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Pilgrimage to Medina and Mecca - Excerpts
Audio Cassette
Published January 1, 1992
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About the author
Richard Francis Burton
1,580 books245 followersCaptain Sir Richard Francis Burton KCMG FRGS was a British geographer, explorer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, cartographer, ethnologist, spy, linguist, poet, fencer and diplomat. He was known for his travels and explorations within Asia, Africa and the Americas as well as his extraordinary knowledge of languages and cultures. According to one count, he spoke 29 European, Asian, and African languages.
Burton's best-known achievements include travelling in disguise to Mecca, an unexpurgated translation of One Thousand and One Nights (also commonly called The Arabian Nights in English after Andrew Lang's adaptation), bringing the Kama Sutra to publication in English, and journeying with John Hanning Speke as the first Europeans led by Africa's greatest explorer guide, Sidi Mubarak Bombay, utilizing route information by Indian and Omani merchants who traded in the region, to visit the Great Lakes of Africa in search of the source of the Nile. Burton extensively criticized colonial policies (to the detriment of his career) in his works and letters. He was a prolific and erudite author and wrote numerous books and scholarly articles about subjects including human behaviour, travel, falconry, fencing, sexual practices, and ethnography. A unique feature of his books is the copious footnotes and appendices containing remarkable observations and unexpurgated information.
He was a captain in the army of the East India Company serving in India (and later, briefly, in the Crimean War). Following this he was engaged by the Royal Geographical Society to explore the east coast of Africa and led an expedition guided by the locals and was the first European to see Lake Tanganyika. In later life he served as British consul in Fernando Po, Santos, Damascus and, finally, Trieste. He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and was awarded a knighthood (KCMG) in 1886.
Burton's best-known achievements include travelling in disguise to Mecca, an unexpurgated translation of One Thousand and One Nights (also commonly called The Arabian Nights in English after Andrew Lang's adaptation), bringing the Kama Sutra to publication in English, and journeying with John Hanning Speke as the first Europeans led by Africa's greatest explorer guide, Sidi Mubarak Bombay, utilizing route information by Indian and Omani merchants who traded in the region, to visit the Great Lakes of Africa in search of the source of the Nile. Burton extensively criticized colonial policies (to the detriment of his career) in his works and letters. He was a prolific and erudite author and wrote numerous books and scholarly articles about subjects including human behaviour, travel, falconry, fencing, sexual practices, and ethnography. A unique feature of his books is the copious footnotes and appendices containing remarkable observations and unexpurgated information.
He was a captain in the army of the East India Company serving in India (and later, briefly, in the Crimean War). Following this he was engaged by the Royal Geographical Society to explore the east coast of Africa and led an expedition guided by the locals and was the first European to see Lake Tanganyika. In later life he served as British consul in Fernando Po, Santos, Damascus and, finally, Trieste. He was a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society and was awarded a knighthood (KCMG) in 1886.
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Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews
April 6, 2015
Richard Francis Burton by Rischgitz, 1864
Narrated by Patrick Tull
At ~ five hours this is just right to savour the intrigue and culture. Thank you M!
Burton in Persian disguise as "Mirza Abdullah the Bushri" (ca. 1849–50).The relevent history: The Hajj (/hædʒ/; Arabic: حج Ḥaǧǧ "pilgrimage") is an annual Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca, and a mandatory religious duty for Muslims that must be carried out at least once in their lifetime by all adult Muslims who are physically and financially capable of undertaking the journey, and can support their family during their absence. It is one of the five pillars of Islam, alongside Shahadah, Salat, Zakat, and Sawm. The gathering during Hajj is considered the largest annual gathering of people in the world. The state of being physically and financially capable of performing the Hajj is called istita'ah, and a Muslim who fulfills this condition is called a mustati. The Hajj is a demonstration of the solidarity of the Muslim people, and their submission to God (Allah). The word Hajj means "to intend a journey", which connotes both the outward act of a journey and the inward act of intentions. Wiki sourced.
The remarkable 'tent' tomb of Sir Richard Burton (1821–90), the explorer and writer, and his wife Isabel Arundell, in St Mary Magdalen Roman Catholic Church, Mortlake.
March 18, 2024
Burton had the brains of a scholar but the balls of a soldier. Literally: he was both.
He was fluent in at least 20 languages, but possibly as many as 40. He translated The Arabian Nights, the Kama Sutra, and other works.
He was a captain in the East India Company, fought against the Russians in the Crimean War, and was later a British diplomat.
He was also a prolific traveller and explorer.
One of his travels involved visiting Medina and Mecca while disguised as a Muslim pilgrim.
For this adventure, he fully immersed himself in the culture. He memorised parts of the Qur'an and blended in with local populations. He even underwent circumcision, lest his covered penis uncovered his true identity.
This book provides a Western perspective on the beliefs, temperaments, and practices of 19th-century Muslims. It is exciting and well-written and I highly recommend it.
He was fluent in at least 20 languages, but possibly as many as 40. He translated The Arabian Nights, the Kama Sutra, and other works.
He was a captain in the East India Company, fought against the Russians in the Crimean War, and was later a British diplomat.
He was also a prolific traveller and explorer.
One of his travels involved visiting Medina and Mecca while disguised as a Muslim pilgrim.
For this adventure, he fully immersed himself in the culture. He memorised parts of the Qur'an and blended in with local populations. He even underwent circumcision, lest his covered penis uncovered his true identity.
This book provides a Western perspective on the beliefs, temperaments, and practices of 19th-century Muslims. It is exciting and well-written and I highly recommend it.
February 29, 2016
Whilst I was waiting for Patrick O'Brian's The Surgeon's Mate to arrive, I was casting about for some other audiobook choices at my local library. This time, my eye fell upon "The Pilgrimage to Medina and Mecca", by Sir Richard Francis Burton, and narrated by none other than Patrick Tull, my POB narrator of choice. Well, perfect, thought I, this will be entertaining.
I had no idea HOW entertaining. I'd only ever read a few of his translations of the "Arabian Nights" tales, and I got a glimmering of his voice thru' that, but now I meet the man unvarnished.
And maybe it's the nature of the man, or maybe it's the nature of Patrick Tull, who has in some sense become the voice of POB for me, but this book is reading like a lost excerpt from a future Stephen's diaries. Sir Richard poses as a doctor as well as a dervish when he first gets to Egypt, and finds himself treating patients with a combination of actual know-how and performance art. Toss in some irascible observations on British officers and Eastern passport officials, all delivered with a positively POB-esque flair for decription and invective, and I find myself feeling convinced that POB *must* have read Burton and been influenced by him.
There's a hilariously deadpan intro and outro that gives details of Burton's life, and manages to skirt the issue of whether or not it might be fair, for example, to think Burton could POSSIBLY have been queer (of course not!) because he, for "research purposes", goes to a boys and eunuchs-only brothel in India. That's not really part of this story, of course, but as an illustration of the kinds of prejudices he had to deal with in his lifetime - and still has to deal with after his death - I found it both gut-bustingly funny and kind of sad at the same time.
Burton is probably the very model of the 19th-century Orientalist that Edward Said was critiquing in his classic book, but for this Occidental reader Burton was a vastly entertaining, if quite possibly unreliable, narrator on the only trip to Mecca I am likely to take. I may have to go on to explore the unabridged version of his adventure, after this "good bits" taste.
I had no idea HOW entertaining. I'd only ever read a few of his translations of the "Arabian Nights" tales, and I got a glimmering of his voice thru' that, but now I meet the man unvarnished.
And maybe it's the nature of the man, or maybe it's the nature of Patrick Tull, who has in some sense become the voice of POB for me, but this book is reading like a lost excerpt from a future Stephen's diaries. Sir Richard poses as a doctor as well as a dervish when he first gets to Egypt, and finds himself treating patients with a combination of actual know-how and performance art. Toss in some irascible observations on British officers and Eastern passport officials, all delivered with a positively POB-esque flair for decription and invective, and I find myself feeling convinced that POB *must* have read Burton and been influenced by him.
There's a hilariously deadpan intro and outro that gives details of Burton's life, and manages to skirt the issue of whether or not it might be fair, for example, to think Burton could POSSIBLY have been queer (of course not!) because he, for "research purposes", goes to a boys and eunuchs-only brothel in India. That's not really part of this story, of course, but as an illustration of the kinds of prejudices he had to deal with in his lifetime - and still has to deal with after his death - I found it both gut-bustingly funny and kind of sad at the same time.
Burton is probably the very model of the 19th-century Orientalist that Edward Said was critiquing in his classic book, but for this Occidental reader Burton was a vastly entertaining, if quite possibly unreliable, narrator on the only trip to Mecca I am likely to take. I may have to go on to explore the unabridged version of his adventure, after this "good bits" taste.
April 23, 2011
Sir Richard Francis Burton was a British explorer, translator, writer, soldier, orientalist, ethnologist, spy, linguist, poet, fencer and diplomat. Whew! He's famous for several things... one of which was traveling in disguise to Mecca in the 1850's... totally dangerous and punishable by death if found out. I saw a copy of this book come up on Antiques Roadshow and told my friend Matt about it because I knew it would be up his alley. He read it and told me I should too. I took the shorter route and listened to the abridged audio book, which also includes extra biographical material on Burton... totally interesting. I agree with Matt's assessment, which was something along the lines of being both completely taken with Burton... and also wanting to pop him one. Anyway... very cool... but if you don't like history and very detailed description... don't read it.
December 8, 2012
I thought it a good refreshing read. I know its a through back to a different time and but Mr. Burton made it an interesting and humorous adventure. Its so hard sometimes in our day to look at the Muslim world without judgement and eyeing it with suspicion. It felt comfortable to see it in a different time and it gives us perspective to somethings now and how they are not so very different from ourselves. The other big thing was I have always been curious about Mecca and the big stone they walk around. Though he described it my wonder was not quenched and I will have to look into it more. Mr. Burtons life in general was very interesting and it astounds me that our prejudices have not changed that much since the 1850's, they have but not that much.....
November 14, 2017
This is a hilarious introduction to the narcissistic 19th Century adventurer-doctor Sic Richard Burton. This brief Audible edition of "unabridged selections" is bookended with additional material by experts giving Burton's exploits context and setting them in the chronology of his large life. Seeming like the sort of rooles Clint Eastwood, Tommy Lee Jones, and Liam Neeson portray on the big screen, Burton later in life seeks to prove himself in a rash personal dare. in the 1850s impersonating a dervish and whatever he needs he passes through Alexandria, Medina and in disguise takes us to the Kaaba itself in Mecca along the way meeting Arab sheikhs and Bedouin bandits.
June 27, 2012
Interesting book. I want to read his translation of the Arabian Nights now.
July 12, 2012
Enjoyed this audio version of excerpts from Burton's book. Fascinating stories told in his droll style and narrated by the excellent Patrick Tull. I'd like to read more of Burton's works.
Displaying 1 - 8 of 8 reviews