The characters of explorers such as Livingstone, Stanley, and Peary have assumed almost mythical proportions. Their names are associated with images of heroism, self-sacrifice, and patriotism. In reality, however, many exploratory expeditions were tainted by deception, greed, incompetence, ignorance, and failure. How is it, then, that the heroic myths have been created and perpetuated?
Concentrating on exploration between 1855 and 1910, Beau Riffenburgh...