Mimi and Toutou's Big Adventure: The Bizarre Battle of Lake TanganyikaWhen the First World War breaks out, the British navy is committed to engaging the enemy wherever there is water to float a ship—even if the body of water in question is a remote African lake and the enemy an intimidating fleet of German steamers. The leader of this improbable mission is Geoffrey Spicer-Simson whose navy career thus far had been distinguished by two sinkings. His seemingly impossible charge: to trek overland through the African bush hauling Mimi and Toutou—two forty-foot mahogany gunboats–with a band of cantankerous, insubordinate Scotsmen, Irishmen and Englishmen to defeat the Germans on Lake Tanganyika. With its powerfully evoked landscape, cast of hilariously colorful characters and remarkable story of hubris, ingenuity and perseverance, this incredibly bizarre story–inspiration for the classic film The African Queen–is history at its most entertaining and absorbing. |
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Mimi and Toutou's Big Adventure: The Bizarre Battle of Lake Tanganyika Giles Foden No preview available - 2005 |
Mimi and Toutou's Big Adventure: The Bizarre Battle of Lake Tanganyika Giles Foden No preview available - 2006 |
Common terms and phrases
Admiralty African Queen Albertville arrived askaris attack Baron Dhanis began Belgian Bismarckburg boiler British bush called camp Cape Town Churchill climbed colonial command Congo Congolese crew Cross Dar es Salaam deck doctor Eastwood Elizabethville Farwell feet Fifi film fire flotilla German East Africa going Graf von Götzen guns hand Hanschell harbour Hedwig Holo-holo hull hunter Huston journey Kabalo Kigoma Kingani knew Königin Luise Königsberg kungu Lake Tanganyika later launch Lettow Liemba Lieutenant London looked Lukuga Magee Mauritzen miles Mimi and Toutou Mitumba Mollison motor boats Mount Kungwe native Naval Africa Expedition navy night Northern Rhodesia Odebrecht once oxen railway rifle river Rosenthal round Royal Rupia Salaam seemed sent Shankland shell ship's shore shot side skirt smoke Spicer Spicer-Simson steam engines steamer Stinghlamber story Tait told took traction engines trailers trees troops vessel village Wainwright watched Waterhouse wooden yards Zambia Zimmer