"Black Ivory" by R.M. Ballantyne is an engrossing adventure novel. The book takes readers on a captivating journey into the heart of a continent, exploring the challenges, dangers, and cultural dynamics of an era marked by European exploration and trade. With vivid descriptions and a keen eye for detail, the author paints a vivid picture of the African landscape, immersing readers in its vastness and beauty. The story raises thought-provoking questions about the moral complexities of trade and interactions between different cultures. Through thrilling escapades and encounters, the book offers an exciting exploration of the human spirit's resilience and resourcefulness. Ballantyne's engaging storytelling makes "Black Ivory" an enthralling read, transporting readers to a time and place where adventure and discovery awaited at every turn.
R. M. Ballantyne was a Scottish writer of young adult literature who produced more than a hundred books between 24 April 1825 and 8 February 1894. He was also a skilled artist; some of his watercolors were on display at the Royal Scottish Academy. The ninth of ten children and youngest son of Alexander Thomson Ballantyne (1776-1847) and his wife Anne, Ballantyne was born in Edinburgh on April 24, 1825. (1786-1855). Robert's uncle James Ballantyne (1772-1833) was Sir Walter Scott's printer, and Alexander worked as a newspaper editor and printer in the family business "Ballantyne & Co" based at Paul's Works on the Canongate. The family is documented to have resided at 20 Fettes Row in Edinburgh's northern New Town in 1832-1833. The Ballantyne printing company collapsed the next year with debts of £130,000 as a result of a UK-wide banking crisis, which caused a decrease in the family's finances. Ballantyne moved to Canada at the age of 16 and worked for the Hudson's Bay Company for five years. He traveled by canoe and sleigh to the regions that are now the provinces of Manitoba, Ontario, and Quebec to trade with the local First Nations and Native Americans for furs; these experiences served as the inspiration for his book The Young Fur Traders.
