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David Livingstone: Missionary, Explorer, Abolitionist
David Livingstone was one of the most consequential individuals who lived in the nineteenth century. An unpretentious Scottish missionary doctor, explorer and abolitionist, he opened the door for Christianity in southern Africa. Vance Christie’s biography is the most comprehensive and accurate ever written about Livingstone. During his lifetime he was a hero in Britain and beyond, and gained a degree of respect, trust, appreciation and even affection with many African people. He was a man who overcame many deprivations and discouragements, and displayed the utmost measure of courage, self–control, faith, wisdom and ingenuity. Christie takes a balanced look at Livingstone’s amazing achievements, but also at his very real flaws. This gripping in–depth biography is a must–read insight into a fascinating man.
768 pages, Hardcover
Published July 11, 2023
24 people are currently reading
150 people want to read
About the author
Vance Christie
14 books5 followersVance Christie is a pastor and author best known for vivid retelling of missionary stories. He lives in Aurora, Nebraska and has previously written for the 'Heroes of the Faith' series. His website is www.vancechristie.com.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
January 10, 2025
Be ready for a long and thorough account of David Livingstone’s life that includes many excerpts from primary sources. It quickly became clear to me that Vance Christie was trying to set the record straight due to the many people who have said inaccurate things about Livingstone, and I believe he accomplished that goal with a balanced, well-researched account that took 756 pages to write and 54 hours to record as an audiobook. Even though it was that long, it did not have shortage of very interesting, drama-filled narrative.
Speaking of the audiobook, I would definitely recommend reading the book instead of listening. The narrative contains very many African place names and in order to follow the account, It’s helpful to look up some of these places on the map. But if you’re listening to the audiobook, it’s difficult to know how these African names are spelled, and so you can’t look them up very easily.
Also, the audiobook is narrated by Vance Christie, who isn’t a voice actor, so it takes some getting used to listening to him. I eventually did adjust and increased the speed to 1.2 which did help.
Speaking of the audiobook, I would definitely recommend reading the book instead of listening. The narrative contains very many African place names and in order to follow the account, It’s helpful to look up some of these places on the map. But if you’re listening to the audiobook, it’s difficult to know how these African names are spelled, and so you can’t look them up very easily.
Also, the audiobook is narrated by Vance Christie, who isn’t a voice actor, so it takes some getting used to listening to him. I eventually did adjust and increased the speed to 1.2 which did help.
May 17, 2024
This was a fascinating biography of David Livingstone. I very much appreciated that the author wrote chronologically. This made it easier to follow events. I also appreciate that Christie did not try to psycho analyze his subject. So many authors think they have to tell you what they think caused a person to do certain things. Christie uses the Joe Friday method: just the facts, ma’am, just the facts.
The overwhelming message from this biography is that Livingstone sought to do God’s will, no matter what the cost, in order to bring the gospel to lost souls. I was truly blessed and encouraged. 11 months
The overwhelming message from this biography is that Livingstone sought to do God’s will, no matter what the cost, in order to bring the gospel to lost souls. I was truly blessed and encouraged. 11 months
April 18, 2025
What a book! What a man!
Vance Christie has written a masterful account - balanced and fair that provides a thorough picture of the amazing man that David Livingstone was. Trained as a doctor, he first went to Africa as a missionary in 1840 sent by the London Missionary Society. He started out at the Kuruman station under the tutelage of Robert Moffat - he later married the Moffat's daughter, Mary. They had 5 children.
One of the things that makes Livingstone stand out is that he was a visionary. Early on that meant establishing new mission stations to reach more people groups in what is now Botswana and parts of South Africa. He faced opposition and threats from both local tribes and the boers, slow progress in seeing conversions, but he was determined to expand the footprint of missions in Southern Africa. Quickly, he was confronted by slavery which although abolished by the British was still rife among tribes, the Portuguese and Arab slave traders.
Livingstone's vision, to establish alternative trading options to slavery and simultaneously teach the good news of Christianity wherever he went, drove the rest of his life. He looked to establish an easier trade route from west Africa (now Angola). From there he explored the Zambezi River, was the first European to see Victoria Falls (which he named) and continued across to the mouth of the Zambezi on the east coast (now Mozambique) - making him the first European to cross the continent of Africa.
On two further expeditions he discovered Lake Nyassa, Lake Bengwuelu, and explored the watersheds around Lake Tanganyika in search of the source of the Nile River. He died in Chitambo (in present-day Zambia) at the age of 60. He faced unbelievable hardships, lack of food, attack by a lion (his arm never healed properly), hippo attack, hostile tribes that shot at them with guns, spears and poisoned arrows, malaria, cholera, and on several occasions he was out of water and close to starvation.
His vision was successful almost immediately following his death. In fact the British government intervened to shut down the east coast slave trade on May 1st, 1873, the very day that Livingstone died. His hope of mission stations being established in southern and central Africa occurred almost immediately following his death, in present day Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, Uganda, DRC and Kenya, among others.
That he achieved all he did is a testament to his endurance and character. Where others would have been (and were) killed, Livingstone was loved by the tribes and even the Arab slave traders he interacted with.
The above is more a summary of Livingstone's life than a review of Christie's book. The book is spectacular - it is detailed, thrilling at times, distressing and quite disturbing when you read of Livingstone's experiences and the things he saw. The brutality of slavery and the murderous way it was conducted, is conveyed well by Christie and so at times this book appalls the reader (as it should). But as you get to the end, and you look back with the help of Christie's epilogue, you see a man who was committed to his God, the gospel and his calling. David Livingstone was not perfect, but he was an amazing man who achieved amazing things by the grace of God.
Vance Christie has written a masterful account - balanced and fair that provides a thorough picture of the amazing man that David Livingstone was. Trained as a doctor, he first went to Africa as a missionary in 1840 sent by the London Missionary Society. He started out at the Kuruman station under the tutelage of Robert Moffat - he later married the Moffat's daughter, Mary. They had 5 children.
One of the things that makes Livingstone stand out is that he was a visionary. Early on that meant establishing new mission stations to reach more people groups in what is now Botswana and parts of South Africa. He faced opposition and threats from both local tribes and the boers, slow progress in seeing conversions, but he was determined to expand the footprint of missions in Southern Africa. Quickly, he was confronted by slavery which although abolished by the British was still rife among tribes, the Portuguese and Arab slave traders.
Livingstone's vision, to establish alternative trading options to slavery and simultaneously teach the good news of Christianity wherever he went, drove the rest of his life. He looked to establish an easier trade route from west Africa (now Angola). From there he explored the Zambezi River, was the first European to see Victoria Falls (which he named) and continued across to the mouth of the Zambezi on the east coast (now Mozambique) - making him the first European to cross the continent of Africa.
On two further expeditions he discovered Lake Nyassa, Lake Bengwuelu, and explored the watersheds around Lake Tanganyika in search of the source of the Nile River. He died in Chitambo (in present-day Zambia) at the age of 60. He faced unbelievable hardships, lack of food, attack by a lion (his arm never healed properly), hippo attack, hostile tribes that shot at them with guns, spears and poisoned arrows, malaria, cholera, and on several occasions he was out of water and close to starvation.
His vision was successful almost immediately following his death. In fact the British government intervened to shut down the east coast slave trade on May 1st, 1873, the very day that Livingstone died. His hope of mission stations being established in southern and central Africa occurred almost immediately following his death, in present day Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, Uganda, DRC and Kenya, among others.
That he achieved all he did is a testament to his endurance and character. Where others would have been (and were) killed, Livingstone was loved by the tribes and even the Arab slave traders he interacted with.
The above is more a summary of Livingstone's life than a review of Christie's book. The book is spectacular - it is detailed, thrilling at times, distressing and quite disturbing when you read of Livingstone's experiences and the things he saw. The brutality of slavery and the murderous way it was conducted, is conveyed well by Christie and so at times this book appalls the reader (as it should). But as you get to the end, and you look back with the help of Christie's epilogue, you see a man who was committed to his God, the gospel and his calling. David Livingstone was not perfect, but he was an amazing man who achieved amazing things by the grace of God.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 10, 2024
I’m quite shocked at anyone calling this book fascinating but there were some truly touching parts. I just think the author needs to include an abridged version of this because there were so many unnecessary parts. I hate to give the author a low rating because he has written other good books. Sticking to the facts is fine but keeping them interesting is important. I also didn’t like his use of AI and his voice. Whatever technology he was using wasn’t worth it. So if you read this don’t buy the audiobook version. I’d really recommend not buying this at all unless you go through it and skip a lot. I rarely say this about books. I did listen to the whole thing because I did buy it but honestly I just hope you don’t unless there’s an abridged version
October 30, 2024
My first look at the life of Livingstone. He was an interesting character.
I could not recommend this book. It is slow and bogged down with a mountain of exerts from letters and journal entries. The book would benefit from context tools like maps etc.
I could not recommend this book. It is slow and bogged down with a mountain of exerts from letters and journal entries. The book would benefit from context tools like maps etc.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews