{"product_id":"crossing-the-heart-of-africa-an-odyssey-of-love-and-adventure-9780061873478","title":"Crossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eBanff Mountain Book Awards WINNER\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003e\u003cstrong\u003eThe spellbinding true story of retracing the extraordinary trek of Ewart \"the Leopard\" Grogan--the legendary British explorer who, in order to win the woman he loved, attempted to become the first person to cross Africa\u003c\/strong\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eIn 1898 the dashing British adventurer Ewart Grogan fell head-over-heels in love--but before he could marry, he needed the approval of his beloved's skeptical, aristocratic stepfather. Grogan, seeking to prove his worth and earn his love's hand, then set out on an epic quest to become the first man to cross the entire length of Africa, from Cape Town to Cairo, \"a feat hitherto thought by many explorers to be impossible\" (\u003cem\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/em\u003e).\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eA little more than a century later, American journalist Julian Smith also found himself madly in love with his girlfriend of seven years... but he was terrified by the prospect of marraige. Inspired by Grogan's story, which he discovered by chance, Smith decided to face his fears of commitment by retracing the explorer's amazing--but now forgotten--4,500-mile journey for love and glory through Africa. \u003cem\u003eCrossing the Heart of Africa\u003c\/em\u003e is the unforgettable account of these twin adventures, as Smith beautifully ineterweaves his own contemporary journey with Grogan's larger-than-life tale of cannibal attacks, charging elephants, deadly jungles, and romantic triumph.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eSOCIETY OF AMERICAN TRAVEL WRITERS WESTERN WRITING AWARDS WINNER: GOLD PRIZE (TRAVEL)\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBANFF MOUNTAIN BOOK COMPETITION WINNER: SPECIAL JURY MENTION\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eAMERICAN SOCIETY OF JOURNALISTS AND AUTHORS AWARDS BEST-BOOK WINNER: MEMOIR\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003eAbout the Author\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003eSmith, Julian:\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e - \u003cp\u003eJULIAN SMITH received a Banff Mountain Book Award and a Lowell Thomas Travel Journalism Award for \u003cem\u003eCrossing the Heart of Africa: An Odyssey of Love and Adventure. \u003c\/em\u003eThe coauthor of \u003cem\u003eSmokejumper: A Memoir by One of America's Most Select Airborne Firefighters, \u003c\/em\u003ehe has written for \u003cem\u003eSmithsonian\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eNational Geographic Traveler\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eWired\u003c\/em\u003e, \u003cem\u003eOutside\u003c\/em\u003e, and the \u003cem\u003eWashington Post\u003c\/em\u003e, among other publications. Julian lives in Portland, Oregon.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Harper Perennial","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":50317911490834,"sku":"9780061873478","price":11.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0831\/4771\/8930\/files\/img_4dfc317c-d31d-4e54-9670-a33703f29643.jpg?v=1727542674","url":"https:\/\/surprise-castle.myshopify.com\/products\/crossing-the-heart-of-africa-an-odyssey-of-love-and-adventure-9780061873478","provider":"Surprise Castle","version":"1.0","type":"link"}