First published in 1897, Travels in West Africa was an immediate success. Mary Kinglsey had intended to return to West Africa as soon as she had seen the work through the press, but found herself drawn into much correspondence with eminent people and her opinions were widely sought. She did return to Africa where she died at the age of 38 in June 1900 after tending the sick during an outbreak of typhoid and dysentry. The book has an introduction written by Elspeth Huxley.

From the Introduction; “Travels in the Interior of Africa describes a journey from Gambia through the present day states of Senegal and Mali in the years 1795 -7. The dates and the places are important. They set Mungo Park at the very dawn of African exploration and in a corner of the continent which was to engage British interest only briefly. Park was out of context and over-shadowed within a few decades of his travels. But the improbable setting of his tale and its inconsequential aftermath also help to account for its timeless quality.”