River of the Gods
Genius, Courage, and Betrayal in the Search for the Source of the Nile
“River of the Gods is a lean, fast-paced account of the almost absurdly dangerous quest by [Richard Burton and John Speke] to solve the geographic riddle of their era. . . Candice Millard has earned her legions of admirers. She is a graceful writer and a careful researcher, and she knows how to navigate a tangled tale.”
—The New York Times Book Review—
“Millard’s research and very readable storytelling are admirable. . . Ultimately, the identity of the person who first discovered the source of the White Nile may be a trivial matter. Ms. Millard conscientiously investigates the issue, of course, but River of the Gods is compelling because she does justice to the psyches and behavior of Burton and Speke—keenly flawed but enthralling, sometimes marvelous people.”
—The Wall Street Journal—
“Thanks to this richly detailed story well told by historian Candice Millard, a colorful and controversial chapter in world history resurfaces. . . [Millard] introduces a cast of characters and succeeds in making each of them unforgettable. . . Millard excels at describing it all, balancing narrative flow with abundant details that give a vast landscape its weight and power, clarify complicated people and arduous journeys, and add those who have gone largely unseen to the historical stage.”
—BookPage, starred review—
“Millard’s lushly detailed adventure story keeps a steady eye on the racial power dynamics involved in this imperialist endeavor and brilliantly illuminates the characters of Burton, Speke, and Bombay. Readers will be riveted.”
—Publisher’s Weekly, starred review—
“A tense, vibrant history of several dramatic expeditions across East Africa that finally resulted in a successful discovery. Drawing on archival sources and her own multiple trips to Africa following the explorers’ paths, Millard creates a palpable sense of the daunting task undertaken by three ambitious men. . . An engrossing, sharply drawn adventure tale”
—Kirkus, starred review—
“Clashing personalities, relentless obstacles, imperialistic misdeeds—this story comes with a bottomless supply of drama, which Millard is adept at spinning into gripping narrative nonfiction. This could be her most tantalizing adventure story yet.”
—2022 Preview: Most Anticipated Nonfiction—
BookPage
“Acclaimed, bestselling author Candice Millard has a knack for finding compelling stories within the lives of some of the giants of history. . . . In River of the Gods she tackles an epic story of Victorian Era exploration, imperial rivalry, and colonialism. And she introduces a trio of adventurers, including a forgotten African guide who escaped enslavement and was crucial to the success of British efforts to solve one of the great mysteries of the nineteenth century.”
—Dean Jobb—
Chicago Review of Books
Hero of the Empire
The Boer War, a Daring Escape and the Making of Winston Churchill
“Gripping…tremendously readable and enjoyable… Her prose gallops along; her short, action-packed chapters often screech to a halt on a cliffhanger.”
—Alex von Tunzelmann—
The New York Times Book Review
"A gripping story...It's a thrilling journey and Millard tells it with gusto."
—The Guardian—
"As involving as a popcorn thriller...Excellent."
—Jennifer Senior—
The New York Times
"Well-researched and highly-readable.”
—Con Coughlin—
Finest Hour
"In "Hero of the Empire" . . . Candice Millard, a smooth-writing popular historian, sets her sights on an earlier episode of Churchillian regeneration. It does not disappoint."
—Roger Lowenstein—
The Wall Street Journal
“Few can match the originality and narrative power of Candice Millard’s surprisingly revealing account”
—Saul David—
The Telegraph
"Combining vivid narrative and original scholarship, Candice Millard reveals how Winston Churchill laid the foundations of his political career during the Boer War. Supremely courageous, flagrantly ambitious and incredibly lucky, young Winston emerges as the authentic hero of this thrilling tale of imperial derring-do."
—Piers Brendon—
Former Keeper of the Archives Centre, Churchill College, Cambridge
"With consummate narrative skill and admirable first-hand research, Candice Millard has added to the canon of great works on Winston Churchill a book essential to a better understanding of his life and personality. Hero of The Empire is both eminently readable and exceptionally informative about the evolution of one of Britain's greatest statesmen."
—Phil Reed—
Former Director of the Churchill War Rooms
"Completely engrossing."
—Andrew Roberts—
New York Times bestselling author of Masters and Commanders and Napoleon: A Life
"Millard has taken a well-known piece of Churchilliana and skilfully turned it into a large historical narrative. Using many unpublished sources, she weaves into a nail-biting escape story a larger picture of Africa at the cusp of the 20th century. Her eye for humanising detail, her vivid topographical descriptions and her keen awareness of the realities (and surrealities) of war come together in a truly fascinating book."
—Financial Times—
“A rich narrative…Millard zeroes in on the epic beginnings of an epic public life [and] masters all the details. Millard’s tome is a slam-bang study of Churchill’s wit and wile as he navigates the Boer War like [a] proto-James Bond.”
—USA Today—
“Riveting...meticulous…Millard’s brilliant modus operandi is to identify a singular, little-explored event in a well-documented life. She then uses that very pointed story as a wedge that she drives into the person’s character, cracking it wide open in a manner usually reserved for fiction. And so it is with her account of young Churchill. Millard has no shortage of strengths as a writer, but particularly spectacular is her ability to make history and historical figures not only relatable, but absolutely relevant to contemporary readers.”
—Kansas City Star—
"Thanks to her formidable storytelling skills, she has succeeded in infusing this familiar narrative with color, excitement and life."
—Washington Post—
“Millard ably weaves a seamless and gripping narrative of the future statesman's early career and involvement in the Boer War ... [V]ivid, entertaining ... A fresh, captivating history of the enduringly colorful Churchill.”
—Kirkus—
(starred review)
“Biographer Millard “gets at” her subject by a somewhat out-of-left-field path that leaves the reader satisfied and feeling that her approach is right and perfect ... Millard’s rendering of the exciting details of Churchill’s heroic exploits result in a magnificently told story.”
—Booklist—
(starred review)
The River of Doubt
Theodore Roosevelt's Darkest Journey
“Author Candice Millard ... pays keen attention to nature, human and otherwise, in this vigorous, critter-filled account of Roosevelt’s last epic journey.”
—The New York Times—
“Millard has crafted an eye-popping mix of presidential history, white-water epic, and jungle-wild thriller. Hell, Tom Clancy could only dream of a story this good.”
—Men’s Journal—
“Extremely gripping ... absorbing ... Her writing is brisk, and short chapters help move the story along, though it is so captivating it scarcely needs any help.”
—Chicago Sun-Times—
“Millard writes with verve and precision as she vividly conveys the smothering jungle, the savage river and the flamboyant characters ... Unforgettable.”
—Tampa Tribune—
“Excellent.”
—National Geographic Adventure—
“Millard’s riveting tale reveals how Roosevelt’s frantic desire to make an impact in his final years
by making his mark on the map of the Western Hemisphere almost cost him, his son, and his team their lives. Her prose is so alive that you will be reaching for your mosquito net.”
—The Independent (Kansas City)—
“Superb ... of Millard’s talent, much can be said. Roosevelt has attracted many fine biographers, but few if any have shown a greater gift for characterization, a finer sense of pacing or a surer grasp of her subject.”
—The Plain Dealer—
“Marvelously atmospheric ... [R]eaders of both American history and travel narratives will take delight in living through these exciting pages.”
—Booklist—
“This is history that reads like a thriller ... beautifully written ... riveting.”
—Flint Journal—
“Millard tells the story wonderfully, marshaling ecology, geography, human and natural history to tell the tale of the jungle primeval, of bravery and privation, determination and murder in the ranks as cowboy Roosevelt survived the Indians of the Amazon. Teddy Roosevelt’s tropical adventure, splendidly related.”
—Kirkus Reviews—
“Millard proves herself highly effective in telling a good story while including all the technical truths
to understand a part of the world that was then essentially unknown ... This is an amazing book—interesting to a fault—and it portrays a side of Roosevelt unknown to most readers.”
—Desert News—
“Americana buffs will be entranced by this account of Roosevelt’s journey down the Amazon in 1913.
It reads like a thriller.”
—Glamour—
“[A] gripping account ... Millard nails the suspense element of this story perfectly, but equally important to her success is the marvelous amount of detail she provides on the wildlife that Roosevelt and his fellow explorers encountered on their journey.”
—Publishers Weekly—
“Harrowing”
—Winston-Salem Journal—
“The tale of Theodore Roosevelt’s near-death experiences exploring the Rio da Duvida in Brazil leaves little doubt about one thing: Candice Millard can write ... Remarkably, this well-written page turner is Millard’s first book ... She details the wildlife, insects, and the Amazon rain forest itself in intricate detail.”
—Palm Beach Post—
“Millard understands Roosevelt as a man ... She offers a powerful description of the merciless rain forest, where the expedition met festering insects that rent their skins, wild rapids requiring long portages and native tribes hostile to intruders.”
—Bookpage—
“With such wonderfully morbid details, this is a tale that requires no embellishment, and Millard is admirably restrained throughout. She writes with precision and perfect pacing, and she enriches her narrative by just the right amount of historical backstory and scientific context.”
—San Francisco Chronicle—