A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History's Greatest Traveler (P.S.)

Additional A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History's Greatest Traveler (P.S.) Information

He was known simply as the Blind Traveler. A solitary, sightless adventurer, James Holman (1786-1857) fought the slave trade in Africa, survived a frozen captivity in Siberia, hunted rogue elephants in Ceylon, helped chart the Australian outback—and, astonishingly, circumnavigated the globe, becoming one of the greatest wonders of the world he so sagaciously explored. A Sense of the World is a spellbinding and moving rediscovery of one of history's most epic lives—a story to awaken our own senses of awe and wonder.

What Customers Say About A Sense of the World: How a Blind Man Became History's Greatest Traveler (P.S.):

I enjoyed this book very much. It's quite a life story and the narrative is filled with bits of history, not to mention plenty of insight into human nature. I highly recommend it.

Fascinating book, particularly since I am English by birth and it shows how amazingly intrepid travellers were in 18th and 19th century England. This man was quite famous in his day but his works have completely fallen by the wayside. An interesting commentary on how short-lived fame and fortune are. A lesson worth remembering.

Make sure you buy a second copy for all the people who will try to take this book from your hands when you walk in a room bubbling "I'm reading the most interesting book." with a big grin on your face because you've just finished yet another passage that has left you amazed and inspired - not just by Holman's life, but also by Roberts' gift for writing. Compelling from the first page to the last. More please.

In the good old days this fascinating true-life story would have been snapped up by Hollywood and been turned into an epic film directed by David Lean. But with Hollywood currently obsessed with giant robots and vampires, we'll have to be content with Jason Roberts' loving and engrossing account (which admittedly spends a disproportionate amount of time on Holman's early life and travels).

And not so much as a statue exists to commemorate him. I was glad to have had those mental images to refer to as I read this book.

Here was a man who traveled the world in a time when travel was difficult and grueling. He was blind, suffered from arthritis and at various times, pneumonia, malaria, and worse, the "treatments" that doctors offered in an attempt to make him better.

I must thank the author for doing the research and bringing the adventures of this obsure hero to light. George's Chapel, and the coastal town of Portsmouth, where I toured the HMS Victory, a battleship that sailed during Holman's era.

As I read of his amazing adventures I couldn't help but look at my own "hardships" in a different way. I recently traveled to England, and had the chance to visit London, Windsor, St.

Holman should be a national hero in Britian. I'll be passing this book on to friends--to keep this great story alive.