"The Lunatic Express" is the saga of the turbulent international race for the mastery and development of an immense region of East Africa that all but visionaries thought worthless. It is the narrative of the building of the Mombasa-Nairobi-Lake Victoria Railway itself - the colossal six-year enterprise that was to cost #5,000,000 and countless lives, from derailments, collisions, disease, tribal raids and the assaults of wild animals. It is a diorama of an earlier Africa of slave and ivory empires, of sultans and tribal monarchs and the vast lands that they ruled. Above all, it is the story of the white intruders whose combination of avarice, honour and tenacious courage made them a breed apart.
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About the Author
Charles Miller is a New York journalist who has made countless trips through Africa.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
By Dr. S. S. Nagi
TOP 1000 REVIEWER
Format:Paperback
This book was first published in 1971, has 535 pages, 51 B/W illustrations and end paper maps. The first half of this book is on explorers, politics and history of East Africa. There is a long discussion about the politics in United Kingdom, as to whether to fund the Uganda Railways and any advantages to Great Britain. The book explains about Lord Lugard, Speke, Burton, Joseph Thomson and Stanley.
The second half of the book eventually starts on the Railways and the role of Preston, George Whitehouse and J H Patterson. The cost of the Railway rose from 1.3 to 5.5 million pounds to the GB tax payers. The suffering of the Indian workers is explained and the unknown number of deaths of the Africans. Only 5 deaths of whites occured. New towns were built and the Railroad goes towards Uganda and Victoria Nyanza.
Downside of the book is that it takes the book 2/3rd through to reach the real task of building the Uganda Railways. However, the gets you involved and goes into depth of the history of British East Africa (Kenya) and the building of the Uganda Railways.
Other books with similar theme are:-
(1) The Iron snake, Ronald Hardy 1965
(2) The Permanent Way, M F Hill 1957
(3) Victoria's Tin Dragon, Satya Sood 2007
(4) The Iron Snake, John Gaudet 2007
(5) Man-eaters of Tsavo, J H Patterson 1908(1947)2010
(6) Man-Eaters Motel, Denis Boyles 1991
(7) Railways across the Equator, Amin 1986
(8) Steam locomotives of East African Railways, Ramaer 1974
(9) Steam in East Africa, Kevin Patience 1976
(10)The Story of a Railway, Pringle 1954, 1971
(11)The Genesis of Kenya Colony, R O Preston 1947
(12)Beyond Mombasa, Coates 2005
(13)A Railway to Nowhere,Stephen Mills 2012
Having born in Kenya, I enjoyed reading this book.
Read and ENJOY.
The second half of the book eventually starts on the Railways and the role of Preston, George Whitehouse and J H Patterson. The cost of the Railway rose from 1.3 to 5.5 million pounds to the GB tax payers. The suffering of the Indian workers is explained and the unknown number of deaths of the Africans. Only 5 deaths of whites occured. New towns were built and the Railroad goes towards Uganda and Victoria Nyanza.
Downside of the book is that it takes the book 2/3rd through to reach the real task of building the Uganda Railways. However, the gets you involved and goes into depth of the history of British East Africa (Kenya) and the building of the Uganda Railways.
Other books with similar theme are:-
(1) The Iron snake, Ronald Hardy 1965
(2) The Permanent Way, M F Hill 1957
(3) Victoria's Tin Dragon, Satya Sood 2007
(4) The Iron Snake, John Gaudet 2007
(5) Man-eaters of Tsavo, J H Patterson 1908(1947)2010
(6) Man-Eaters Motel, Denis Boyles 1991
(7) Railways across the Equator, Amin 1986
(8) Steam locomotives of East African Railways, Ramaer 1974
(9) Steam in East Africa, Kevin Patience 1976
(10)The Story of a Railway, Pringle 1954, 1971
(11)The Genesis of Kenya Colony, R O Preston 1947
(12)Beyond Mombasa, Coates 2005
(13)A Railway to Nowhere,Stephen Mills 2012
Having born in Kenya, I enjoyed reading this book.
Read and ENJOY.
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
5.0 out of 5 stars
4 reviews
9 of 10 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
East African History brought to life
12 May 2005
By R. L. B. Hay
- Published on Amazon.com
This is a book that I read ten years ago but has remained at the top of my list for Non Fiction. It covers the history of East Africa from the early slave trading of the Arabs at Mombasa and Zanzibar right up to the 1920's.
It's main story is the building of the Mombassa to Kenya railroad, which includes the story of the Man-eating Lions of Tsavo.
The whole book carries one along much as a passenger on the Railroad with a fast pace and more detail than the eye could take in with the feast of information that passes.
Thinking about it makes me want to take the train trip from Mombassa to Kenya, which still runs today.
It's main story is the building of the Mombassa to Kenya railroad, which includes the story of the Man-eating Lions of Tsavo.
The whole book carries one along much as a passenger on the Railroad with a fast pace and more detail than the eye could take in with the feast of information that passes.
Thinking about it makes me want to take the train trip from Mombassa to Kenya, which still runs today.
2 of 3 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Well Written and Researched
29 Jun 2011
By Mrs. Ia Platings
- Published on Amazon.com
This book is really well written and researched, but oh dear! like the Bible, it is so dense with history (and law) it is hard to find something when you want to go back and check it. The poetic chapter titles do not help either. Flute Out of Tune, a reference to a saying about the slavers of Zanzibar is the title of Part 1 of the book. This deals with the history of East Africa, from pre-history to WW1. This history is to my mind really important, dealing as it does with the British effort to enforce the anti-slavery treaties with the Zanzibari Arabs - something quite overlooked (and so forgotten) in history today. Part 1 is really a book in itself, as is Part 2, The Lunatic Express. Charles coyly says the book is not a 'history' but if it is not that, at around 600 pages of concentrated font it is certainly a starter - the Chapter notes and Bibliography listed at the end of the book look to be the reading list for a Degree, if not a Doctorate in the Pre and Early Colonial History of East Africa.
3 of 5 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
About This Book
11 Feb 2009
By Theseus
- Published on Amazon.com
Format:Hardcover
"The story of how the six-year, 5 million pounds railway line was built over the desert, across the Great Rift Valley and through 100 miles of quagmire, against the odds of disease, tribal raids, marauding animals and mechanical fiasco, is a fascinating tale of courage from a pioneering age now disappeared."
6 page Bibliography, 14 pp of End Notes, and over 25 pp of b&w illustrations.
6 page Bibliography, 14 pp of End Notes, and over 25 pp of b&w illustrations.
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