Candice Millard is one of the best writers of popular history writing today. I have been enthralled by every book she writes. This one is no exception. She does an excellent job telling the tale of the search for the Nile and really allowing the reader to get to know the explorers engaged in the search. Highly reamended!

Candice Millard is an auto-read author of mine -- no matter what she tackles I know I'm in for a FANTASTIC time and River of the Gods was no exception. I was captivated the entire journey and will always eagerly await her next book.

The well written tale of two explorers’ often brutal search for the source of the Nile. The question never really comes up on why this was such a source of interest, other than because it was part of the unknown. Burton and Speke suffered unspeakably via their efforts. Speke is presented as something of a jerk. Burton could also be insensitive and his long-suffering wife is the closest thing to a hero in the book. An enjoyable read about two fascinating men in the 19th century.

Candice Millard writes true history like it's fiction. I thoroughly enjoy the way that she immerses you into the story right off the bat and you can easily forget that you are reading nonfiction. Fascinating account of the discovery of the source of the Nile River. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was such a slog for me. It took me months to finish, which I wouldn't have if it weren't a Net Galley book. I liked Millard's book on James Garfield, but I probably won't pick up another book by her.

Candice Millard is back in full form for a tale of exploration, adventure, and betrayal. Put together a meticulous and dedicated geographer, linguist, ethnographer, and poet and put him together with a trigger happy, delusional narcissist as his second in command of an expedition. The fact that they both returned alive is amazing, but what happened afterward perhaps shouldn't be.

Millard has a great talent for creating a sense of time and place. You can feel the the thorns and the bugs. You tense during the descriptions of vicious ambushes. You feel the aching fatigue.

Her other perhaps more amazing skill is her ability to delve into the minds of complicated human beings in all their genius and foibles. I can admire the incredible accomplishments and still be horrified at the self absorption and resulting ruin. This is among her best.

In this book, I especially appreciated her acknowledgement of indigenous cultures and the gigantic contributions made by those largely ignored because of their non-European origin. Bombay is a real hero here. Countless people knew details about Africa's "blank" interior before Burton's journey. People knew all about Lake Nyanza (Victoria) long before Speke set eyes on it. In fact, the world and all its marvels existed without the British having "discovered" it. Speke's hubris is a small mirror of the western mindset of the 1800's.

Thanks Candace for a great reading experience, and thanks to Doubleday Books for allowing my enjoyment of an advance copy or this title.

A fascinating and well-researched read. Thoroughly enjoyed Candice Millard's latest! River of the Gods feels like a true story and I would forget it was fiction while reading along.

The Nile River has provided vital resources to the African continent for millennia, serving as a source of water, food, and transportation for numerous peoples. The river’s richness allowed for the development and flourishing of large civilizations—including Ancient Egypt—in lands that were otherwise largely desert. But where did the Nile’s water come from? It was a question that many had asked but that remained unanswered until the 19th century. Following the discovery of the Rosetta Stone, British interest in Ancient Egypt increased exponentially, and it was only a matter of time until someone was sent to find the source of the country’s great river. River of the Gods, the latest by Candice Millard, is the account of Richard Burton and John Speke, two British explorers sent to search for the answer to this ancient mystery.
River details these men’s attempts to reach the source of the Nile. Burton and Speke’s first expedition failed spectacularly, with both men suffering serious injury and blows to their reputation. A second expedition was funded two years later, but issues arose almost immediately. Millard shares the number of setbacks these explorers faced, including illnesses, the death of pack animals, desertions, lost and stolen supplies, and harsh weather. Her descriptions of Burton, Speke, and the party’s maladies are particularly detailed, so much so that some readers may find themselves uncomfortable while reading. However, such details show exactly how much these men overcame to complete their expedition and make it back to England.
Despite surviving such an ordeal together, there was no love lost between Burton and Speke. As much as River is a tale of adventure and discovery, it’s also the story of the feud between these two men, a feud that would last until Speke’s death. The animosity between them was largely due to differences in the men’s characters. Burton was a well-known scholar, writer, and explorer, and his experiences led him to often dismiss the opinions of others during an expedition. Speke, although a captain in the British Army and an avid huntsman, had less experience as an explorer but bristled at Burton’s arrogance. An additional point of enmity was the believed source of the Nile: Burton believed they had found the source at Lake Tanganyika, while Speke believed he alone had discovered the headwaters at Lake Nyanza. (Speke was correct, although he had no data to prove his theory and he would only be proven correct many years after his death.) Speke was the first to return to Britain after the journey, and his version of events made him out to be a hero and Burton a lazy, pompous, broken man whose actions almost prevented Speke’s success at finding the Nile’s source. As usual, Millard spares no detail in describing Speke’s slander, and the ruin of Burton’s reputation at his former companion’s hands is painful to read, as is Speke’s descent into a ceaseless rage that would likewise cost him his good name and may have contributed to his death.
Millard ends her book by discussing the various problems of historic British exploration, mainly that these explorers never truly discovered anything. Rather, they ventured into lands that had often been known and inhabited for centuries if not longer: people had been living around Lake Nyanza long before Speke first set eyes on its waters. Additionally, Millard points out that these explorers frequently relied on local guides and translators to make their way through foreign lands, yet these individuals were rarely acknowledged. In the case of Burton and Speke’s second expedition, former slave Sidi Mubarak Bombay served an essential role as guide, translator, and friend, and he eventually became famous in his own right as a guide and a traveler.
River of the Gods is, much like Millard’s previous books, a story of courage and perseverance, but it’s also a harsh look at the history of British exploration and the tragedy of pride and betrayal. Filled with stunning detail, fascinating individuals, and important historical context, River of the Gods is true story that takes readers on a tragic but unforgettable adventure.

An extraordinary non-fiction history of the quest to chart the Nile. Millard skillfully captures the exploration of the Nile and the personalities of characters involved. I forgot I was reading non-fiction as the drama unfolded.

ARC was provided by Doubleday Books via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Expected Pub Date: 17 May 2022

Renowned historical writer, Candice Millard, returns with another deep-dive into the history of exploration, discover, colonialism, and racial inequality in historical memory. River of the Gods tells the not entirely unknown story of Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke’s nineteenth century explorations deep into the heart of Africa to find the source of the Nile. Millard's River of the Gods is an exciting revitalization of a long-told tale, with the most important character finally having been included.

Candice Millard’s latest book, River of the Gods: Genius, Courage and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile, allows the flawed personalities of the explorers to dominate as much as the exploration itself. John Hanning Speke was a man prone to petty grievances and backstabbing while Richard Francis Burton displayed self-destructive behavior through his interest in perverse sexual habits and his penchant for telling fictious stories of his exploits to shock British Victorian society.

Millard, as usual, excels in her meticulous research and her ability to incorporate it into her writing with an organization that flows easily from narrative to original source material. While the story of Speke’s feud with Burton is an important part of understanding their legacy, it often overshadows the exploration itself. Millard does give due diligence to the challenges, both physical and logistical, faced when journeying through East Africa. The courage displayed by Burton and Speke in the form of resolute perseverance is admirable. Millard also brings recognition to the assistance provided by members of the local population, most notably Sidi Mubarak Bombay, without whose skills as a guide and interpreter, a journey of that magnitude could never have been successfully undertaken.

While River of the Gods is an edifying story of history and adventure, it can sometimes become grating when mired in the petulant behavior of its main participants. In Millard’s capable hands, River of the Gods still succeeds in making an engaging contribution to the story of European exploration in East Africa while bringing to the forefront two lesser-known explorers than the renowned Stanley and Livingstone.

In December 1992, the late great P. J. O’Rourke and his fellow “trouble tourist” reporters visited famine-torn Somalia, which he described as the “worst place we’d ever covered.” But despite the mosquitoes, the dirt and the suffering, he had something of an epiphany:

We certainly weren’t worried about ecological ruin, shrinking white-collar job market, or fear of intimacy. All that “modern-era anomie” disappears with a dose of Somalia. Fear cures anxiety. The genuinely alien banishes alienation. It’s hard for existential despair to flourish where actual existence is being snuffed out at every turn. Real Schmerz trumps Weltschmerz. If you have enough to drink.

The great voyages of discovery towards the end of the second millennium were launched out of a particular sort of Weltschmerz, which of course is German for “world pain.” Their world was not what it was supposed to be because it was unexplored --- meaning that Europeans and North Americans had not been there and did not know what it was like. Unlike the 16th-century voyages of exploration, which were primarily about trade routes and finding new resources and native peoples to exploit, the latter-day explorers were seeking knowledge ostensibly for knowledge’s sake.

However, the so-called blank spots on the map at that time were blank because they were difficult to access for whatever reason --- they were wet and lonesome (the Wilkes Expedition), remote and cold (the various Arctic and Antarctic expeditions), or actively hostile to human life (climbing Mount Everest, let’s say, or the TR expedition to the Amazon basin). The story of these expeditions, by and large, is the story of just how painful and difficult they were. (Lewis and Clark, just by way of comparison, had a relative walk in the park.) More often than not, real Schmerz didn’t just trump Weltschmerz --- it stole its lunch money and left it bleeding in the street.

RIVER OF THE GODS is about such a journey --- the travels and travails of the various English expeditions to pierce the interior of East Africa to discover the source of the Nile River. The primary focus of the book is Richard Francis Burton, who would have scoffed at the idea of modern-era anomie and would not have understood the concept of ecological ruin. (One wonders what Burton, who translated the Kama Sutra into English, would have made of the modern-era fear of intimacy.) Previous attempts to discern the source of the Nile by going south from Egypt had ended in ignominy; Burton agreed to lead two expeditions headed west from the island of Zanzibar. It was sound thinking, and ultimately resulted in triumph of a sort, but the expeditions were perilous in the extreme.

Candice 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 was the third expedition, led by Speke rather than Burton, that reached the northern shores of Lake Victoria and discovered a river flowing northward. Today, that remote spot is marked by a red granite obelisk, a near-twin to the memorial to Speke in Kensington Gardens in London. The African obelisk is in what is now Uganda. A few yards away, if Google Maps can be trusted, the weary traveler will find Elsa’s Juice & Wine House, and a bit north there are two mosques, a Catholic church and a Pentecostal one, a day care center and a couple of vocational schools. Across the bridge that marks Ripon Falls, several restaurants and hotels cater to the tourist trade. You can order a bottle of Nile Special Stout, fresh from the local brewery. Boat trips on Lake Victoria have earned five-star ratings on Tripadvisor.

Most of the world is emerging from two-and-a-half years of real Schmerz, or what we think of as such. For most of us, though, a lot of it is an inverted form of the explorer’s Weltschmerz --- there are no more blank spaces on the map, but we haven’t been able to go to any of them. What armchair journeys like RIVER OF THE GODS bring us is not a cure for Weltschmerz, but that other useful German word: schadenfreude. It may not be entirely seemly for the reader to take pleasure in the suffering of Burton and Speke, but the allure of traveling with Candice Millard should not be missed.

Candice Millard's River of the Gods is a riveting read. She delves deep into the fascinating personalities behind the rush to discover the source of the Nile, including the lesser known, but important figures who guided the famous explorers. This was the first book by Millard that I've read. I am definitely adding "Hero of the Empire" to my TBR. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC.

What is the extraordinary drive that compels individuals to venture into near death experiences and profound dangers?

Candice Millard presents the amazing quest undertaken by three men who took on the almost impossible task of finding the source of the Nile River. It is almost unimaginable to form the image of the treacherous circumstances undertaken with minimum equipment and the limited science of the day. Two of these men were both British with the third being African and a former slave.

Millard begins with setting the stage in the form of the neck and neck competition between the French and the British in finding the Rosetta Stone during the Napoleonic era in 1822. There was a frenzy for all things Egyptian. The French hid the stone with its immense tonnage, but the British were the ones who dominated in securing it along with a later deciphering of the hierglyphics.

Richard Francis Burton was an extraordinary individual with the capacity to speak 25 languages with various dialects. He even disguised himself as a Muslim and entered into the holy city of Mecca and survived the ordeal. His tenacity led him into great competition with his fellow explorers.

John Hanning Speke came from the upper tiers of British society. He and Burton were fellow officers in the army of Britain's East India Company. They set out together with Sidi Mubarak Bombay. Along with a brigade of porters, guides, and African soldiers, the trio were attacked again and again and almost lost their lives. Disease was a constant worry and it fell upon these men in horrendous ways.

Candice Millard is known for her impeccable reseach which she undertook in her previous books on Theodore Roosevelt and James Garfield. I highly recommend both. Each is written much like a fast-paced novel wrapped in its history. River of the Gods takes us deep into the mindsets of these men and the unfortunate circumstances surrounding them in their quest. Speke's tale ends under some strange sets of actions still debated even now. It's a remarkable read for those who wish to pursue the mysterious and the secretive streaming alongside the vastness of the Nile River.

I received a copy of this book through NetGalley for an honest review. My thanks to Random House Publishers and to the highly talented Candice Millard for the opportunity.

I

Candice Millard's (Hero of the Empire) newest book delves into the search for the source of the White Nile by British explorers Richard Burton and John Hanning Speke and their invaluable, extraordinary guide, Sidi Mubarak Bombay. Over multiple trips and many years the men traveled hundred of miles and encountered endless dangers together. With other expedition members, porters, guides, and guards they used (then) Zanzibar as their jumping off point to search for rumored lakes believed to be the source of the Nile River, often nearly starved, died of diseases, insects, and worse. On their second trip, with Burton too ill to continue, Speke and Bombay reached Lake Nyanza (which Speke renamed Lake Victoria), where Speke believed the Nile to originate. Speke didn't prove this to Burton's satisfaction and this doubt was one of the many instances that came between the two explorers to create a rivalry that would last the rest of their lives.

River of the Gods shows mid-nineteenth century British exploration in all of its complexities: the positive, the negative, and every political, emotional and ethical shade in between. Millard does a good job of balancing Richard Burton and John Speke in the same way. Neither are complete heroes, neither total villains, in their own minds each are completely right in the actions they take and justify themselves along the way. In hindsight we know that the exploration of Africa by England of other countries isn't "just" about the need to fill in blanks on a map- it is leading to complete colonization and further exploitation of people and resources across the continent. We see the contrast of places like Zanzibar: a beautiful paradise of white sandy beaches and clear blue waters, while at the same time one of the worst slave auction sites that bothers even many slavers. Burton is generally someone who takes people as they are, interested in their customs, cultures and languages for what he can learn (whether or not he should) while at the same time being European enough to look down on Africans as a lesser race until the end of his life, while Speke looks down on everyone. What I appreciated about Millard here is that she put everyone's thoughts and actions in the context of their time and not in our modern day sensibilities. We know what we find racist and abhorrent today, so I'd rather know what was the cultural norm at the time and how it changed over the time frame Millard covers, which I thought she did well.

It is toward the end that she reminds us that there was a third main explorer who deserves as many accolades as Burton and Speke: Sidi Mubarak Bombay. Enslaved as a child, he returned to Africa as an adult and was a trustworthy guide, interpreter, and friend to European explorers like Burton and Speke- and later helped the famous journalist Stanley find Dr. Livingston. Bombay helped shine a light on the native guides and interpreters that Europeans needed to succeed in being "the first" to do so many things, from finding the source of the Nile to climbing Mt. Everest, and that today historians must try to discover the little told stories of these men and women and celebrate them just as much as their more famous (or infamous) European counterparts.

Millard's brilliance for a truly riveting, engaging writing style is evident from page one in River of the Gods, drawing the reader in and refusing to let them go until the final page. Every step in the exploration, every twist in the bitter verbal sparring between former friends, keeps you emotionally engaged and waiting tensely to see what will happen next. It isn't just the adventures in Africa that read like adventure stories, it is the entire book.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

Centering her work on a triumvirate of fascinating, complicated men, Candice Millard once again delivers nonfiction with the pacing and drama of a novel, meticulously researched and richly detailed. RIVER OF THE GODS brings the quest for the source of the Nile to enthralling life--highly recommended.

Many thanks to Doubleday and to Netgalley for the pleasure of the early read.

Brilliance and arrogance with a certain lack of empathy can be a very dangerous combination. Both Richard Burton and John Speke possessed a portion of these characteristics. In the late 1850s, Richard Burton and John Speke set out to “discover” the source of the Nile. This was a goal of Europeans for decades. Although Burton, the leader, had picked Speke to accompany him on this trek, Speke was not his first choice. But Burton thought Speke had qualities that would be valuable.

Their journey was dodged by illnesses, poor weather, difficult terrain, lack of supplies and funding, and assistance from local people, as well as their own government. It was also impeded by two personalities that saw their mission as differently as they viewed the world. Speke reveled in hunting, status and recognition. He viewed exploration as a means to an end. Burton, who was not totally immune to recognition, was more focused on the journey, people and the environment they encountered. He also wished to find the head waters but he wanted it done scientifically with proof and accurate descriptions.

The third, and most experienced member of their team, was the formally enslaved African, Sidi Mubarak Bombay. He had been hired to help “wrangle” and guide the expedition by resourcing porters, cooks, guards, food, and brokering deals with other African groups. Clearly, without his abilities, neither man would have succeeded or survived. But glory and history conspired to uphold the achievements of the Europeans.

Candice Millard has enriched the reader once again with a stellar book about personalities, exploration, and historical detail in a riveting story. She follows the fortunes of Speke, Burton and Bombay throughout their lives, as well as informing the reader about the significance of that exploration through later times. Highly recommended along with my other Millard favorites: River of Doubt, and Hero of the Empire. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing this title.

Another great account by Millard. This book contained all the drama and intrigue of a good adventure tale while also informing the reader of a grand quest to chart the Nile. It's surprising that the Nile, teeming with life and civilization for millenia, was still such a mystery to people who did not even know its source. The figures in here are not all likeable and the imperialist natures need to be read with an historical eye, but Millard gets across that these were "discoveries" to the Europeans, not necessarily everyone. If you have a love of narrative nonfiction and need a bit of adventure, this is a solid choice.

This was the first book by Candice Millard I have read, but I will certainly be checking out her other works after this.
Generally I don't read much nonfiction, but this title and book summary caught my attention. I do love a nonfiction adventure story, and this one did not disappoint!
I really liked how the author kept the narrative moving along by not providing too much historical background information. I learned so much as I read, but didn't feel like I was reading something educational.
I think this will be a great title to recommend to customers who like griping historical reads and adventure.

In much the same way Europeans "discovered" America, they also "discovered" the source of the Nile. One of the prestige projects that emerged from the Scramble for Africa, Europeans plowed resources into finding the source of River of the Gods.

None of it would have been possible without native guides and porters, who have often been ignored or marginalized from this story. For similar accounts, see King Leopold's Ghost by Adam Hochschild and River of Darkness: Francisco Orellana's Legendary Voyage of Death and Discovery Down the Amazon by Buddy Levy.