I first heard about Roberts' book in the Time Magazine review titled "Have Cane, Will Travel" by Lev Grossman and was definitely not disappointed after actually reading the book. Tracing Holman's life from his birth to death is an interesting read and Roberts does a very compelling job of describing the travails and challenges faced from the explorer, James Holman.
Definitely recommend this book... particularly for those who love adventurous travel, or at least the idea of such.