Author-Adventurer to present at Cook Series

Nelsen Petersen will discuss his travels in Africa in conjunction with his new book “Selfies with Livingstone . . . I Presume!” on October 21 at 7:00 p.m. in Cook Theatre on the Concordia campus of Cloud County Community College. Petersen is the first 2021-2022 Cook Series event sponsored by the college. A book signing and reception will follow his presentation.

Petersen, a Concordia native, is a writer, speaker, and historian based in Lincoln, Nebraska.  His first book, “Selfies with Sacajawea,” details his modern-day following of Lewis and Clark and the Corps of Discovery expedition from Missouri to the Pacific Northwest in the early 1800s.  His latest book, “Selfies with Livingstone . . . I Presume!” recounts his 24-day journey through Tanzania and Zambia where in 1871 Henry Morton Stanley searched for the missing – and presumed dead – Dr. David Livingstone, an English missionary and explorer. 

Petersen and his traveling companion, Victoria Nikonenko, a Ukrainian journalist, embark on a journey and find the continent that most people don’t know about, including “Africa’s most valuable resource, its people.” Along the way, he experiences the frustrations and joys of traveling by foot, bus, and train, the harsh conditions for the inhabitants of these African countries and tourists alike, and the exquisite beauty of the African landscape. As described on the book’s cover, “It’s a story of adventure and friendships in the heart of Africa.”

This year marks the 29th year of the Charles and Marian Cook Series at Cloud County Community College. The Cooks were travelers who wanted to bring the world to those who could not travel themselves. More than 75 events have been presented through the sponsorship of the Cook Foundation and the Division of Humanities, Social Sciences and Business at Cloud. It was always Marian Cook’s wishes that all Cook Series events be free and open to the public.

For more information, contact Brenton Phillips, dean of Humanities, Social Sciences and Business at Cloud, at 785.243.1435, ext. 244, or by email at bphillips@cloud.edu.