| Edition |
First edition. |
| Description |
xiv, 382 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm |
| Bibliography |
Includes bibliographical references. |
| Summary |
He was known simply as the Blind Traveler--a solitary, sightless adventurer who, astonishingly, fought the slave trade in Africa, survived a frozen captivity in Siberia, hunted rogue elephants in Ceylon, and helped chart the Australian outback. James Holman (1786-1857) became "one of the greatest wonders of the world he so sagaciously explored," triumphing not only over blindness but crippling pain, poverty, and the interference of well-meaning authorities (his greatest feat, a circumnavigation of the globe, had to be launched in secret). Once a celebrity, a bestselling author, and an inspiration to Charles Darwin and Sir Richard Francis Burton, the charismatic, witty Holman outlived his fame, dying in an obscurity that has endured--until now. Drawing on meticulous research, Jason Roberts ushers us into the Blind Traveler's uniquely vivid sensory realm, then takes us on a journey rich with suspense, humor, international intrigue, and unforgettable characters. --From publisher description. |
| Contents |
The child in the compass -- Scarcely worth drowning -- The very height of expectation -- Nor sun nor moon -- The seven gentlemen -- A smattering of physic -- A whimsical invalid -- The experimental citizen -- A circuit of the world -- True sentiments and powers -- The sleeping land -- A salvo upon all dfefects -- White man's grave -- My dangerous and novel course -- Assuming a more alarming character -- The arrival of an English traveler -- The pleasure of his intimacy -- Raise the soul to flame. |
| Subject |
Holman, James, 1786-1857.
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|
Travelers -- England -- Biography.
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Blind -- Travel -- History.
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Voyages and travels.
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| ISBN |
0007161069 (acid-free paper) |
|
9780007161065 (acid-free paper) |
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