Walking the Nile - by Levison Wood (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

The Nile, one of the world's great rivers, has long been an object of fascination and obsession. From Alexander the Great and Nero, to Victorian adventurers David Livingstone, John Hanning Speke, and Henry Morton Stanley, the river has enticed many into wild adventures. English writer, photographer, and explorer Levison Wood continues that tradition, and Walking the Nile is the captivating account of his remarkable and unparalleled Nile journey.

Starting in November 2013 in a forest in Rwanda, where a modest spring spouts a trickle of clear, cold water, Wood set forth on foot, aiming to become the first person to walk the entire length of the fabled river. He followed the Nile for nine months, over 4,000 miles, through six nations--Rwanda, Tanzania, Uganda, South Sudan, the Republic of Sudan, and Egypt--to the Mediterranean coast.

Like his predecessors, Wood camped in the wild, foraged for food, and trudged through rainforest, swamp, savannah, and desert, enduring life-threatening conditions at every turn. He traversed sandstorms, flash floods, minefields, and more, becoming a local celebrity in Uganda, where a popular rap song was written about him, and a potential enemy of the state in South Sudan, where he found himself caught in a civil war and detained by the secret police. As well as recounting his triumphs, like escaping a charging hippo and staving off wild crocodiles, Wood's gripping account recalls the loss of Matthew Power, a journalist who died suddenly from heat exhaustion during their trek. As Wood walks on, often joined by local guides who help him to navigate foreign languages and customs, Walking the Nile maps out African history and contemporary life.

An inimitable tale of survival, resilience, and sheer willpower, Walking the Nile is an inspiring chronicle of an epic journey down this lifeline of civilization.

Review Quotes

Praise for Levison Wood and Walking the Nile:

An Amazon Best Book of the Year (Nonfiction)

"Wood's interest, as well as his talents as a writer, lie . . . in finding out 'what life was like in corners of the world that do not always make it into our headlines' and in capturing the character and foibles of the people who inhabit them . . . Mr. Wood has a good eye for detail and a better ear for dialogue . . . What's more, unlike many explorers who went before him, Mr. Wood seems to have remained composed and charming throughout."--Wall Street Journal

"Gripping . . . Collecting these stories--let alone doing so beautifully--requires a variety of lucky skills. Wood emerges as a dutiful and brave guide."--Los Angeles Times

"A brilliant book."-Financial Times

"Walking the Nile continues the illustrious tradition of travel adventures stretching from Marco Polo to Henry W. Longfellow to Bear Grylls . . . Wood's remarkable achievement is one each reader can savor vicariously . . . This worthy effort . . . should satisfy even the most jaded armchair adventurers."--Lincoln Journal Star

"A travelogue vivid enough to feel the burning sands in our soles."--John Sandford, Minneapolis Star Tribune

"Moments of sheer beauty and splendor are expertly juxtaposed with descriptions of the harshness of life for millions living in Africa, giving this account a depth and humbleness not often found in memoir/adventure writing. Wood has set a standard that will be hard to surpass."--Shelf Awareness

"Walking the Nile has enticed many explorers, but Wood provides an up-to-the-minute portrait of the nations and people that claim the world's longest river . . . Wood is a sharp observer and authoritative writer. He takes pains to describe the Rwandan conflict, the Egyptian revolution, the Sudanese civil war, and all the culture clashes in between . . . A bold travelogue, illuminating great swathes of modern Africa."--Kirkus Reviews

"[An] ambitious attempt . . . the opinions of the people [Wood] encounters . . . are dynamic and at times surprising . . . These voices, seen through the lens of Wood's words, make this memoir a success."--Publishers Weekly

"[Wood], in addition to being adventurous, determined, and rugged, is also very reflective . . . A collection of anecdotes that seem to be plucked from a Kipling adventure novel . . . From the terrifying to the exotic, Levison Wood has encountered just about everything imaginable, and then some . . . What comes through just as clearly as botany, geology, hydrology and zoology is the remarkable variety of cultures and people he meets along this unique expedition, presenting for us their lives, their work, their societies, and their history."-CentralJersey.com

"An immense feat of endurance, a magnificent journey and a great adventure."--Ranulph Fiennes

"Many have attempted this holy grail of an expedition--so I admire Lev's determination and courage to pull this off"--Bear Grylls

"Obsession, sacrifice, bravery, death--the themes of great expedition tales haven't changed since Odysseus set sail. The adventurer Levison Wood has accomplished a doubly impressive feat, not only walking the Nile but capturing that experience in this lovely, evocative book."--Mark Adams, New York Times bestselling author of Turn Right at Machu Pichu

"In the macho, adrenaline-fuelled arena of TV adventurers, Levison Wood is that rare beast: the real deal."--Radio Times (UK)

"Unlike a great many pretenders, [Wood] is the real deal: a former paratrooper

About the Author

Levison Wood is a writer, photographer, and explorer. He served in the British Army Parachute Regiment and is a fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. His work has been featured in publications around the world, including the BBC, National Geographic, and Discovery Channel. When not abroad, he lives in London.