Posted on 04/15/2009 4:53:29 PM PDT by nickcarraway
The Collector of Worlds.
By Iliya Troyanov; translated by Will Hobson.
Ecco. 464 pages. $24.95.
Sir Richard Francis Burton (1821-1890) has been variously identified as an explorer, linguist, writer, soldier, translator, diplomat and even a spy. Perhaps he is best known by many readers as the translator of "One Thousand Nights and A Night" and the "Kama Sutra." Another claim to fame was his journey to find the source of the Nile River. Now, Bulgarian writer Iliya Troyanov ("Along the Ganges") has imagined key elements of Burton's life in the fast-paced biographical, historical novel "The Collector of Worlds."
Troyanov distills the 20 years of Burton's adventures that focus on experiences in the British Empire's West India, Arabia and Africa, places where "only the ignorant or the arrogant would venture." In doing so, he relies on the viewpoints of a loyal servant, several government officials and an intrepid guide. This inspired narrative structure divides the novel into three distinct parts.
The first part, "British India, "begins with Burton's servant of seven years, Naukaram, hiring a lahiya (a street scribe) to tell his story in the guise of a reference letter. This contributes to a great deal of humor in the novel. What starts out as a two-page letter quickly grows to the first 200 pages of Troyanov's novel. The lahiya keeps adding details of Naukaram's life, and, in the process keeps upping the fees for his services. Meanwhile, the servant recounts the youthful Burton's conscientious submersion in Indian culture - from avidly learning Sanskrit to accepting a diet of vegetables, nuts and fruits. Elements of eroticism enter the novel in the description of Burton's involvement with Kundalini, a vestal courtesan. His sojourn in India ends under a dark cloud involving a local brothel.
While in India, Burton became a master of disguises. This serves him well in part two, "Arabia," when he takes on the identity of Mirza Abdullah, a doctor and a dervish, and travels with hajj pilgrims on the way to Mecca. This second section of the novel includes a series of investigative exchanges by government officials certain that Burton is a British spy seeking information on "previously remote, unknown corners of the world (which) will become part of the empire." The journey to Mecca is not without serious consequences, as the "master of secrets" becomes the victim of a violent attack.
In the concluding section, "East Africa," Burton travels with his exploring companion, John Hanning Speke, as they seek the source of the Nile River. Their stalwart guide, Sidi Mubarak Bombay, offers the third alternative narration for the novel. Sidi reveals the combatant nature of the relationship between Burton and Speke, who have contrary positions on exploration. Speke is an animal hunter; Burton, a social archaeologist. The trio travel from Zanzibar, where the sands are "like finely ground sea salt steeped in gold," through the villages of Bagamoyo and Kazeh before reaching Lake Tanganyika and then Lake Victoria. Along the way, they are almost killed by mudslides, contract malaria and get valuable help from a native mganga (witch doctor).
Although "The Collector of Worlds" is ostensibly about Burton and his daring achievements, curiously enough the reader seems to learn more about Naukaram and Sidi Bombay in their supporting roles than about the main character. This in no way detracts from the virtues of the novel. Burton remains the familiar figure of history, and his accomplishments remain significant. The novel contributes a heightened sense of adventure to his already legendary story.
Robert Allen Papinchak, who graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, writes for The Writer, Bon Appetit and other publications.
A truly classic oxymoron.
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http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0100196/
“Mountains of the Moon” ~ excellent film
I saw “Assistants” and “Flesh” and my thoughts immediately turned to porn. Sorry, I’ll just leave now.
It was the fact that he was a cunning linguist that did me in.
I recently ran across my childhood copy of Richard Halliburton’s Complete Book of Marvels. Halliburton was a traveling adventurer who put his adventures and travels into far off places into travelogues.
Although he didn’t make as many waves politically as Burton, the guy fed my imagination for travel to Haiti to see Cristophe’s Citadelle, Petra and Macchu Pichu.
LOL!!!
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