Alan Moorehead ‘s 2 books on the Nile river are highly recommended. Superbly told with quotes and lavishly illustrated with old prints and colour plates these 2 books are now a modern classic of historical travel writing.
Alan Moorehead was a war correspondent during the Second World War. He is also a prolific writer. His books in my home library include The Russian Revolution {1958}, White Nile {1960}, The Blue Nile {1962} and Darwin and the Beagle {1969}.