Want to read more about this area?
Michael Asher: “Sands of Death”
Yes, someone really tried to build a railroad to Timbuktu! This turned into the most disastrous exploration mission in the history of the Sahara. Check Amazon for this book.
Michael Asher: “Impossible Journey”, Viking Press, London 1988
The true story of a man who crossed the Sahara desert from Mauretania to Morocco on a camel – as a honeymoon, along with his wife. An exciting account of this journey which lasted several months, although some parts of the book are a bit boring as over long times nothing happens – except of the daily routine. Nevertheless a good description of a man’s dream.
This book doesn’t seem to be available anymore, but there are more books from Michael Asher about the Sahara, such as this and this.
T.C. Boyle: “Water Music”
This is a fictional account based on the adventures of Mungo Park trying to find the source of the Niger River. Very funny, typical for T.C. Boyle.
Check Amazon for this book…
Bruce Chatwin: a story in “Anatomy of Restlessness”, Jonathan Cape, London 1996
Bruce Chatwin wrote a short story about his journey to Timbuktu, published among others in the collection of stories “Anatomy of Restlessness”.
Check Amazon for this book…
Doris Lessing: “African Laughter”
Doris Lessing grew up in Rhodesia, today’s Zimbabwe. After 25 years of absence the returned to Zimbabwe and crisscrossed the country in search for old friends and places she once knew. Her book “African Laughter. Four visits to Zimbabwe” describes these journeys. She wrote several other books about Zimbabwe as well.
Check Amazon for this book…