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The Richard Burton Library

The Richard Burton Library

By: Sir Richard Francis Burton
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Enter The Richard Burton Library, wherein the curious listener may accompany that restless company of pilgrims, wanderers, merchants, poets, princes, and philosophers who people the books of Sir Richard Francis Burton. Here are his works read in full: voyages into Arabia, Africa, India, and the chambers of ancient story; observations of men and manners; translations from tongues remote and richly storied; and those strange byways of learning which Burton pursued with equal parts courage, appetite, and disdain for convention. For the lover of travel, letters, and the wider world, the road begins here.Public domain Social Sciences Travel Writing & Commentary
Episodes
  • Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Chapter XXIII - The Damascus Caravan

    Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Chapter XXIII - The Damascus Caravan
    Jun 30 2026
    In which the author elucidates the complex character and customs of the Bedouin Arabs, highlighting their courage, chivalry, and the profound influence of honour and religion upon their warfare and social life. He further contemplates the role and status of women, the tender sorrows of love expressed in native poetry, and the noble spirit of knight-errantry that adorns their desert existence.
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    16 mins
  • Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Chapter XXII - The Saints' Cemetery, part 2

    Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Chapter XXII - The Saints' Cemetery, part 2
    Jun 30 2026
    In which the pilgrim and his companions traverse the varied and challenging terrain of Al-Hijaz, observing the diverse and striking spectacle of the great Caravan and its myriad pilgrims amid the sunlit deserts and rocky passes. Following this journey through barren basins and salt flats, the narrative turns to a detailed and vivid portrait of the Badawin people—their physiognomy, habits, character, and customs—as a distinguished and enduring race of the Arabian Desert.
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    30 mins
  • Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Chapter XXII - The Saints' Cemetery, part 1

    Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah Chapter XXII - The Saints' Cemetery, part 1
    Jun 29 2026
    In which the solemn reverence for the burial places of the Prophet’s close companions and family is tenderly recounted, leading to the preparations and anxious farewells accompanying the departure of the Damascus Caravan from Al-Madinah, through rugged terrain beset by natural hardships and the ever-present menace of desert robbers. The narrative gently unfolds the careful arrangements with local guides and the somber mood of parting pilgrims, capturing both the practicalities and the pious hopes that gird the beginning of this formidable pilgrimage journey.
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    27 mins
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