Mary Kingsley

by Heather Lehr Wagner

Published 1 March 2004
Women Explorers chronicles the lives of six intrepid women whose hunger for adventure and knowledge compelled them on paths of discovery around the world. Their discoveries not only brought stores of information on topics ranging from ancient dinosaur fossils to life in Tibet, but also challenged the established roles of women in their fields. Kingsley set sail for Africa in 1893, embarking on a trip that would change not only her life, but the Victorian understanding of the dark continent as well. She traveled between the Niger and Congo rivers, was the first white woman to climb Mount Cameroon, and penned two books about her research in Africa.