles played by sharia (divine law) and fiqh (jurisprudence); philosophy; arts and architecture; the Muslim city; trade; commerce and manufacturing; marriage and family life; tribal distributions; kinship and dynastic power; ritual and devotional practices; Sufism; modernist and reformist trends; the European domination of the Islamic world; the rise of the modern national state; oil exports and arms imports; and Muslim populations in non-Muslim countries; including the United States.Lucid and inviting full-color maps chronicle the changing internal and external boundaries of the Islamic world; showing the principal trade routes through which goods; customs; and ideas spread. Rich in narrative and visual detail; this timely atlas is an indispensable resource to anyone interested in world history and religion.Teachers/Librarians: this is suitable for 9th grade to adult.
