[fnazeeri]

As a kid, I became a fan of Sir Richard Francis Burton via the science fiction novel series by Philip Jose Farmer called the Riverworld.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Philip_Jos%C3%A9_Farmer#Riverwo...

Burton was an amazing character and it's fun to read about his "real" life and contract that to my memories of his science fiction (after)life.

[Jare]

Exactly the same for me, it was such a fascinating character (and novel)

[yitchelle]

Just read the his entry in Wikipedia. Among the other amazing things Sir Burton has done, he is also a master in at least 25 languages, or 40 dialects. That is spectacular.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Francis_Burton