At the height of the British Empire, Henry Morton Stanley was the poster boy of African exploration and discovery. Stanley is probably more famous today for one line ("Dr. Livingston, I presume?") than for his other significant achievements. However, as an adventurer, few could match his skills and bravery in charting the Congo Basin or searching for the source of the Nile.
Just the titles alone of his most famous works (In Darkest Africa, How I Found Livingstone and Through the Dark Continent) conjure up images of Britain's colonial past with the intrepid adventures of moustachioed Englishmen in pith helmets and knee length khaki shorts.
Stanley's books should not be dismissed as just exaggerated stories of "daring do" however. The details of hardship and suffering are simply amazing; for example in Through the Dark Continent, Stanley reminds us that only a third of his 350-strong party survived the journey to explore Central Africa.
In Darkest Africa, published in two volumes can realize $6,000 for a signed, first edition. First editions of Through the Dark Continent from 1878 can realize around $500.
Not merely pure literary pieces, Stanley's books are important as historical evidence. Stanley's writing documents an important part of British, African and world history. Even with the dubious motivations, it is hard not to be impressed by Stanley's stories of adventure.
Stanley, Henry M. How I Found Livingstone. Scribner, Armstrong, New York (1872). Travels, Adventures, and Discoveries in Central Africa, Including An Account of Four Months' Residence with Dr. Livingstone
Stanley, Henry M. How I Found Livingstone. Sampson Low Marston Low and Searle. London (1872). Illustrated with 28 plates by J.B. Zwecker, John Jellicoe and others; Travels, Adventures, and Discoveries in Central Africa, Including An Account of Four Months' Residence with Dr. Livingstone; Includes 6 maps
Stanley, Henry M. How I Found Livingston. Dawson Brothers, Montreal (1872). Travels, Adventures, and Discoveries in Central Africa, Including An Account of Four Months' Residence with Dr. Livingstone; 28 full-page illustrations, 25 smaller illustrations, 6 maps; Canadian edition
Stanley, Henry M. How I Found Livingstone. James Adam and Company, Toronto (1873). Travels, Adventures and Discoveries in Central Africa: Including an Account of Four Months' Residence with Dr. Livingstone
Stanley, Henry M. How I Found Livingstone. A. Asher and Co. Unter Den Linden, Berlin (1873). Travels, Adventures and Discoveries in Central Africa: Including an Account of Four Months' Residence with Dr. Livingstone
Stanley, Henry M. Coomassie and Magdala. Harper and Brothers, New York (1874). 27 black and white illustrations by Melton Prior; The Story of Two British Campaigns in Africa
Stanley, Henry M. Coomassie and Magdala. Sampson Low, Marston, Low, and Searle, London (1874). 27 black and white illustrations by Melton Prior; The Story of Two British Campaigns in Africa
Stanley, Henry M. Coomassie och Magdalena. Stockholm (1874). Translated into Swedish by C.G. Jungberg; Skildring af två brittiska falttåg; Illustrated with 13 full-page woodcuts
Stanley Henry M. Durch den dunkeln Welttheil. Brockhaus F. A., Leibzig (1878). Translated into German by Prof. Dr. C. Bottger; Through the Dark Continent, or part of the sources of the Nile, traveling around the great lakes of equatorial Africa un the Livingstone River downstream to the Atlantic Ocean; Illustrated + maps; 2 volumes
Stanley, Henry M. Through the Dark Continent. Harper and Brothers, New York (1878). or The Sources of the Nile around the Great Lakes of Equatorial Africa and Down the Livingstone River to the Atlantic Ocean; 10 maps, 34 full-page plates, 149 b/w illustrations; First American edition; 2 volumes
Stanley, Henry M. Through the Dark Continent. Sampson Low, Marston, Searle and Rivington, London (1878). or The Sources of the Nile around the Great Lakes of Equatorial Africa and Down the Livingstone River to the Atlantic Ocean; 2 volumes; 10 full-page maps, 34 full-page plates, 149 b/w illustrations
Stanley, Henry M. Through the Dark Continent. Harper and Brothers, New York (1879). or the Sources of the Nile Around the Great lakes of Equatorial Africa and Down the Livingstone River to the Atlantic Ocean; reprint of 1878 American edition; Illustrated with 32 wood engraved plates, 8 maps + 2 folding maps; 2 volumes
STANLEY (Henry M.). Comment j'ai retrouve Livingstone. Hachette et Cie, Paris (1884). Translated into French by H. Loreau; 'How I found Livingstone. Travels, adventures, and discoveries in Central Africa'; with 60 full-page plates and 6 maps, 3 folding; 4th edition
Stanley Henry M. Cinq Annees au Congo. Bruxelles (1885). Translated into French by Gerard Harry; 5 years in the Congo (1879-1884). Travels, Explorations, Foundation of the Free State of the Congo; 120 b/w illustrations, 4 coloured maps
Stanley,Henry M. The Congo And The Founding Of Its Free State. Sampson Low Marston Searle and Rivington Limited, London (1885). 43 b/w illustrations by J.D. Cooper and John Bolton; A Story Of Work And Exploration; 2 volumes; 5 maps
Stanley, Henry M. The Congo And The Founding Of Its Free State. Harper and Brothers, New York (1885). 44 b/w illustrations by J.D. Cooper and John Bolton; A Story Of Work And Exploration; 2 volumes; 5 maps
Stanley, Henry M. Cinq annees au Congo. Maurice Dreyfous, Paris (1890). 5 years in the Congo (1879-1884). Travels, Explorations, Foundation of the Free State of the Congo; 100 b/w illustrations,3 coloured maps; 2nd French edition
Stanley, Henry M. Cinq Annees Au Congo 1879-1884 Voyages-Explorations.Fondation de l'etat libre du Congo. Institut National de Geographie, Bruxelles (1890). Translated into French by Gerard Harry; 5 years in the Congo (1879-1884). Travels, Explorations, Foundation of the Free State of the Congo; 120 b/w illustrations, 4 coloured maps
Mounteney-Jephson, A.J. Emin Pasha and the Rebellion at the Equator. Sampson Low Marston Searle and Rivington, London (1890). Introduction and Revision by Henry M. Stanley; A Story of Nine Months' Experiences in the Last of the Soudan Provinces.; 21 full-page engravings, folding map, letter facsimile; 3rd edition
Stanley, Henry M. I Det Mokaste Afrika. P.A. Norstedt and Soners, Stockholm (1890). In Darkest Africa, Emin Pasha and the Rebellion at the Equator; Translated by E.W. Dahlgren; 3 folding map, 144 illustrations; Swedish edition; 2 volumes
Stanley, Henry M. Im Dunkelsten Afrika. F.A. Brockhaus, Leipzig (1890). Translated by by H. von Wobeser; In Darkest Africa. Exploration, rescue, and of retreat of Emin Pasha, Governor of the Equatorial Province; 150 illustrations, 3 maps, facsimile letter; German edition
Stanley, Henry M. In Afrikas donkere wildernissen. Arnhem, Cohen, ca. (1890). In Darkest Africa. Exploration, rescue, and of retreat of Emin Pasha, Governor of the Equatorial Province; illustrated, 2 fold-out coloured maps; Dutch edition; 2 volumes
Stanley, Henry M. In Darkest Africa. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York (1890). 150 illustrations; 4 folding maps; First American Edition; 2 volumes; limited edition of 250 numbered copies
Stanley, Henry M. In Darkest Africa. Sampson Low, Marston and Rivington Limited, London (1890). or the Quest Rescue and Retreat of Emin Governor of Equatoria; illustrated with 150 woodcut plates, 1 coloured map, 3 folding maps; 2 volumes; edition includes deluxe 250 numbered copies
Stanley, Henry M. Nell'Africa Tenebrosa. Fratelli Treves, Milano (1890). Translated by Adolfo Massoni; 'ovvero Ricerca liberazione e ritorno di Emin Governatore della Provincia Equatoriale' - In Darkest Africa; or the Quest, Rescue and Retreat of Emin, Governor of Equatoria; 2nd edition; 2 volumes; italian edition
Stanley, Henry M. In Darkest Africa. Charles Scribner's Sons, New York (1891). Or the Quest, Rescue, and Retreat of Emin, Governor of Equatoria.; 150 illustrations and 3 maps; first US edition; 2 volumes Stanley, Henry M.