Dane Kennedy is a historian of the British imperial world who has written eight books, including The Last Blank Spaces: Exploring Africa and Australia (2013), and has edited or co-edited three others. An emeritus professor of history and international affairs at George Washington University, he has served as Director of the National History Center and President of the North American Conference of British Studies and he has been awarded Guggenheim and National Humanities Center fellowships.

'Mungo Park's Ghost is a brilliantly executed account of the most ambitious expeditionary bids ever made by the British government to explore the African continent - and almost certainly the most disastrous. Written with verve and rigour, Kennedy wonderfully documents geographical exploration as imperial hubris.' Charles W. J. Withers, Professor Emeritus in University of Edinburgh and former Geographer Royal for Scotland

• Introduction: Mungo Park's ghost; 1. In the shadow of the slave trade; 2. Grand ambitions; 3. Hopes and hubris; 4. Futility and folly; 5. The second time as farce; 6. Inquest; 7. Eating the country; Bibliography; Index.

Dane Kennedy is a historian of the British imperial world who has written eight books, including The Last Blank Spaces: Exploring Africa and Australia (2013), and has edited or co-edited three others. An emeritus professor of history and international affairs at George Washington University, he has served as Director of the National History Center and President of the North American Conference of British Studies and he has been awarded Guggenheim and National Humanities Center fellowships.

'Mungo Park's Ghost is a brilliantly executed account of the most ambitious expeditionary bids ever made by the British government to explore the African continent - and almost certainly the most disastrous. Written with verve and rigour, Kennedy wonderfully documents geographical exploration as imperial hubris.' Charles W. J. Withers, Professor Emeritus in University of Edinburgh and former Geographer Royal for Scotland

• Introduction: Mungo Park's ghost; 1. In the shadow of the slave trade; 2. Grand ambitions; 3. Hopes and hubris; 4. Futility and folly; 5. The second time as farce; 6. Inquest; 7. Eating the country; Bibliography; Index.

Dane Kennedy is a historian of the British imperial world who has written eight books, including The Last Blank Spaces: Exploring Africa and Australia (2013), and has edited or co-edited three others. An emeritus professor of history and international affairs at George Washington University, he has served as Director of the National History Center and President of the North American Conference of British Studies and he has been awarded Guggenheim and National Humanities Center fellowships.

'Mungo Park's Ghost is a brilliantly executed account of the most ambitious expeditionary bids ever made by the British government to explore the African continent - and almost certainly the most disastrous. Written with verve and rigour, Kennedy wonderfully documents geographical exploration as imperial hubris.' Charles W. J. Withers, Professor Emeritus in University of Edinburgh and former Geographer Royal for Scotland

• Introduction: Mungo Park's ghost; 1. In the shadow of the slave trade; 2. Grand ambitions; 3. Hopes and hubris; 4. Futility and folly; 5. The second time as farce; 6. Inquest; 7. Eating the country; Bibliography; Index.