A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History's Greatest Traveler - Hardcover

Roberts, Jason

Hardcover

ISBN 10: 0007161069 ISBN 13: 9780007161065

Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers, 2006

Synopsis

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.

A Sense of the World is a spellbinding and moving rediscovery of one of history's most epic lives. Drawing on meticulous research, Jason Roberts ushers us into the Blind Traveler's uniquely vivid sensory realm, then sweeps us away on an extraordinary journey across the known world during the Age of Exploration. Rich with suspense, humor, international intrigue, and unforgettable characters, this is a story to awaken our own senses of awe and wonder.

About this title

Product Description:

A Sense of the World In an era when the blind were routinely warehoused in asylums, James Holman was studying medicine, fighting the slave trade in Africa, hunting rogue elephants, surviving a frozen captivity in Siberia, and circumnavigating the world alone in the 19th century. Full description

Review:

"Through meticulous research.with intrigue and humor, Roberts brings Holman fully to life." -- Daily News

"Roberts is a beautifully assured writer." -- Seattle Times

"Extraordinary.beautifully produced.Roberts made his hero one for the history books." -- Buffalo News

"Painstakingly researched. Worth reading." -- Irish Times

"(a) talented and committed writer." -- Raleigh News & Observer

"Vibrant prose." -- Washington Post

"(A) meticulous recreation of Holman's world." -- Miami Herald

"Roberts's book is an excellent read.. An author with an enviable ability to tell the tale. -- The Spectator

"Roberts has achieved much. His research is meticulous and...a person lost to history is now rediscovered."--Denver Rocky Mountain News

"(A) meticulous recreation of Holman's world."--Miami Herald

About this edition

• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers
• Publication date: 2006
• ISBN 10: 0007161069
• ISBN 13: 9780007161065
• Binding: Hardcover
• Number of pages: 382