The Search for The Nile *In-Person* *NEW*

The source of the Nile was one of the great historical and scientific mysteries for centuries. Despite the enormous importance of the river, its ultimate origins in the heart of Africa remained unknown to the colonized world until the 19th century. Beginning in 1856, however, European explorers ventured into these regions and solved the mystery, opening up Central Africa to imperial conquest. This is a dramatic and adventurous story, full of colorful personalities: the unconventional Richard Burton; the hunter Samuel Baker and his courageous wife Florence; the saintly David Livingstone; and the ruthless Henry Morton Stanley. It is also the story of Africans such as the Egyptian Khedive Ismail; Mutesa, the king of Buganda; and Tippu Tib, the notorious slaver.

Instructor: Allan Converse

Sections

Instructor

I was born in Los Angeles and grew up in New York City. I hold degrees in history from Vassar College, Northeastern University, and Brandeis University and I have taught in several Boston area colleges and universities, including Northeastern, Emerson, and Lesley. My book Churchill’s Armies at War was published by Oxford University Press. In my spare time I do artwork, act in independent films, and write mystery fiction.