Crossing the Heart of Africa

In 1898, the dashing British adventurer Ewart Grogan was head-over-heels in love—but he needed the approval of his beloved’s skeptical, aristocratic stepfather. To prove his worth, Grogan set out on an epic quest to become the first person to walk the length of Africa. A little over a century later, American journalist Julian Smith also found himself madly in love with his girlfriend of seven years, yet terrified by the prospect of marriage. Inspired by Grogan’s story, he decided to face his fears of commitment by retracing the explorer’s amazing—and nearly forgotten—4,500-mile journey for love and glory through Africa. His book "Crossing the Heart of Africa," coming December 7 from Harper Perennial, is the unforgettable account of these twin adventures, as Smith beautifully interweaves his own contemporary journey with Grogan’s larger-than-life tale of charging elephants, cannibal attacks, deadly jungles, and romantic triumph.