Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton

"Thismasterpieceofhistoryandbiographyturnsthereal-lifeadventuresofBurtonintoarivetingtaleThelastgreatwordonthelastgreatexplorerofthecolonialage."-WallStreetJournal.ANewYorkTimesbest-sellerwhenitwasfirstpublished,Rice'sbiographyisthegrippingstoryofafierce,magnetic,andbrilliantmanwhosereal-lifeaccomplishmentsarethestuffoflegend.RiceretracesBurton'sstepsasthefirstEuropeanadventurertosearchforthesourceoftheNile;toenter,disguised,theforbiddencitiesofMeccaandMedina;andtotravelthroughremotestretchesofIndia,theNearEast,andAfrica.Fromhisspyingexploitstohisstartlingliteraryaccomplishments(thediscoveryandtranslationoftheKamaSutraandhisseventeen-volumetranslationofArabianNights),Burtonwasanengrossing,larger-than-lifeVictorianfigure,andRice'ssplendidbiographylaysopenaportrayalasdramatic,complicated,andcompellingasthemanhimself.