The Forgotten Adventures of Richard Halliburton: A High Flying Life from Tennessee to Timbuktu

by R. Scott Williams

A biography of the charismatic world traveler whose daredevil exploits thrilled millions in the early twentieth century.

Born in 1900, Richard Halliburton ran away from his hometown of Memphis, Tennessee, at the age of nineteen to lead an extraordinary and dramatic life of adventure. Against the backdrop of the Roaring Twenties and the Great Depression, Halliburton's exploits around the globe made him an internationally known celebrity and the most famous travel writer of his time.

From climbing Mount Olympus in Greece to swimming the Panama Canal and flying all the way to Timbuktu, Halliburton experienced and wrote about adventures that others never even believed possible. His youthful spirit and bohemian lifestyle won the hearts of millions, and this absorbing biography tells his story.

"He was Marco Polo and Indiana Jones wrapped up in one, with P.T. Barnum's flippancy and James Bond's bravado, capped off by F. Scott Fitzgerald's aristocratic good looks and manners." --Smithsonian

"A concise new biography [that] covers the life of a man of marvels." --Memphis Magazine

257 pages, Kindle Edition

First published October 27, 2014

About the author

Scott Williams is chief operating officer and senior vice president of sales and marketing at the Newseum in Washington, D.C. Williams earned his degree in journalism from the University of Memphis. He then held positions at several advertising agencies and organizations, including Elvis Presley Enterprises, Inc., where he managed the communication for Graceland. He currently serves as president on the board of the D.C. chapter of the American Advertising Federation and on the board of the Historical Society of Washington, D.C. An amateur historian currently living in Arlington, Virginia, he enjoys exploring the history of the American south, especially around his home in West Tennessee. His first book was “The Forgotten Adventures of Richard Halliburton.”

Reviews

[Marci Lambert · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great little book about a Memphian who achieved fame but was tragically lost at sea. Loved reading about Memphis landmarks and about this distant era.

[MKF · Rating 2 out of 5]

By the end of this book you'll know that he was rich and hung out with the rich and famous as he became famous and even richer. I thought this was going to be about his many adventures so I was very disappointed.

[Matthew Stanfill · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good read overall. Less adventures than I had hoped. The epilogue kinda rambles off about other people in his life.

[Wendy · Rating 2 out of 5]

A biography of an adventure writer that focuses on his education and lecture tours rather than his actual adventures. Disappointing, quit at 52%.

[Mossy Kennedy · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ironic that such a rich story gets presented so blandly.

[Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This short biography outlines the life of 1920-30s explorer and lecturer Ricard Halliburton. It was an enjoyable read making me want to know more about his personal life and adventures.