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The King's Shadow: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Deadly Quest for the Lost City of Alexandria
Impeccably researched, and written like a thriller, Edmund Richardson's The King's Shadow is the extraordinary untold and wild journey of Charles Masson - think Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid meets Indiana Jones - and his search for the Lost City of Alexandria in the "Wild East" during the age of empires, kings, and spies.
For centuries the city of Alexandria Beneath the Mountains was a meeting point of East and West. Then it vanished. In 1833 it was discovered in Afghanistan by the unlikeliest person imaginable: Charles Masson, deserter, pilgrim, doctor, archaeologist, spy, one of the most respected scholars in Asia, and the greatest of nineteenth-century travelers.
On the way into one of history's most extraordinary stories, he would take tea with kings, travel with holy men and become the master of a hundred disguises; he would see things no westerner had glimpsed before and few have glimpsed since. He would spy for the East India Company and be suspected of spying for Russia at the same time, for this was the era of the Great Game, when imperial powers confronted each other in these staggeringly beautiful lands. Masson discovered tens of thousands of pieces of Afghan history, including the 2,000-year-old Bimaran golden casket, which has upon it the earliest known face of the Buddha. He would be offered his own kingdom; he would change the world, and the world would destroy him.
This is a wild journey through nineteenth-century India and Afghanistan, with impeccably researched storytelling that shows us a world of espionage and dreamers, ne'er-do-wells and opportunists, extreme violence both personal and military, and boundless hope. At the edge of empire, amid the deserts and the mountains, it is the story of an obsession passed down the centuries.
For centuries the city of Alexandria Beneath the Mountains was a meeting point of East and West. Then it vanished. In 1833 it was discovered in Afghanistan by the unlikeliest person imaginable: Charles Masson, deserter, pilgrim, doctor, archaeologist, spy, one of the most respected scholars in Asia, and the greatest of nineteenth-century travelers.
On the way into one of history's most extraordinary stories, he would take tea with kings, travel with holy men and become the master of a hundred disguises; he would see things no westerner had glimpsed before and few have glimpsed since. He would spy for the East India Company and be suspected of spying for Russia at the same time, for this was the era of the Great Game, when imperial powers confronted each other in these staggeringly beautiful lands. Masson discovered tens of thousands of pieces of Afghan history, including the 2,000-year-old Bimaran golden casket, which has upon it the earliest known face of the Buddha. He would be offered his own kingdom; he would change the world, and the world would destroy him.
This is a wild journey through nineteenth-century India and Afghanistan, with impeccably researched storytelling that shows us a world of espionage and dreamers, ne'er-do-wells and opportunists, extreme violence both personal and military, and boundless hope. At the edge of empire, amid the deserts and the mountains, it is the story of an obsession passed down the centuries.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published May 6, 2021
About the author
Edmund Richardson
3 books54 followersEdmund Richardson is Professor of Classics at Durham University. He was named one of the BBC New Generation Thinkers. He is the author of 'Alexandria: The Quest for the Lost City' (Bloomsbury) and 'The King's Shadow: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Deadly Quest for the Lost City of Alexandria' (2022) (St Martin's Press).
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April 14, 2022
As he left Agra behind, Lewis had no way of knowing that he was walking into one of history’s most incredible stories. He would beg by the roadside and take tea with kings. He would travel with holy men and become the master of a hundred disguises. He would see things no westerner had ever seen before, and few have glimpsed since. And, little by little, he would transform himself from an ordinary soldier into one of the greatest archaeologists of the age. He would devote his life to a quest for Alexander the Great.---------------------------------------
There’s an old Afghan proverb: ‘First comes one Englishman as a traveller; then come two and make a map; then comes an army and takes the country. Therefore it is better to kill the first Englishman.’ He did not know it yet, but Masson is the reason that proverb exists. He was the first Englishman.You have probably never heard of Charles Masson. At the time of his creation in 1827, no one else had either. Nor had his creator. For six long years, Private James Lewis had endured soldiering in the military force of the East India Company (EIC) in sundry nations and city-states, in what is now India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. He had hoped for a life better than what was possible in a squalid London. Dire economic times had driven large numbers of people into bankruptcy and poverty. And if they were already poor, it drove them to desperation. The government’s response was to threaten to kill those protesting because of their inability to pay their debts. There had to be a better option somewhere, anywhere. But it had turned out not to be the better life that he had hoped for.
Edmund Richardson- image from RNZ
Lewis suffered from the multiple curses of curiosity and intelligence. He had tired of the often corrupt, ignorant, mean-spirited officers and officials above him, and knew he would not be allowed to leave any time soon. When opportunity presented, Lewis and another disgruntled employee took off, went AWOL, strangers in a strange land. And in the sands of the Indian subcontinent, having fled across a vast no man’s land, feverish, desperate, and terrified of being apprehended by the EIC or its agents, Lewis happened across an American, Josiah Harlan, leading a small mercenary force in support of restoring the king of Afghanistan, and the adventure begins. Lewis vanished into the sands and Charles Masson was born into Lewis’s skin.
Josiah Harlan, The Man Who Would be King - image from Wiki
A ripping yarn, The King’s Shadow (Alexandria: The Quest for the Lost City in the UK) tells of the peregrinations and travails of Lewis/Masson from the time of his desertion in 1827 to his death in 1853. It will remind you of Rudyard Kipling tales, particularly The Man who Would Be King. The real life characters on whom that story is based appear in these pages.
Dost Mohammad Khan. – considered a wise ruler by many, he was devilishly dishonest - image from Genealogy Adventures Live
It certainly sounds as if the world James Lewis thought he was leaving in London, a fetid swamp of human corruption, cruelty, and depravity, had followed him to the East. There is an impressive quantity of backstabbing going on. Richardson presents us with a sub-continental panorama of rogues. Con-men, narcissists, spies, the power-hungry, the deluded, the pompous, the vain, the ignorant, and the bigoted all set up tents here, and all tried to get the best of each other. There are political leaders who show us a bit of wisdom. More who know nothing of leadership except the perks. They all traipse across a land that Alexander the Great had travelled centuries before.
His quest would take him across snow-covered mountains, into hidden chambers filled with jewels, and to a lost city buried beneath the plains of Afghanistan. He would unearth priceless treasures and witness unspeakable atrocities. He would unravel a language which had been forgotten for over a thousand years. He would be blackmailed and hunted by the most powerful empire on earth. He would be imprisoned for treason and offered his own kingdom. He would change the world – and the world would destroy him.The American mercenary with whom Lewis/Masson joined forces was a fanatic about Alexander, seeing himself as a modern day version. He taught Masson about his idol and in time Masson took the obsession on as his own, albeit without the desire for a throne that drove his American pal, reading up on histories of Alexander.
Shah Shujah-al-Moolk, circa 1835 – the restored king of Afghanistan who served as a British puppet) - image from Genealogy Adventures Live
You will learn a bit about Alexander, of whom stories are still told. He may not seem so great once you learn of his atrocities. The British government and the East India company tried to keep up, demonstrating a capacity for grandiosity, cruelty and inhumanity, whilst also armed with alarming volumes of incompetence and unmerited venality
Alexander Burnes - image from Wiki
In his travels, aka invasions, conquests, and or large-scale slaughter, Alexander established a pearl necklace of cities along his route. Some were grander than others. One, in Egypt, is still a thriving metropolis. Most vanished beneath the drifts of time, whether they had been cities, towns, villages, or mere outposts. But Charles Masson was convinced that one of Alexander’s cities could be found the general area in which he was living. The evidence on which he based this view was cultural, appearing in stories, legends, and local lore, but then more concrete evidence began to appear (coins) and appear, and appear.
Time and again, Masson is dragged away from his work, and time and again he finds his way back, his passion for unearthing the lost Alexandria becoming the driving force in his life. Surely, if his own survival were his highest priority, he would have sailed for home a long, long time before he finally did. His work was hugely successful, all the more remarkable because he was a rank amateur. Much of Lewis’s work, thousands of objects and drawings, is still on display at the British Museum. He was a gifted archaeologist, and made several world-class advances. These include discovering a long-lost Alexandrian city and using ancient coins he had discovered, that contained Greek on one side, and an unknown language on the other, to decipher that language. And significantly modify the historical view of Alexander’s era.
Ranjit Singh, maharajah of the Punjab - image from Genealogy Adventures Live
The King’s Shadow is an adventure-tale biography, which focuses on Masson’s life and experiences more than on Alexander. Sure, there is enough in the book to justify the UK title, but barely. There is a lot more in here about him trying to secure the connection between his head and his shoulders, threatened by a seemingly ceaseless flood of enemies. He is a remarkably interesting character, which is what holds our interest. He has dealings with a large cast of likewise remarkably interesting characters, all of which serves to keep us interested, while passing something along about what life in this part of the world was like in the early 19th century. (Remarkably like it is today in many respects)
There are few downsides here. One is that there is a sizeable cast, so it might be a bit tough keep track of who’s who. That said, I was reading an ARE, so there might be a roster offered in the final version. I keep lists of names when I read, so managed, but that it seemed needed should prepare you for that. Second was that there were times when events went from A to D without necessarily explaining the B and C parts. For example, there is an episode in which Masson is sent along with a subordinate of Dost Mohammad Khan’s, Haji Khan, to extract taxes from a recalcitrant community. But Haji has no intention of returning, yet somehow Masson is back in Kabul in the following chapter. Really, did he escape? Did he get permission to leave? How did the move from place A to place B take place? In another, a military attack fails, yet there is no mention of why the fleeing army was not pursued. Things like that.
There are multiple LOL moments to be enjoyed. Not saying that there is any chance of passing this off as a comedy book, but Richardson’s sense of humor is very much appreciated. You may or may not find the same things amusing. His descriptions are sometimes pure delight. An itinerant Christian preacher arrives at the palace of Dost Mohammad Khan, intent on converting him. The preacher had encountered serial misfortunes in his travels and had arrived in Kabul stark naked. Richardson refers to him at one point as “the well ventilated Mr Wolff.” He also describes Masson arriving late at night at the home of Rajit Singh, the local maharaja, only to find an American in attendance, singing Yankee Doodle Dandy. Another tells of a message Masson left for future explorers at what was then an incredibly remote site. LOL time. As much as you will frown at the miseries depicted in these pages, you will smile, maybe even laugh, a fair number of times as well. I noted five LOLs in my notes. There are more than that.
Charles Masson, despite the lack of appreciation and recognition he received, made major contributions to our knowledge of the Alexandrian era. Edmund Richardson fills us in on those, while also offering a biography that reads like an Indiana Jones adventure. Richardson has a novelist’s talent for story-telling. His tale shows not only the power of singlemindedness and passion, but the dark side of far too many men, and some unfortunate forms of governance. It is both entertaining and richly informative. Bottom line is that The King’s Shadow darkens nothing while illuminating much. Jolly Good!
This is a story about following your dreams to the ends of the earth – and what happens when you get there.
Had he known what was coming, Lewis might have stayed in bed.
Review posted – April 8, 2022
Publication date – April 5, 2022
I received an ARE of The King’s Shadow from St. Martin’s Press in return for a fair review and a couple of those very special coins. Thanks, folks. And thanks to NetGalley for facilitating.
This review will soon be cross-posted on my site, Coot’s Reviews. Stop by and say Hi!
=============================EXTRA STUFF
From Hazlitt
Edmund Richardson writes about the strangest sides of history. The Victorian con-artist who discovered a lost city. The child prodigy turned opium addict. Several homicidal headmasters. A clutch of Spiritualists. A prophet who couldn’t get the end of the world right. And Alexander the Great. He’s currently Lecturer in Classics at Durham University. Cambridge University Press recently published his first book, Classical Victorians: Scholars, Scoundrels and Generals in Pursuit of the Ancient World.The King’s Shadow is Richardson’s third book.
Interviews
-----Travels Through Time - Interview with Edmund Richardson on Charles Masson and the search for Alexandria with Violet Mueller – re prior book
Tttpodcast.com
-----Travels Through Time - Interview with Edmund Richardson on Charles Masson and the search for Alexandria - audio – 48:03
-----Listen Notes - Edmund Richardson, "Alexandria: The Quest for the Lost City Beneath the Mountains" (Bloomsbury, 2021) - with David Chaffetz and Nicholas Gordon – audio – 36:14
----- Alexandria: The Quest for the Lost City | JLF London 2021 - Edmund Richardson with Taran N. Khan - video – 45:32 – begin about 3:00
-----ABC - Deserter, archaeologist and spy – the extraordinary adventures of Charles Masson - audio – 55:28 – with Sarah Kanowski
Item of Interest from the author
-----A pawn in the Great Game: the sad story of Charles Masson
Items of Interest
-----Wiki on Charles Masson
-----Encyclopedia Iranica - Charles Masson - a nice history of his life and accomplishments
-----Josiah Harlan
-----Alexander Burnes
-----Gutenberg - The Man Who Would Be King by Rudyard Kipling – full text
-----Wiki on the story - The Man Who Would Be King
January 20, 2022
This was a fascinating read. I had never heard of Charles Masson before. I guess history classes failed me. There is so much information that seems well researched. It was like a history lesson/adventure in one book. Fun read.
April 14, 2021
This is a really amazing tale, which almost reads like something by Rudyard Kipling. It begins like a novel – it is early morning in Agra, 1827, when a Private goes AWOL from the British East India Company’s regiment of the Bengal Artillery. He had no plan, no money, not even a change of clothes. However, having enlisted in the army to escape his poverty-stricken life in London, only to find that he was just as poor in India, he decided to reinvent himself.
How much of this initial story is truth and how much invention, is unclear. However, the possibly named Private James Lewis, becomes Charles Masson and, along the way, transforms himself from a lowly soldier to an eminent archaeologist. When he left the army, he was destitute and a deserter, who could have been killed, had he been found. Instead, he embarks on a quest to discover the city of Alexandria. Or, rather, one of the cities of Alexandria, as Alexander the Great was known to have built a dozen, or more, cities, with the same name throughout his Empire.
This book takes you through India, Afghanistan and even to Egypt. We see Masson become involved with attempting to help exiled kings reclaim their thrones, reading his own obituary, suffer imprisonment and have endless adventures. The author helps tie in Masson’s story with the history, and politics, of the time as well, so, overall, this is a very interesting read. I did feel, at first, like I was reading a novel and the beginning of this book was very gripping, but really the pace does not drop. A very interesting read about reinvention and obsession. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
How much of this initial story is truth and how much invention, is unclear. However, the possibly named Private James Lewis, becomes Charles Masson and, along the way, transforms himself from a lowly soldier to an eminent archaeologist. When he left the army, he was destitute and a deserter, who could have been killed, had he been found. Instead, he embarks on a quest to discover the city of Alexandria. Or, rather, one of the cities of Alexandria, as Alexander the Great was known to have built a dozen, or more, cities, with the same name throughout his Empire.
This book takes you through India, Afghanistan and even to Egypt. We see Masson become involved with attempting to help exiled kings reclaim their thrones, reading his own obituary, suffer imprisonment and have endless adventures. The author helps tie in Masson’s story with the history, and politics, of the time as well, so, overall, this is a very interesting read. I did feel, at first, like I was reading a novel and the beginning of this book was very gripping, but really the pace does not drop. A very interesting read about reinvention and obsession. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, via NetGalley, for review.
January 17, 2022
I daresay many readers have never heard of Charles Masson aka James Lewis, a deserter, spy, prisoner, archeologist, and early British explorer in Afghanistan. He started out as a private in the East India Company’s army, but soon deserts, takes a pseudonym, and flees the authorities. He becomes obsessed with finding the lost cities of Alexander the Great and makes a few discoveries that were overlooked for various reasons explained in this book.
It is extremely detailed. Masson and other notable figures of the era left copious diaries, and Richardson has made good use of them to create vivid scenes of what Masson’s life was like in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. We learn a good bit about the history and politics of this region in the mid-1800s. The spying is less of a feature since Masson was pressured into this task reluctantly. He definitely led an interesting life.
This book delves deeply into the life of a man who truly appreciated this area of the world but was never recognized for his accomplishments due to his opposition to the politics of the time. The artifacts he discovered are currently on display in the British Museum. I think this book will appeal to history and archeology fans.
It is extremely detailed. Masson and other notable figures of the era left copious diaries, and Richardson has made good use of them to create vivid scenes of what Masson’s life was like in India, Pakistan, and Afghanistan. We learn a good bit about the history and politics of this region in the mid-1800s. The spying is less of a feature since Masson was pressured into this task reluctantly. He definitely led an interesting life.
This book delves deeply into the life of a man who truly appreciated this area of the world but was never recognized for his accomplishments due to his opposition to the politics of the time. The artifacts he discovered are currently on display in the British Museum. I think this book will appeal to history and archeology fans.
April 5, 2021
The tale of 'Charles Masson'- deserter, traveller, spy, trickster- is one of those stories so outlandish and unlikely that it's hard to believe. Yet, for all that this book is written with the flair of a good novel, Edmund Richardson has clearly researched his man well. James Lewis turned Charles Masson is the focus, with the search for Alexandria forming part of his story, so it wasn't quite the book I was expecting. Even so, the wealth of original material kept me reading, each piece adding to a genuinely fascinating picture of life in 19th C Afghanistan.
ARC via Netgalley
ARC via Netgalley
January 27, 2023
Let’s be clear, this isn’t a book about Alexandria Under The Sea (i.e. the ruins and artifacts of the ancient Egyptian city that are being discovered in its harbor in recent decades, after long having been thought to be lost forever). It is about Alexandria Under the Mountains, one of multiple other Alexandrias founded by Alexander the Great during his marauding conquests.
The locations of many of those other Alexandrias have been lost to time, but in an extremely unlikely tale, Alexandria Under the Mountains was located in Afghanistan in 1833 by one Charles Masson (James Lewis before he reinvented himself). His story is the story of The King’s Shadow.
Although the entire book is replete with gripping adventures, harrowing escapes and bizarre characters, it is the early sections that are most entertaining. A deserter from the British East India Company, Masson (then Lewis) managed somehow to cross a desert and scale the peaks of the fabled Hindu Kush on his own, arriving in Kabul on death’s door. (Note: Although he too suffered frostbite while in the Afghan mountains, it was not in that part of the male anatomy that has been so much in the news of late.)
He changed his name in an effort to avoid being captured as a deserter, settled into life in Kabul, and gradually became interested in stories about a ruined city not far distant, founded by Alexander. Through diligent effort and leaps of imagination while interpreting coins and other artifacts, Masson identified the location of the city and uncovered much about its role in ancient trade and culture.
All this, though, is set against the backdrop of The Great Game, that struggle between Russia and England for dominance in Central Asia that lasted throughout the 19th century. After his many years in Kabul, Masson was something of a Cassandra, warning the British (fruitlessly) that their strategy would have a disastrous outcome. He was repeatedly treated as a pawn by the Afghans, but even more often by the British.
Masson’s sad story aside, the book is full of fascinating information. The descriptions of Kabul prior to British interference, for instance, are eye-opening. A paragon of multicultural tolerance, it was an exciting crossroads of religion, learning and commerce that completely disappeared after the Anglo-Afghan wars began. The place names also called to mind many locations that have been part of the nightly news in recent years: Bagram Air Base is actually located on the site of Alexandria Under the Mountains!
One of my all-time favorite films is 1975’s The Man Who Would Be King . Based on a Rudyard Kipling story, it features Sean Connery and Michael Caine as two British soldiers who leave India in search of their fortunes in “Kafiristan”, a land beyond the mountains not frequented by Europeans since Alexander the Great passed through. The fictional locations and characters are reminiscent of the real thing as described in this book; calling them to mind made the story more vivid for me. I’m going to have to locate my DVD copy and watch it again soon.
The locations of many of those other Alexandrias have been lost to time, but in an extremely unlikely tale, Alexandria Under the Mountains was located in Afghanistan in 1833 by one Charles Masson (James Lewis before he reinvented himself). His story is the story of The King’s Shadow.
Although the entire book is replete with gripping adventures, harrowing escapes and bizarre characters, it is the early sections that are most entertaining. A deserter from the British East India Company, Masson (then Lewis) managed somehow to cross a desert and scale the peaks of the fabled Hindu Kush on his own, arriving in Kabul on death’s door. (Note: Although he too suffered frostbite while in the Afghan mountains, it was not in that part of the male anatomy that has been so much in the news of late.)
He changed his name in an effort to avoid being captured as a deserter, settled into life in Kabul, and gradually became interested in stories about a ruined city not far distant, founded by Alexander. Through diligent effort and leaps of imagination while interpreting coins and other artifacts, Masson identified the location of the city and uncovered much about its role in ancient trade and culture.
All this, though, is set against the backdrop of The Great Game, that struggle between Russia and England for dominance in Central Asia that lasted throughout the 19th century. After his many years in Kabul, Masson was something of a Cassandra, warning the British (fruitlessly) that their strategy would have a disastrous outcome. He was repeatedly treated as a pawn by the Afghans, but even more often by the British.
Masson’s sad story aside, the book is full of fascinating information. The descriptions of Kabul prior to British interference, for instance, are eye-opening. A paragon of multicultural tolerance, it was an exciting crossroads of religion, learning and commerce that completely disappeared after the Anglo-Afghan wars began. The place names also called to mind many locations that have been part of the nightly news in recent years: Bagram Air Base is actually located on the site of Alexandria Under the Mountains!
One of my all-time favorite films is 1975’s The Man Who Would Be King . Based on a Rudyard Kipling story, it features Sean Connery and Michael Caine as two British soldiers who leave India in search of their fortunes in “Kafiristan”, a land beyond the mountains not frequented by Europeans since Alexander the Great passed through. The fictional locations and characters are reminiscent of the real thing as described in this book; calling them to mind made the story more vivid for me. I’m going to have to locate my DVD copy and watch it again soon.
May 23, 2022
It's not really about the "quest for the lost Alexandria";it's really the story of little known Charles Masson,a fascinating character,and the East India Company's invasion of Afghanistan.A great read,even if the blurb is not accurate.:)
February 20, 2024
“Alejandro nunca llegó a los mismísimos confines de la tierra. Masson nunca descubrió su ciudad perdida. No todo empeño logra su objetivo. Pero tanto Alejandro como Masson descubrieron una cosa: cuando perseguimos nuestros sueños más inalcanzables, está en nuestro poder cambiar el mundo.”
Este libro es una biografía de Charles Masson, un libro de viajes por el Afganistán del S. XIX y un acto de justicia ante el olvido y ninguneo injustificado de uno de los arqueólogos más importantes de Oriente Medio.
Increíble la intensa y surrealista vida de este hombre.
Un libro muy bien escrito, muy documentado y con toques de humor a veces del propio autor y a veces de las notas y diarios de Masson.
(5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ¡menuda aventura!
Este libro es una biografía de Charles Masson, un libro de viajes por el Afganistán del S. XIX y un acto de justicia ante el olvido y ninguneo injustificado de uno de los arqueólogos más importantes de Oriente Medio.
Increíble la intensa y surrealista vida de este hombre.
Un libro muy bien escrito, muy documentado y con toques de humor a veces del propio autor y a veces de las notas y diarios de Masson.
(5/5) ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ ¡menuda aventura!
April 1, 2021
Like a lot of history books, it starts out a little slow with a lot of fact dumping to put the reader into the picture of what it's all about. At first I thought my expectation of a storytelling narrative might have been too high, but I'm interested in this area of history so I took the first chapter in small bites. By halfway through that chapter, things started moving much faster and an interesting adventure was underway.
Much of it follows the movements of James Lewis, who deserted from the East India Company and changed his name to Charles Masson. The book admits that many of the stories about Masson are unverifiable and probably exaggerated, but he had a talent for misrepresenting himself and discovered that the more fantastic his claims, the more people tended to believe them. This saved his life and even got him good treatment in regions where an Englishman would normally fare badly, especially in his time.
His adventures brought him to Pakistan and Afghanistan following the trail of Alexander the Great and the many 'cities' he founded and called Alexandria. The familiar one in Egypt turns out to be one of many, though some of these 'cities' don't amount to much.
His adventures and clashes with the East India Company make for interesting adventure reading, though at times it goes back to a slower narrative. The pure audacity of Masson and his accomplishments is worth the effort.
Much of it follows the movements of James Lewis, who deserted from the East India Company and changed his name to Charles Masson. The book admits that many of the stories about Masson are unverifiable and probably exaggerated, but he had a talent for misrepresenting himself and discovered that the more fantastic his claims, the more people tended to believe them. This saved his life and even got him good treatment in regions where an Englishman would normally fare badly, especially in his time.
His adventures brought him to Pakistan and Afghanistan following the trail of Alexander the Great and the many 'cities' he founded and called Alexandria. The familiar one in Egypt turns out to be one of many, though some of these 'cities' don't amount to much.
His adventures and clashes with the East India Company make for interesting adventure reading, though at times it goes back to a slower narrative. The pure audacity of Masson and his accomplishments is worth the effort.
November 27, 2021
What an interesting read. It reads like fiction. But what is so amazing is that all of this is real!
August 1, 2021
Unlike most reviewers, I found this book unsatisfactory and frustrating. Its title is Alexandria the Quest for the Lost City, the specific Alexandria being one created during Alexander’s progress through the Afghan/Pakistan border regions, not the more obvious one in the Egyptian delta. That is not a problem: prospectively a quest for this lost settlement offers much more potential discovery.
The problem is that the book takes a gee-whiz approach to its historical narrative (unexpected, given the author’s very strong Oxonian and Princeton CV credentials), and it spends remarkably little time investigating the actual quest.
There was an extraordinarily weird assemblage of misfits, incompetents and psychopaths in this part of the world at the time, acting on behalf of the oddly autonomous (British) East India Company, as well as other nations and various tribal cliques. Richardson focuses on the improbable interactions between these parties (for a general impression, think Kipling’s Man Who Would be King). In one regard, I don’t contest the decision for this focus: the said parties certainly share a level of weirdness that lends itself to boys-own story telling. However, it just means that the story of a quest for an Alexandria is a very minor element of the book.
In terms of historical writing, this work is an odd mix. Richardson has been assiduous in working through vast tranches of letters and notes, and he quotes liberally from them, providing a strong dimension of authenticity. However, at the same time, the book’s protagonist, one Charles Lewis, who evidently renamed himself (wisely) as Charles Masson after deserting from the East India Company, is not so easily held down. There are several moments early in the book when Richardson declares or implies that his details might or might not be true. Curiously, Richardson muddies the water further by periodically adopting an omniscient narrative point of view, implying access to Lewis/Masson’s state of mind (“Masson was deliriously happy”; “By the time Masson emerged into the evening air, having sat through some exquisitely dull bureaucratic discussion, and been shown around the room of battered bottled snakes, he felt as if he too had been pickled and stuffed in a jar.”)
It seemed to me that elements of the writing obscured an odd anachronism or ahistoricism. Richardson describes Henry Pottinger, “the East India Company’s Resident in Bhuj”: “Think back to the most easily irritated person you have ever met. Double their sensitivity. You might now be coming close to Pottinger. If you left him alone in a room for a few minutes, he would probably be nursing a lifelong grudge against the sofa and two of the floorboards by the time you returned. Even in his official portrait, he looks as if he is about to put down his papers and punch the artist: his moustache is bristling, and his cheeks flushed furious red.” While it might have been enjoyable to write this hyperbole, it is not supported by reference to the portrait itself.
Richardson is dismissive of the unsophisticated excavations of Arthur Evans and Heinrich Schliemann (famed for their work at Knossos and Troy) but offers nothing to show Lewis/Masson would be any more to the taste of twenty-first century archaeologists (although there is an interesting quotation from a letter, explaining how digging down to wall foundations provides a building plan – at a time before this had become standard practice. All three were operating in the early years of archaeological practice and there is an all too familiar contemporary hindsight wisdom to ridiculing their nascent techniques and follies.
Evidently Lewis/Masson wrote to the same Pottinger as Richardson has previously derided, in order to seek information about three Roman emperors whose coins he had come across, Theodosius, Marcian and Leo. (Presumably, Lewis/Masson was less horrified by Pottinger than Richardson is.) According to Richardson, “Pottinger spent hours combing through every book he could get his hands on, until he finally realised where to look. Grabbing his copy of Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire…” Goodness knows why he “spent hours”. While Lewis/Masson had no classical education, most men who had been through England’s public school system had much, and these emperors were hardly unknown.
In the end, while I am frustrated by a book that purports to be about a quest for a lost city, but is in reality much more an account of the tangled activities of a dozen players, most of them with deep personal flaws in our eyes, in a part of the world that has long presented difficulties to any attempt of cool, rational explanations, there remain for me, two crucial questions which have no answers in Richardson’s account.
The first is why Lewis/Masson, apparently from a depressed background and with no education to speak of, became obsessed about Alexander the Great. Personally, I don’t accept the spiritual identification with the Macedonian as “a lonely man, as far from home as he was, keeping warm by a fire on an Afghan hillside.”
The second is, given the paucity of detail in this book of what Lewis/Masson found, how he found it and what he did with it (and given so much was stolen or lost or appropriated), how it came about that he became recognised as a foremost expert on Alexander’s activities in this part of the world. I shall hope for a book which is more forensic to provide some answers. In the meantime, The History Channel has issued a couple of pleasing DVDs on searches for Alexander and his territories.
The problem is that the book takes a gee-whiz approach to its historical narrative (unexpected, given the author’s very strong Oxonian and Princeton CV credentials), and it spends remarkably little time investigating the actual quest.
There was an extraordinarily weird assemblage of misfits, incompetents and psychopaths in this part of the world at the time, acting on behalf of the oddly autonomous (British) East India Company, as well as other nations and various tribal cliques. Richardson focuses on the improbable interactions between these parties (for a general impression, think Kipling’s Man Who Would be King). In one regard, I don’t contest the decision for this focus: the said parties certainly share a level of weirdness that lends itself to boys-own story telling. However, it just means that the story of a quest for an Alexandria is a very minor element of the book.
In terms of historical writing, this work is an odd mix. Richardson has been assiduous in working through vast tranches of letters and notes, and he quotes liberally from them, providing a strong dimension of authenticity. However, at the same time, the book’s protagonist, one Charles Lewis, who evidently renamed himself (wisely) as Charles Masson after deserting from the East India Company, is not so easily held down. There are several moments early in the book when Richardson declares or implies that his details might or might not be true. Curiously, Richardson muddies the water further by periodically adopting an omniscient narrative point of view, implying access to Lewis/Masson’s state of mind (“Masson was deliriously happy”; “By the time Masson emerged into the evening air, having sat through some exquisitely dull bureaucratic discussion, and been shown around the room of battered bottled snakes, he felt as if he too had been pickled and stuffed in a jar.”)
It seemed to me that elements of the writing obscured an odd anachronism or ahistoricism. Richardson describes Henry Pottinger, “the East India Company’s Resident in Bhuj”: “Think back to the most easily irritated person you have ever met. Double their sensitivity. You might now be coming close to Pottinger. If you left him alone in a room for a few minutes, he would probably be nursing a lifelong grudge against the sofa and two of the floorboards by the time you returned. Even in his official portrait, he looks as if he is about to put down his papers and punch the artist: his moustache is bristling, and his cheeks flushed furious red.” While it might have been enjoyable to write this hyperbole, it is not supported by reference to the portrait itself.
Richardson is dismissive of the unsophisticated excavations of Arthur Evans and Heinrich Schliemann (famed for their work at Knossos and Troy) but offers nothing to show Lewis/Masson would be any more to the taste of twenty-first century archaeologists (although there is an interesting quotation from a letter, explaining how digging down to wall foundations provides a building plan – at a time before this had become standard practice. All three were operating in the early years of archaeological practice and there is an all too familiar contemporary hindsight wisdom to ridiculing their nascent techniques and follies.
Evidently Lewis/Masson wrote to the same Pottinger as Richardson has previously derided, in order to seek information about three Roman emperors whose coins he had come across, Theodosius, Marcian and Leo. (Presumably, Lewis/Masson was less horrified by Pottinger than Richardson is.) According to Richardson, “Pottinger spent hours combing through every book he could get his hands on, until he finally realised where to look. Grabbing his copy of Gibbon’s The History of the Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire…” Goodness knows why he “spent hours”. While Lewis/Masson had no classical education, most men who had been through England’s public school system had much, and these emperors were hardly unknown.
In the end, while I am frustrated by a book that purports to be about a quest for a lost city, but is in reality much more an account of the tangled activities of a dozen players, most of them with deep personal flaws in our eyes, in a part of the world that has long presented difficulties to any attempt of cool, rational explanations, there remain for me, two crucial questions which have no answers in Richardson’s account.
The first is why Lewis/Masson, apparently from a depressed background and with no education to speak of, became obsessed about Alexander the Great. Personally, I don’t accept the spiritual identification with the Macedonian as “a lonely man, as far from home as he was, keeping warm by a fire on an Afghan hillside.”
The second is, given the paucity of detail in this book of what Lewis/Masson found, how he found it and what he did with it (and given so much was stolen or lost or appropriated), how it came about that he became recognised as a foremost expert on Alexander’s activities in this part of the world. I shall hope for a book which is more forensic to provide some answers. In the meantime, The History Channel has issued a couple of pleasing DVDs on searches for Alexander and his territories.
September 15, 2021
[5.77/10]
I've been trying to read at least one non-fiction book a month for the back half of 2021 and I'm still finding my feet with the type of non-fiction I like and actually want to read. I've been gravitating towards historical non-fiction and memoirs (despite the fact that my favourite non-fiction book so far this year was Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators and is neither historical nor memoir.) With my historical picks I've gone for familiar subjects that I don't really know a lot about, which is why I wanted to read about Alexandria. However, this book was less about the quest for the lost city and more biography of the explorer Charles Masson. It was still an interesting tale, but the writing relied too heavily on citations for me to feel properly immersed in the story and, even though Masson led an incredibly intriguing life, I wanted more of Alexandria.
I've been trying to read at least one non-fiction book a month for the back half of 2021 and I'm still finding my feet with the type of non-fiction I like and actually want to read. I've been gravitating towards historical non-fiction and memoirs (despite the fact that my favourite non-fiction book so far this year was Catch and Kill: Lies, Spies, and a Conspiracy to Protect Predators and is neither historical nor memoir.) With my historical picks I've gone for familiar subjects that I don't really know a lot about, which is why I wanted to read about Alexandria. However, this book was less about the quest for the lost city and more biography of the explorer Charles Masson. It was still an interesting tale, but the writing relied too heavily on citations for me to feel properly immersed in the story and, even though Masson led an incredibly intriguing life, I wanted more of Alexandria.
October 26, 2022
A captivating tale of one man's obsession to find one of Alexander the Great's lost cities and he chose what was called Alexandria Under the Mountain (or Alexandria in the Caucasus as it's known now) in Afghanistan to do it.
Alexander the Great had a habit of founding cities during his march and conquest across the Middle East and most he named after himself (there are 26 listed in Wikipedia). It is the Alexandria in Egypt that has lasted the longest and managed to make itself a vibrant port city.
But this is the tale of James Lewis, an English soldier who deserted the East India Company in 1827 near Agra, took the name of Charles Masson and headed north. Wandering through Pakistan, he explores the ruins of Harappa before heading even further away from the influence of the British into the area around Kabul and Bagram. His most earnest desire was to find some indication of a city of Alexander and with his excavations of Buddhist stupa graves - allowed for by the ruling Khan and paid for by an interested friend back in India - coins and artifacts that are the pride of the British Museum.
But it wasn't all about archaeology. The tension between rival shahs as well as between the British and Russian Empires for the territory of Central Asia. He was coerced into spying on the princes, on the travelers, on anyone and anything that his brutish and demeaning controller who knew Masson's true identity and basically blackmailed him into spying out of fear. And the fear was well founded as the East India Company were arrogant, brutal and cruel in their actions toward natives and their own people.
Masson eventually was banned from Afghanistan once the British made their move to conquer and place envoys to be puppet-masters over the remaining rulers. Friends managed to arrange for Masson's return to England where he hoped his notes and artifacts sent months and years before would result in - at least - money for him to live on and some acknowledgement of his discoveries. Sadly, an East India clerk had already published a book on the discoveries and distorted all of Masson's results. He died broken and abandoned in 1853.
A fascinating insight into a forgotten man who helped reveal the history of Afghanistan as well as the British East India Company that was so consumed with empire-building that it seems they lost some of their humanity along the way.
As for the city of Alexandria that Masson believed he was excavating, it is mostly beneath the Bagram Air Base about 60 miles north of Kabul. Coins and broken artifacts are easily found in the area to this day.
2022-231
Alexander the Great had a habit of founding cities during his march and conquest across the Middle East and most he named after himself (there are 26 listed in Wikipedia). It is the Alexandria in Egypt that has lasted the longest and managed to make itself a vibrant port city.
But this is the tale of James Lewis, an English soldier who deserted the East India Company in 1827 near Agra, took the name of Charles Masson and headed north. Wandering through Pakistan, he explores the ruins of Harappa before heading even further away from the influence of the British into the area around Kabul and Bagram. His most earnest desire was to find some indication of a city of Alexander and with his excavations of Buddhist stupa graves - allowed for by the ruling Khan and paid for by an interested friend back in India - coins and artifacts that are the pride of the British Museum.
But it wasn't all about archaeology. The tension between rival shahs as well as between the British and Russian Empires for the territory of Central Asia. He was coerced into spying on the princes, on the travelers, on anyone and anything that his brutish and demeaning controller who knew Masson's true identity and basically blackmailed him into spying out of fear. And the fear was well founded as the East India Company were arrogant, brutal and cruel in their actions toward natives and their own people.
Masson eventually was banned from Afghanistan once the British made their move to conquer and place envoys to be puppet-masters over the remaining rulers. Friends managed to arrange for Masson's return to England where he hoped his notes and artifacts sent months and years before would result in - at least - money for him to live on and some acknowledgement of his discoveries. Sadly, an East India clerk had already published a book on the discoveries and distorted all of Masson's results. He died broken and abandoned in 1853.
A fascinating insight into a forgotten man who helped reveal the history of Afghanistan as well as the British East India Company that was so consumed with empire-building that it seems they lost some of their humanity along the way.
As for the city of Alexandria that Masson believed he was excavating, it is mostly beneath the Bagram Air Base about 60 miles north of Kabul. Coins and broken artifacts are easily found in the area to this day.
2022-231
April 3, 2022
Book: 2 Stars
Narrator: 4 Stars
I [like many other reviewers] have never heard of Charles Masson [that I remember. I do read a lot, but his name and story seem brand new to me so I think it's safe to say that I have never come across him - I am not a big lover of all things Alexander the Great, so that may be why, and I know we never learned about him in school] and so it was intriguing to me to be able to read a story about a man who goes in search of one of Alexander's lost cities of Alexandria. Unfortunately, the title of this book is very misleading and you don't really get that story at all.
What you do get is a maybe true, maybe not true story of one James Lewis, who decides one morning to leave his post with the East India Company and takes off across India, where he becomes Charles Masson and has some great adventure. Maybe. ;-) I will say that most of the adventures he does have are pretty hair-raising and if true, amazing. His obsession takes him all over with him ending up in Afghanistan, where he fell in love with the people and the country itself. When he is forced to leave, I think it completely broke his heart and in turn broke him. It is one of the saddest moments of the book.
That said, there is little about finding a lost city [though there is a lot of information about Alexander that was pretty fascinating] and a lot about all the interesting characters that Masson comes across, joins forces with and is hunted by. It doesn't make for a bad read per say, but there is absolutely some letdown due to what the title says the book is going to be about.
Am I sorry I read it? No. It was a good romp and I did enjoy most of the story. I just wish the lost city wasn't such a minor element in the overall story.
I was privileged to receive an audiobook ARC for this book and I am so glad I did. This was a dense book in parts and I find [for myself anyway] that an audiobook helps me absorb more than just reading it.
I will be honest here and say that the narrator [Julian Elfer] was one of the best things about this whole reading experience. He did an excellent job and really made the story interesting with his reading and inflections. I will be adding him to my favorite lists and look forward to listening to another book read by him soon. Very well done.
Thank you to NetGalley, Edmund Richardson, Julian Elfer [Narrator], St. Martin's Press and Tantor Audio for providing this ARC and audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Narrator: 4 Stars
I [like many other reviewers] have never heard of Charles Masson [that I remember. I do read a lot, but his name and story seem brand new to me so I think it's safe to say that I have never come across him - I am not a big lover of all things Alexander the Great, so that may be why, and I know we never learned about him in school] and so it was intriguing to me to be able to read a story about a man who goes in search of one of Alexander's lost cities of Alexandria. Unfortunately, the title of this book is very misleading and you don't really get that story at all.
What you do get is a maybe true, maybe not true story of one James Lewis, who decides one morning to leave his post with the East India Company and takes off across India, where he becomes Charles Masson and has some great adventure. Maybe. ;-) I will say that most of the adventures he does have are pretty hair-raising and if true, amazing. His obsession takes him all over with him ending up in Afghanistan, where he fell in love with the people and the country itself. When he is forced to leave, I think it completely broke his heart and in turn broke him. It is one of the saddest moments of the book.
That said, there is little about finding a lost city [though there is a lot of information about Alexander that was pretty fascinating] and a lot about all the interesting characters that Masson comes across, joins forces with and is hunted by. It doesn't make for a bad read per say, but there is absolutely some letdown due to what the title says the book is going to be about.
Am I sorry I read it? No. It was a good romp and I did enjoy most of the story. I just wish the lost city wasn't such a minor element in the overall story.
I was privileged to receive an audiobook ARC for this book and I am so glad I did. This was a dense book in parts and I find [for myself anyway] that an audiobook helps me absorb more than just reading it.
I will be honest here and say that the narrator [Julian Elfer] was one of the best things about this whole reading experience. He did an excellent job and really made the story interesting with his reading and inflections. I will be adding him to my favorite lists and look forward to listening to another book read by him soon. Very well done.
Thank you to NetGalley, Edmund Richardson, Julian Elfer [Narrator], St. Martin's Press and Tantor Audio for providing this ARC and audiobook ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 7, 2021
Het moest natuurlijk treffen dat ik dit boek ben gestart net tijdens de onlusten in Afghanistan, de voorbije weken. Deze realiteit gaf toch wel een extra dimensie, in de zin dat ik merkte dat de huidige gebeurtenissen haar wortels diep in de 19e eeuw hebben. Het verhaal gaat over Masson (een gedeserteerde soldaat) die zijn passie volgt en probeert om een verborgen stad (Alexandrie) in Afghanistan op te graven. Maar eigenlijk gaat het over de geschiedenis van dit land en de omringende landen. De rol van de Oost-Indische compagnie, Groot-Brittannië en zelfs Rusland wordt treffend neergezet. De 'grote' geschiedenis krijgt door de ogen van Masson een treffende realiteit, het wordt aan de lijve aangevoeld, als het ware. Het gekonkelfoes, de onbekwaamheid tot beleid voeren, tot regeren krijgt een gezicht. Ik heb ervan genoten, maar ik hou dan ook van wereldgeschiedenis.
Enig minpuntje: de schrijfstijl is wat stroef, een beetje saai, maar de avonturen van Masson lezen toch als een trein!
Enig minpuntje: de schrijfstijl is wat stroef, een beetje saai, maar de avonturen van Masson lezen toch als een trein!
April 16, 2023
When Private David Lewis deserted the British East India Company's army in 1827 his motivation appears simply to have been freed from the drudgery and danger of military life.
Walking out the gate without the intention of returning to duty put a target on his back. The punishment for desertion was death, which might be inflicted in a variety of cruel manners. Hanging was the most likely. But one favorite reserved especially for Indian soldiers was to tie the offender across the mouth of a cannon and fire the gun, blowing the victim to smithereens.
Most of his enlisted contemporaries were barely literate. Lewis was an exception. He was a reader who understood Latin and Greek and had a boundless curiosity about the world around him. Lewis had no money. He headed west on foot, begging for food in villages he passed through. His plan was to walk home.
Perhaps the wisest move he made was to adopt a new name and identity. He became Charles Masson (a name he would retain for the remainder of his life), a man traveling through the country for amusement.
In Pakistan, he encountered Josiah Harlan, an American who came east with the intent of making himself a king. Harlan, who many believe was the model for Rudyard Kipling's story The Man Who Would Be King, identified Lewis/Masson as a deserter and could have turned him in. Instead, Harlan, who was then a mercenary in the employ of Shah Shujah, exiled king of Afghanistan, recruited the deserter in a plot to restore the Shah to his throne.
It turned out to be a lucky break for Masson, for it took him to the Hindu Kush and his destiny.
In Afghanistan he became intrigued with the story of Alexander the Great who had trekked these same hills and, according to legend, left fabulous cities in his wake. Masson's goal was to discover proof of the legend. For years he scoured the area, uncovering historic wonders, translating a lost language that had once been dominant in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and building a reputation as an archaeologist and scholar.
Then, just as his discoveries began getting the attention they deserved, a devious British agent recognized him as the deserter David Lewis and duped him into being a spy for the East India Company. This task diverted him from his scholarly pursuits and put his life at risk from Afghanis formerly his friends. When the British invaded the country against his warnings, Masson found himself imprisoned and under threat of death.
The invasion failed, as he knew it would. Impoverished, his collections scattered and manuscripts lost, Masson returned to England. He would never recoup his reputation and lies buried now in an unmarked grave in London.
A wonderful, well-researched story replete with intriguing characters and events. Highly recommended.
Walking out the gate without the intention of returning to duty put a target on his back. The punishment for desertion was death, which might be inflicted in a variety of cruel manners. Hanging was the most likely. But one favorite reserved especially for Indian soldiers was to tie the offender across the mouth of a cannon and fire the gun, blowing the victim to smithereens.
Most of his enlisted contemporaries were barely literate. Lewis was an exception. He was a reader who understood Latin and Greek and had a boundless curiosity about the world around him. Lewis had no money. He headed west on foot, begging for food in villages he passed through. His plan was to walk home.
Perhaps the wisest move he made was to adopt a new name and identity. He became Charles Masson (a name he would retain for the remainder of his life), a man traveling through the country for amusement.
In Pakistan, he encountered Josiah Harlan, an American who came east with the intent of making himself a king. Harlan, who many believe was the model for Rudyard Kipling's story The Man Who Would Be King, identified Lewis/Masson as a deserter and could have turned him in. Instead, Harlan, who was then a mercenary in the employ of Shah Shujah, exiled king of Afghanistan, recruited the deserter in a plot to restore the Shah to his throne.
It turned out to be a lucky break for Masson, for it took him to the Hindu Kush and his destiny.
In Afghanistan he became intrigued with the story of Alexander the Great who had trekked these same hills and, according to legend, left fabulous cities in his wake. Masson's goal was to discover proof of the legend. For years he scoured the area, uncovering historic wonders, translating a lost language that had once been dominant in Afghanistan and Pakistan, and building a reputation as an archaeologist and scholar.
Then, just as his discoveries began getting the attention they deserved, a devious British agent recognized him as the deserter David Lewis and duped him into being a spy for the East India Company. This task diverted him from his scholarly pursuits and put his life at risk from Afghanis formerly his friends. When the British invaded the country against his warnings, Masson found himself imprisoned and under threat of death.
The invasion failed, as he knew it would. Impoverished, his collections scattered and manuscripts lost, Masson returned to England. He would never recoup his reputation and lies buried now in an unmarked grave in London.
A wonderful, well-researched story replete with intriguing characters and events. Highly recommended.
January 4, 2023
I could not put this down. Captured my imagination like nothing else and now I want to go exploring for lost cities and hidden treasure. Brilliantly written with a nice balance of descriptive narrative and historical interrogation, cannot recommend strongly enough. 2023s reading is off with a bang.
August 30, 2021
Big thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for my e-copy.
Edmund Richardson’s ‘Alexandria: The Quest for the Lost City’ was a fascinating read. Following Masson’s journey has been incredibly interesting – from the insights into political and cultural life on 1830s in especially Afghanistan in relation to Britain to simple act of storytelling and being a storyteller, ‘Alexandria’ had it all. It was a vivid and detailed account, and I had enjoyed it very much. It took me a while to read through the whole book, but I think it’s one of these books you need to think through, stop at moments, gather your thoughts and only then continue. Definitely a worth read.
Edmund Richardson’s ‘Alexandria: The Quest for the Lost City’ was a fascinating read. Following Masson’s journey has been incredibly interesting – from the insights into political and cultural life on 1830s in especially Afghanistan in relation to Britain to simple act of storytelling and being a storyteller, ‘Alexandria’ had it all. It was a vivid and detailed account, and I had enjoyed it very much. It took me a while to read through the whole book, but I think it’s one of these books you need to think through, stop at moments, gather your thoughts and only then continue. Definitely a worth read.
January 29, 2023
Podría ser una buena historia la vida que tuvo el arqueologo protagonista, la investigación del historiador es meritoria, exaustiva, pero todo el desarrollo es farragoso, a veces te pierdes entre tanta información. Quiere ser tan fiable que en ocasiones pone frasese entre comilladas que realmente tienen poca relevancia. Echo de menos más información sobre la situación geopolitica de la zona, donde se mueve el personaje, en esa época para entender mejor todo el desarrollo. El título del libro debería ser otro, engañoso.
August 11, 2021
It is challenging to read this book as a biography because the subject’s experiences are so vastly removed from anything I have done.
. . . His daring. . .
. . . His desperation. . .
. . .his inventiveness. . .
. . . His dreams, and
His obsession. He is hard to identify with in any way, and impossible to like. But, it is also difficult not to admire his daring and pluck.
This life is definitely one of adventure that many readers will enjoy vicariously sharing.
. . . His daring. . .
. . . His desperation. . .
. . .his inventiveness. . .
. . . His dreams, and
His obsession. He is hard to identify with in any way, and impossible to like. But, it is also difficult not to admire his daring and pluck.
This life is definitely one of adventure that many readers will enjoy vicariously sharing.
August 19, 2021
A great non-fiction mix of travel, adventure, history and archeology.
June 2, 2023
3.5 stars, rounding down. I liked many aspects of this book but ultimately a lot of it left me cold with the innumerable amount of minutiae.
Title: A Thoughtful Journey through History: A Review of "The King's Shadow" by Edmund Richardson
"The King's Shadow" by Edmund Richardson offers readers a fascinating glimpse into the life and adventures of British amateur archaeologist Charles Masson. While the book is undoubtedly a commendable effort, it suffers from a tendency to veer off on tangents and delve into excessive minutiae.
One of the strengths of Richardson's work is his thorough exploration of Masson's archaeological endeavors in Afghanistan and India during the 19th century. The author meticulously unravels the discoveries made by Masson and their significance in shaping our understanding of ancient civilizations. Richardson succeeds in capturing the reader's curiosity and fascination with history.
However, it is in the execution of these historical narratives where the book occasionally falters. The frequent tangents and excursions into excessive minutiae can make the reading experience feel somewhat disjointed. While the additional details may be appreciated by history enthusiasts, they may prove overwhelming for readers seeking a more streamlined narrative. I suppose a big part of it, and this isn’t necessarily the author’s fault but the reality of the story, is that I was hoping for far far more on the archaeology aspect of the region of the world. Instead, so much of the story is a series of very unfortunate events that Masson encountered.
Another aspect that can be distracting is the excessive use of quotes from side characters. While these quotes provide valuable insights into the perspectives of individuals from the early 19th century, their abundance sometimes disrupts the flow of the narrative. Moreover, the book's fidelity to the quotes especially with the language and style of that era, with its dreary and overly wordy nature, can further hinder the reader's engagement with the story.
Nevertheless, despite these shortcomings, "The King's Shadow" remains a pretty good read. Richardson's meticulous research and his ability to transport readers to the vibrant landscapes and archaeological sites of Masson's explorations are noteworthy. The book offers a valuable exploration of the historical and political context in which Masson operated, shedding light on the intricate relationship between British imperialism and archaeological discoveries.
In conclusion, "The King's Shadow" by Edmund Richardson presents a flawed but still sometimes engaging account of Charles Masson's life and contributions to archaeology. While the book may lose its focus in tangents and overly detailed narratives, it ultimately offers an intriguing journey through history. Readers with a deep interest in the subject matter will find much to appreciate, although those seeking a more streamlined narrative and want much more of a focus on the archaeological history and overall history of that area of the world may find themselves overwhelmed by the abundance of minutiae.
I'll leave with one final note on the fact that Afghanistan is often cited as the "graveyard of empires", as the Brits in the 1840s were soon licking their wounds from what was increasingly seen as a mostly failed campaign there of imperialism and plunder, lacking in both competence and moral certitude: "Masson arrived back in Britain to find the country in turmoil. Dispatches from Afghanistan, each worse than the last, were splashed across the newspapers. ‘It has never yet fallen to our lot to communicate to our home readers such disastrous intelligence as that which we are now about to lay before them,’ wrote The Times. ‘Our worst fears regarding the results of the Afghanistan expedition have been realised." Yep, pretty much.
Title: A Thoughtful Journey through History: A Review of "The King's Shadow" by Edmund Richardson
"The King's Shadow" by Edmund Richardson offers readers a fascinating glimpse into the life and adventures of British amateur archaeologist Charles Masson. While the book is undoubtedly a commendable effort, it suffers from a tendency to veer off on tangents and delve into excessive minutiae.
One of the strengths of Richardson's work is his thorough exploration of Masson's archaeological endeavors in Afghanistan and India during the 19th century. The author meticulously unravels the discoveries made by Masson and their significance in shaping our understanding of ancient civilizations. Richardson succeeds in capturing the reader's curiosity and fascination with history.
However, it is in the execution of these historical narratives where the book occasionally falters. The frequent tangents and excursions into excessive minutiae can make the reading experience feel somewhat disjointed. While the additional details may be appreciated by history enthusiasts, they may prove overwhelming for readers seeking a more streamlined narrative. I suppose a big part of it, and this isn’t necessarily the author’s fault but the reality of the story, is that I was hoping for far far more on the archaeology aspect of the region of the world. Instead, so much of the story is a series of very unfortunate events that Masson encountered.
Another aspect that can be distracting is the excessive use of quotes from side characters. While these quotes provide valuable insights into the perspectives of individuals from the early 19th century, their abundance sometimes disrupts the flow of the narrative. Moreover, the book's fidelity to the quotes especially with the language and style of that era, with its dreary and overly wordy nature, can further hinder the reader's engagement with the story.
Nevertheless, despite these shortcomings, "The King's Shadow" remains a pretty good read. Richardson's meticulous research and his ability to transport readers to the vibrant landscapes and archaeological sites of Masson's explorations are noteworthy. The book offers a valuable exploration of the historical and political context in which Masson operated, shedding light on the intricate relationship between British imperialism and archaeological discoveries.
In conclusion, "The King's Shadow" by Edmund Richardson presents a flawed but still sometimes engaging account of Charles Masson's life and contributions to archaeology. While the book may lose its focus in tangents and overly detailed narratives, it ultimately offers an intriguing journey through history. Readers with a deep interest in the subject matter will find much to appreciate, although those seeking a more streamlined narrative and want much more of a focus on the archaeological history and overall history of that area of the world may find themselves overwhelmed by the abundance of minutiae.
I'll leave with one final note on the fact that Afghanistan is often cited as the "graveyard of empires", as the Brits in the 1840s were soon licking their wounds from what was increasingly seen as a mostly failed campaign there of imperialism and plunder, lacking in both competence and moral certitude: "Masson arrived back in Britain to find the country in turmoil. Dispatches from Afghanistan, each worse than the last, were splashed across the newspapers. ‘It has never yet fallen to our lot to communicate to our home readers such disastrous intelligence as that which we are now about to lay before them,’ wrote The Times. ‘Our worst fears regarding the results of the Afghanistan expedition have been realised." Yep, pretty much.
April 1, 2022
This is the story of Charles Masson, a man who deserted the East India Company's army, traveled through much of India and Afghanistan on foot, learned the story of Alexander the Great, and decided to look for one of his cities. While that may sound simple, things involving the East India Company tended to be anything but, and his case was no exception. Eventually found near Kabul he was forced to become their spy in the region and while he hated every minute of it, the EIC loved it because Masson knew Afghanistan as no other Englishman did. Masson's story in "The King's Shadow" is more his story in the shadow of the EIC than in Alexander the Great's, despite his wishes to search for one of the cities Alexander founded and be a simple archaeologist, he rarely gets the chance. So if you're reading this book hoping to discover more about Alexander, you'll be out of luck. But for a book on the outrages of the East India Company in the Middle East, their games and selfishness, the inept upperclass men they put in charge at various places, and how they may have gotten some of the very best advice but rarely listened to it- this is a good starting place. Author Edmund Richardson pulls no punches with them and clearly admires Masson for writing about what he saw when the EIC moved into Afghanistan and being one of the people to try and get Britain to see what was happening.
I have to admit there were many times, especially in the beginning, where I didn't really feel like I was getting to know Masson as a person, he was just moving the rest of the story along without any attempt to dive deeply into the thoughts or feelings that I imagine must have been expressed in Masson's journals. Perhaps I'm wrong about the journals, but I felt none of the fascination Richardson tells us Masson felt for Alexander. He was clearly obsessed but why? I did definitely feel the hatred Masson felt for the EIC come through the pages by the end. My only other real complaint with the book was Richardson's tendency to foreshadow events with versions of "this would be the last happy day" or "if he knew what was coming" sort of writing that I am not a fan of, but I know many biographers insist on using.
Masson's life had its ups and downs, sadly more downs than ups, but he was one of the few Englishmen who saw that the "other" didn't equate with "barbarian". He sought to learn and discover, not steal and belittle, which certainly made him a man above many (or most) of the so called gentlemen running the East India Company.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
I have to admit there were many times, especially in the beginning, where I didn't really feel like I was getting to know Masson as a person, he was just moving the rest of the story along without any attempt to dive deeply into the thoughts or feelings that I imagine must have been expressed in Masson's journals. Perhaps I'm wrong about the journals, but I felt none of the fascination Richardson tells us Masson felt for Alexander. He was clearly obsessed but why? I did definitely feel the hatred Masson felt for the EIC come through the pages by the end. My only other real complaint with the book was Richardson's tendency to foreshadow events with versions of "this would be the last happy day" or "if he knew what was coming" sort of writing that I am not a fan of, but I know many biographers insist on using.
Masson's life had its ups and downs, sadly more downs than ups, but he was one of the few Englishmen who saw that the "other" didn't equate with "barbarian". He sought to learn and discover, not steal and belittle, which certainly made him a man above many (or most) of the so called gentlemen running the East India Company.
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
December 27, 2023
Despite the title, Richardson's 'Alexandria' is not an exploration into the famous city off the coast of the Mediterranean. A more appropriate title would have been 'Charles Masson: His Quest to Discover Alexandria', as that seems to be the true focus of the book. As a biography of Masson, it his highly invigorating. The tumult of Masson's life is explored through the historical enigma of his travels in Afganistan. Sources contradict, but Richardson compares and speculates reasonably, arguing clearly why he believes Masson in fact pursued a different path to what some written sources suggest. It avoids becoming too bogged down in academic quarry; indeed, as a narrative history it is very readable. It has been one of the few books recently that I have breezed through calmly, whilst also being intellectually stimulated. It would benefit the reader to do further research on the political background of the time (from around 1830 to the 1850s), but ultimately this is what a successful history book should do, encourage your own further research.
This by no means suggests 'Alexandria' is lacking; Richardson demonstrates clearly the overwhelming greed, ignorance and self-interest of the East India Company, and how that (by extension) lead to the utter chaos experienced in Afghanistan and thus for Masson. The continued disruption of his attempt to know Afghanistan, its wonderfully diverse people, landscape, history, by those who wanted to own it is the true tragedy here. He was a worthy voice that fell, unfortunately, on deaf contemptuous ears. By studying the man of Masson, Richardson is able to make broader conclusions about the colonial politics that affected his health so severely.
Alexandria, to conclude, is not a study of the lost city. It is a narrative of that mysterious Masson, pouring through his ancient coins in an attempt to find the rumoured city that stood at the 'edge of the world'. It is a necessary decolonising history - Masson's finds are not glorified under the trope of the white saviour - Richardson portrays the colonial franchise as entirely lacking in morality from the start. But, he emphasises, Masson was an oddity. He wanted to understand the environment he found himself in, not exploit it. This book is an insight into this compelling window of time in the colonial history of Britain, but crucially and more importantly, the history of Afghanistan.
This by no means suggests 'Alexandria' is lacking; Richardson demonstrates clearly the overwhelming greed, ignorance and self-interest of the East India Company, and how that (by extension) lead to the utter chaos experienced in Afghanistan and thus for Masson. The continued disruption of his attempt to know Afghanistan, its wonderfully diverse people, landscape, history, by those who wanted to own it is the true tragedy here. He was a worthy voice that fell, unfortunately, on deaf contemptuous ears. By studying the man of Masson, Richardson is able to make broader conclusions about the colonial politics that affected his health so severely.
Alexandria, to conclude, is not a study of the lost city. It is a narrative of that mysterious Masson, pouring through his ancient coins in an attempt to find the rumoured city that stood at the 'edge of the world'. It is a necessary decolonising history - Masson's finds are not glorified under the trope of the white saviour - Richardson portrays the colonial franchise as entirely lacking in morality from the start. But, he emphasises, Masson was an oddity. He wanted to understand the environment he found himself in, not exploit it. This book is an insight into this compelling window of time in the colonial history of Britain, but crucially and more importantly, the history of Afghanistan.
December 30, 2021
Op de voorlaatste dag van het jaar sla ik de laatste pagina van mijn 36ste boek dit jaar om. Enkele maanden na de val van Kaboel in de zomer van 2021, verslond ik een geschiedkundig relaas uit het Afghanistan rond 1840, netjes neergeschreven in Alexandrië van Edmund Richardson. Op basis van nauwgezet onderzoek vertelt dit boek over een doldwaze reis dwars door het India en Afghanistan van de negentiende eeuw. Het schetst een wereld van spionnen en dromers, van lanterfanters en opportunisten, van extreem militair en persoonlijk geweld en vooral ook van grenzeloze hoop. Dit verhaal, dat zich afspeelt aan de rand van het Britse Rijk en tegen de achtergrond van bergen en woestijnen, gaat over een obsessie die door de eeuwen heen werd doorgegeven. De hoofdpersoon is Charles Masson. Hij dronk thee met koningen, reisde hij in het gezelschap van heiligen en wist hij zich te hullen in honderd-en-een vermommingen. Hij zag dingen die geen westerling ooit had gezien noch zou zien. Hij spioneerde voor de Britse Oost-Indische Compagnie en werd er daarnaast van verdacht dat hij voor Rusland spioneerde. Dit was immers het tijdperk van de ‘Great Game’ toen de imperialistische grootmachten elkaar in die zo onwaarschijnlijk mooie contreien naar de kroon staken. Masson ontdekte tienduizenden objecten uit de Afghaanse geschiedenis. Daaronder was het tweeduizend jaar oude gouden juwelenkistje uit Bimaran, met daarop de vroegst overgeleverde afbeelding van het gezicht van de Boeddha. Hij kreeg een eigen koninkrijk aangeboden. Hij veranderde de wereld – en door diezelfde wereld werd hij vernietigd.
October 20, 2021
1833. India. James Lewis, een soldaat die in de Oost-Indische Compagnie dient, deserteert en riskeert hiermee een gruwelijke doodstraf. Hij wordt Charles Masson, reist door het huidige Pakistan en Afghanistan en zoekt naar het tweede "Alexandrië", de stad "onder de bergen" die door Alexander De Grote zou zijn gesticht. Zijn passie als amateur-archeoloog is vurig en eerlijk. Maar ettelijke complotten met lokale koningen, spionnen en vooral met de Britse Compagnie maken van hem een speelbal. In strijd met zijn eigen wil wordt hij spion, later wordt hij ook gevangen genomen...
Deze roman is niet alleen erg onderhoudend (leest als een spannend, boeiend verhaal), maar ook erg relevant. Het Afghanistan zoals wij nu kennen, Kabul, ... hoe was dat in 1833? Het blijkt een bakermat van culturen te zijn, een smeltkroes van verschillende religies en tradities... En hoe de Westerse mens hier weer roet in het eten gegooid heeft, dat lees je in dit boek. Je hebt nog maar weinig sympathie voor het Britse India als je dit gelezen hebt. Wat goed dat deze man, die Masson, terug in ere is hersteld. Jammer genoeg heeft hij dat niet mogen meemaken en wordt het land waarvan hij zo hield nu verwoest door Taliban...
Deze roman is niet alleen erg onderhoudend (leest als een spannend, boeiend verhaal), maar ook erg relevant. Het Afghanistan zoals wij nu kennen, Kabul, ... hoe was dat in 1833? Het blijkt een bakermat van culturen te zijn, een smeltkroes van verschillende religies en tradities... En hoe de Westerse mens hier weer roet in het eten gegooid heeft, dat lees je in dit boek. Je hebt nog maar weinig sympathie voor het Britse India als je dit gelezen hebt. Wat goed dat deze man, die Masson, terug in ere is hersteld. Jammer genoeg heeft hij dat niet mogen meemaken en wordt het land waarvan hij zo hield nu verwoest door Taliban...
April 10, 2022
This book tells the story of a man in search of the lost Central Asian city of his idol Alexander the Great. After James Lewis deserted the British East Indian Company army in 1826: He changed his name to Charles Masson and wandered what is now Pakistan until he came to Kabul. I learned much about the customs of Afghanistan through his adventures there and how he made some amazing discoveries about not only Ancient Greeks in Asia. Charles Masson had to become a spy for the British East Indian Company to avoid being executed in a gruesome way for desertion. For Masson, this was a deal with the devil since the Company committed many crimes in the name of profit. It was these people who sold opium to the Chinese, brutally suppressed India, and made huge fortunes by looting. Charles Masson knew the Company's Afghanistan invasion to keep it out of Russia hands would be a disaster but they would not listen to any criticism. The King's Shadow was a great book for those interested in Asian history.
March 3, 2024
Alejandría: en busca de la ciudad perdida
Edmund Richardson
Charles Masson /1800-1853/ soldado de la Compañía Británica de las Indias Orientales, desertó y viajó a través del Punjab hasta Kabul y sudeste de Afganistán.
Durante estos años acumularon objetos y monedas, sobre todo de Bagram.
Fue el primer europeo en ver las ruinas de Harappa y también ejerció de espía para la Compañía de las Indias Orientales.
El señor era un fenómeno vamos, que estuvo hasta encarcelado, su vida digna de película.
( o de libro , como es el caso )
Alejandría es la biografía del aventurero Charles Masson, que fue en busca de la ciudad perdida de la Alejandría de Alejandro Magno.
Es un libro muy bien documentado y con tintes humorísticos pero cuya lectura a mí se me ha hecho algo cuesta arriba, tal vez debido a la infinidad de personajes que aparecen a lo largo de la historia.
Edmund Richardson
Charles Masson /1800-1853/ soldado de la Compañía Británica de las Indias Orientales, desertó y viajó a través del Punjab hasta Kabul y sudeste de Afganistán.
Durante estos años acumularon objetos y monedas, sobre todo de Bagram.
Fue el primer europeo en ver las ruinas de Harappa y también ejerció de espía para la Compañía de las Indias Orientales.
El señor era un fenómeno vamos, que estuvo hasta encarcelado, su vida digna de película.
( o de libro , como es el caso )
Alejandría es la biografía del aventurero Charles Masson, que fue en busca de la ciudad perdida de la Alejandría de Alejandro Magno.
Es un libro muy bien documentado y con tintes humorísticos pero cuya lectura a mí se me ha hecho algo cuesta arriba, tal vez debido a la infinidad de personajes que aparecen a lo largo de la historia.
February 20, 2022
This book is part biography and part legend of Charles Masson who was a deserter, vagabond, spy, and person of questionable character. While some of the story is hard to believe as real the author does a good job making this an engaging read. It starts with a man named James Lewis who becomes Charles Masson and is the main focus of the book. The quest for the lost city of Alexandria is just one of the components of the book and the reader should not expect it to be the focus. Overall a good read.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.
I received a free Kindle copy of this book courtesy of Net Galley and the publisher with the understanding that I would post a review on Net Galley, Goodreads, Amazon, Facebook and my nonfiction book review blog.
August 22, 2021
Meeslepende biografie van soldaat/deserteur/archeoloog/meesterspion Charles Masson. Daarnaast biedt het een - zeker dezer dagen - interessante blik op Afghanistan en op de verkeerde manier waarop westerse grootmachten met het land omgaan.
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