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Title: Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton: A Biography by Edward Rice ISBN: 0-306-81028-X Publisher: DaCapo Press Pub. Date: 05 June, 2001 Format: Paperback Volumes: 1 List Price(USD): $21.00 |
Average Customer Rating: 4.18 (17 reviews)
Rating: 4
Summary: An important and enjoyable biography
Comment: This is the way history should be written, as an interesting narrative. The author worked with a tremendous amount of source material to compose this biography of one of history's most important and fascinating characters. Where "facts" were in conflict, the author presneted multiple viewpoints. Suppositions were presented as such and not as facts.
Dick Burton is undoubtedly a larger than life historical figure, however, the author portrays him as human - both his faults and his strengths are exponded upon.
Much of the material is directly quoted from source material, which makes Burton and related individuals voices come alive.
My only criticism of the book is minor. There are some tangents that seem to me to be given too much space in the book. The author sometimes writes mini biographies of somewhat incidental characters. This is simply my opinion, and others may, and probably will disagree.
While this book is a biography, there is historical and thological gold there. Much can be learned about the 19th century Middle east, Africa and the politics of the time. Also, there is a lot of material about Islam and other religions that Burton studied.
Rating: 2
Summary: Drier than the Sind
Comment: I read this book back-to-back with "The Unequalled Self", Claire Tomalin's biography of the 17th-century diarist Samuel Pepys. There is little connecting the two other than they are both biographies of interesting historical figures. But whereas Tomalin's book magnificently brings Pepys to life, Rice's biography of Sir Richard does a good job of mummifying his subject. That he manages to write such a sullen and lumbering screed about one of the most romantic and dashing figures of the 19th century--and surely a model for Ian Fleming's James Bond?--is remarkable. Much should have been left out, not least numerous tangential chapters on secondary characters and esoteric subjects of little interest to the casual reader. The story only becomes interesting when Burton departs for Mecca, and that's over one-hundred pages in. I was also frustrated by the photographs and sketches reproduced in the book, which are of too poor quality to be of interest or use. Maps would have been a much better idea - despite having a relatively good grasp of georgraphy I frequently lost track of Burton's peregrinations. In sum, I would probably give this book four or five stars if I was an academic searching for a historically balanced tome on Burton. But if you are a casual reader, and someone who wants to be excited and inspired by Burton's life, look elsewhere.
Rating: 5
Summary: Fascinating, and riveting.
Comment: Rice's treatment of Burton's life is extraordinary, and the definitive biography of this man's many lives. If this were a novel the reader would find the narrative impossible. All the more to admire in this biography of one of the most unlikely, curious, and talented characters of the nineteenth century.
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Title: The Devil Drives: A Life of Sir Richard Burton by Fawn McKay Brodie ISBN: 0393301664 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: July, 1984 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title: Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al Madinah and Mecca (Volume 1) by Richard Burton ISBN: 0486212173 Publisher: Dover Pubns Pub. Date: 01 June, 1964 List Price(USD): $14.95 |
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Title: The Arabian Nights : Tales from a Thousand and One Nights by A.S. BYATT, RICHARD BURTON ISBN: 0375756752 Publisher: Modern Library Pub. Date: 10 April, 2001 List Price(USD): $12.95 |
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Title:Mountains of the Moon ASIN: B0000639EW Publisher: Artisan Entertainment Pub. Date: 23 April, 2002 List Price(USD): $14.98 Comparison N/A, buy it from Amazon for $13.48 |
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Title: A Rage to Live: A Biography of Richard and Isabel Burton by Mary S. Lovell ISBN: 0393320391 Publisher: W.W. Norton & Company Pub. Date: August, 2000 List Price(USD): $19.95 |
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