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The Richard Burton Library

The Richard Burton Library

By: Sir Richard Francis Burton
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Enter The Richard Burton Library, wherein the curious listener may accompany that restless company of pilgrims, wanderers, merchants, poets, princes, and philosophers who people the books of Sir Richard Francis Burton. Here are his works read in full: voyages into Arabia, Africa, India, and the chambers of ancient story; observations of men and manners; translations from tongues remote and richly storied; and those strange byways of learning which Burton pursued with equal parts courage, appetite, and disdain for convention. For the lover of travel, letters, and the wider world, the road begins here.Public domain Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • The Land of Midian Part I Chapter VIII - Cruise from El-'Akabah to El-Muwaylah—the Shipwreck Escaped-Résumé of the Northern Journey

    The Land of Midian Part I Chapter VIII - Cruise from El-'Akabah to El-Muwaylah—the Shipwreck Escaped-Résumé of the Northern Journey
    Jun 13 2026
    In which the author diligently records the practicalities and perils attending a maritime sojourn along the Arabian shore of the Gulf of El-'Akabah, detailing supplies, weather, and geological observations amidst storms and reefs. The narrative concludes with a reflective summary of the northern Midian expedition’s mining prospects and the natural history encountered on Sináfir Island, tempered by cautious optimism for industrial endeavour.
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    30 mins
  • The Land of Midian Part II - The March Through Central and Eastern Midian Chapter IX - Work in and Around El-Muwaylah

    The Land of Midian Part II - The March Through Central and Eastern Midian Chapter IX - Work in and Around El-Muwaylah
    Jun 13 2026
    In which the expedition arrives at the diminished pilgrimage station of El-Muwaylah and embarks upon systematic geological surveys of sulphur and copper deposits in the surrounding hills, while contending with the vagaries of local guides and the challenges of desert travel. The narrative also explores the natural history of the region, including oyster beds and ancient ruins, hinting at a landscape rich in both mineral wealth and antiquity, albeit currently somewhat neglected and forlorn.
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    26 mins
  • The Land of Midian Part I Chapter VII - Cruise from Makná to El-'Akabah

    The Land of Midian Part I Chapter VII - Cruise from Makná to El-'Akabah
    Jun 12 2026
    In which a hazardous voyage across the Gulf of El-'Akabah reveals a rugged landscape of geological contrasts, ancient ruins, and the enduring presence of Bedawin tribes, their customs, and wary hospitality. The expedition’s observations intertwine natural history with reflections on biblical and medieval legacies, punctuated by the precarious state of their vessel and the quaint fortifications guarding this remote and storied inlet.
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    50 mins
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