Inspired by a true story: In October 1815, an illiterate American sailor named Robert Adams was discovered roaming the streets of London, half-naked and starving. In the months that followed, high society was rocked by his tale. At a time when the European powers were posturing for empire, there was one quest above all else, one destination to which no Christian had ever ventured and returned alive - Timbuctoo. Regarded as a golden metropolis par excellence, an African El Dorado fashioned from the purest gold, it ...
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Inspired by a true story: In October 1815, an illiterate American sailor named Robert Adams was discovered roaming the streets of London, half-naked and starving. In the months that followed, high society was rocked by his tale. At a time when the European powers were posturing for empire, there was one quest above all else, one destination to which no Christian had ever ventured and returned alive - Timbuctoo. Regarded as a golden metropolis par excellence, an African El Dorado fashioned from the purest gold, it was for centuries a European obsession. The British, Germans, French, and others dispatched their most capable explorers to seek it out and to sack it. Most of them never returned. The only nation uninterested in the mania for Timbuctoo was the fledgling United States. And so, when a young American sailor claimed to have visited the city as a guest of its king, while a white slave in Africa, it caused uproar on an unknown scale. More shocking still was the sailor's description of the El Dorado - as a poverty-stricken and wretched place - and the fact that he seemed blas??? and uninterested at having been there at all. Set against a backdrop of the British Regency, a time of ultimate decadence and avarice, of haves and have-nots, Robert Adams's tale has been all but forgotten, until now. An astonishing story of survival and hardship, it's a one touched with irony. A man who had set out to make his fame and fortune through trade, Robert Adams gained both, but by selling the tale of his journey. Almost twenty years ago, Tahir Shah noticed an inch-thick quarto-sized book propping up a water pipe in the basement of the London Library. Pulling it out, he first set eyes on Robert Adams's Narrative , published by John Murray in 1816. The book became an obsession to Shah, just as Regency London was itself fixated with the golden metropolis of Timbuctoo. Packed with well-researched detail of the time, and inspired by Adams's ordeal, Timbuctoo is a fast-past and compelling read. It's a tale of treachery, greed, love and, above all else, of survival in the face of insurmountable odds.
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Add this copy of Timbuctoo to cart. $18.51, new condition, Sold by Ingram Customer Returns Center rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from NV, USA, published 2022 by Secretum Mundi Limited.
Add this copy of Timbuctoo to cart. $23.95, very good condition, Sold by HPB-Ruby rated 5.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Dallas, TX, UNITED STATES, published 2012 by Secretum Mundi Publishing.
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Seller's Description:
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Add this copy of Timbuctoo to cart. $30.22, new condition, Sold by Ria Christie Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Uxbridge, MIDDLESEX, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2022 by Secretum Mundi Limited.
Add this copy of Timbuctoo to cart. $55.71, good condition, Sold by Bonita rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Santa Clarita, CA, UNITED STATES, published 2019 by Secretum Mundi.
Add this copy of Timbuctoo to cart. $59.90, very good condition, Sold by Rooke Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from BATH, SOMERSET, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2012 by Secretum Mundi Publishing.
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Seller's Description:
None. Near Fine. A very smart first edition of this novel, inspired by a true story, with folding maps throughout. First edition. With six folding maps and a facsimile of The Quarterly Review from 1816 inserted into the pocket at the rear of the text. Collated complete. A fictional account of the illiterate American sailor, Robert Adams, in his journey to Timbuktu and his arrival in Regency London. The story takes place between the shipwreck in 1810 and the Spring of 1816 when Adams set sail for his home in Hudson, New York. Written by Tahir Shah, a British author, journalist and documentary maker. In the original paper covered boards. Externally, very smart with light shelf wear to the extremities only. Internally, firmly bound. Pages are very bright and clean throughout. A small crease to the first folding map. Near Fine.
Add this copy of Timbuctoo. Being a Singular and Most Animated Account to cart. $84.12, like new condition, Sold by Burwood Books rated 4.0 out of 5 stars, ships from Wickham Market, SUFFOLK, UNITED KINGDOM, published 2012 by Secretum Mundi Publishing.
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Seller's Description:
Fine. First Edition. Hardback. Limited edition, one of 5000 copies. 4to. pp. [v], 527, [vi]. 6 large folding maps tipped-in, 5 of these are reprinted from Richard Horwood's Georgian atlas of London, the last a facsimile of the map published in the original Narrative of Robert Adams. Original publisher's paper-covered boards lettered gilt on spine and upper cover. Marbled endpapers. Presentation copy: 'For A. A. Gill, with warmest wishes Tahir Shah. ' Tahir Shah headed postcard addressed from 202 Walm Lane, London NW2 3BP loosely inserted with a handwritten message to Adrian Gill undated and consisting of about 26 words in which he says as he is 'an enormous admirer of your work, I wanted you to have a copy of my new book. ' A copy of the extract concerning the story of Robert Adams, the inspiration of Shah's fictional account, taken from the Quarterly Review Vol. XVI No. 28, loosely inserted. pp. 453-474. Stapled pamphlet. Synopsis of the story also loosely inserted. Folder on rear endpaper with slip giving details of how to access further information on the website. Tahir Shah (born 1966) is an Anglo-Afghan travel writer and documentary maker. Adrian Gill or A. A. Gill (1954 &endash; 2016), the renowned food and television critic who has been described as 'a giant among journalists' won numerous awards for his writing. He was known for his acerbic style which led to several media controversies. Very good. ISBN 9780957242906 Very good indeed.
