To the Heart of the Nile - by Pat Shipman (Paperback)

About the Book

Joining the ranks of "West with the Night" and "Out of Africa," this is the extraordinary true story of an unforgettable female adventurer from an award-winning author.

From the Back Cover

In 1859, at age fourteen, Florence Szász stood before a room full of men and waited to be auctioned to the highest bidder. But slavery and submission were not to be her destiny: Sam Baker, a wealthy English gentleman and eminent adventurer, was moved by compassion and an immediate, overpowering empathy for the young woman, and braved extraordinary perils to help her escape. Together, Florence and Sam -- whose love would remain passionate and constant throughout their lives -- forged into literally uncharted territory in a glorious attempt to unravel a mysterious and magnificent enigma called Africa.

A stunning achievement, To the Heart of the Nile is an unforgettable portrait of an unforgettable woman: a story of discovery, bravery, determination, and love, meticulously reconstructed through journals, documents, and private papers, and told in the inimitable narrative style that has already won Pat Shipman resounding international acclaim.

Review Quotes

"This absorbing narrative conveys the danger in confronting Africa's vast unchartered territory [and] reveals the life of a very tough woman who journeyed alongside some of the bravest men of her time." - Los Angeles Times
"I found myself caught up in the narrative . . . convincing." - Grand Rapids Press
"A brilliant history and an engrossing tale." - Shawn Carlson, Ph.D., MacArthur Fellow
"A terrific love story . . . fascinating and historically interesting . . . [a] highly readable book." - San Jose Mercury News
"Shipman's account shines with historical clarity and narrative fluency...a reverent and careful tribute." - Publishers Weekly
"Absorbing ... conveys the danger in confronting Africa's vast unchartered territory [and] reveals the life of a very tough woman." - Los Angeles Times
"An extraordinary achievement of research and imagination." - Stanley Weintraub, biographer of Queen Victoria, Prince Albert, Benjamin Disraeli, and Charlotte and Lionel Rothschild