Part 1

'In 1859, at age fourteen, Florence Szász stood before a room full of men and waited to be auctioned to the highest bidder. But slavery and submission were not to be her destiny: Sam Baker, a wealthy English gentleman and eminent adventurer, was moved by compassion and an immediate, overpowering empathy for the young woman, and braved extraordinary perils to help her escape.' So states the blurb of Pat Shipman's 2004 book entitled To the Heart of the Nile.'The book is 'an unforgettable portrait of an unforgettable woman: a story of discovery, bravery, determination, and love, meticulously reconstructed through journals, documents, and private papers...'

In this week's Heroine City episode, host Lynsey Shaw talks with Dr. Pat Shipman about Hungarian born explorer Florence Baker (1841-1916). In this fascinating discussion Pat's relays her sources, admiration for Florence and Sam, her own career parallels and journey into bringing Florence's exceptional story back to life.

Warning: This episode contains adult themes and discussion of violence.

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