Cider - Shop now
Buy new:
$18.24
FREE delivery Monday, May 12 to Nashville 37217 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Ships from: Amazon.com
Sold by: Amazon.com
$18.24
Get Fast, Free Shipping with Amazon Prime FREE Returns
FREE delivery Monday, May 12 to Nashville 37217 on orders shipped by Amazon over $35
Or Prime members get FREE delivery Saturday, May 10.
In Stock
$$18.24 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$18.24
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Ships from
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Ships from
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Amazon.com
Sold by
Amazon.com
Returns
30-day refund/replacement
30-day refund/replacement
This item can be returned in its original condition for a full refund or replacement within 30 days of receipt.
Read full return policy
Payment
Secure transaction
Your transaction is secure
We work hard to protect your security and privacy. Our payment security system encrypts your information during transmission. We don’t share your credit card details with third-party sellers, and we don’t sell your information to others. Learn more
$13.34
Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used textbooks may not include companion materials such as access codes, etc. May have some wear or writing/highlighting. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! Connecting readers with great books since 1972! Used textbooks may not include companion materials such as access codes, etc. May have some wear or writing/highlighting. We ship orders daily and Customer Service is our top priority! See less
$3.99 delivery May 15 - 21 to Nashville 37217. Details
Or fastest delivery May 13 - 16. Details
Only 1 left in stock - order soon.
$$18.24 () Includes selected options. Includes initial monthly payment and selected options. Details
Price
Subtotal
$$18.24
Subtotal
Initial payment breakdown
Shipping cost, delivery date, and order total (including tax) shown at checkout.
Access codes and supplements are not guaranteed with used items.
Ships from and sold by HPB-Red.
Kindle app logo image

Download the free Kindle app and start reading Kindle books instantly on your smartphone, tablet, or computer - no Kindle device required.

Read instantly on your browser with Kindle for Web.

Using your mobile phone camera - scan the code below and download the Kindle app.

QR code to download the Kindle App

Follow the author

Tahir Shah
Follow
Something went wrong. Please try your request again later.

Hannibal Fogg and the Supreme Secret of Man Paperback – Large Print, June 13, 2018

by Tahir Shah (Author)
4.5 out of 5 stars 127 ratings
{"desktop_buybox_group_1":[{"displayPrice":"$18.24","priceAmount":18.24,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"18","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"24","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"9yEec2Yk5GZrTz0YNQCVy1KYw7JZ%2BrfVw9wRUNo43xGlGE1xqOsA0afoIyLrnP5W6hhKb4V5d1V4w0ZSCvOic0bx5p15vVl4ksTr3tB0wOo5objBtgmNbUIWzL%2BXefA%2Bl06Po7pI2fvzYFYkhltnlQ%3D%3D","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"NEW","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":0}, {"displayPrice":"$13.34","priceAmount":13.34,"currencySymbol":"$","integerValue":"13","decimalSeparator":".","fractionalValue":"34","symbolPosition":"left","hasSpace":false,"showFractionalPartIfEmpty":true,"offerListingId":"9yEec2Yk5GZrTz0YNQCVy1KYw7JZ%2BrfVhVJVhlBIyWSrFIyEQXvtlyfPtdNCgFx7pKCHSqEWYzbJFG0bh2nqylfGYbNj0grC4UDAw%2FJVKbOtHLQra2FP1Hab8R5g4VgE1smsw3r6j%2FyyOXxHqLQRLmUhMC0heXUfj7FbjSaYSm9bWzJ7ghcUoM%2FBEC%2BRSX%2FJ","locale":"en-US","buyingOptionType":"USED","aapiBuyingOptionIndex":1}]}

Purchase options and add-ons

Through a life cloaked in mystery, Edwardian polymath Hannibal G. Fogg pushed the boundaries of exploration, science and code-breaking – producing feats of unrivalled cerebral dexterity. Hailing from a landed family, Fogg was a confidant to world leaders, a soldier, swordsman, prolific author, inventor, collector, and quite probably the most extraordinary man ever to have lived. But, while such genius won him accolades and fame, it also fanned the flames of envy. Unable to take Fogg’s triumphs any longer, the British establishment sought to have him discredited. His life work was publically destroyed in what was to become known as the ‘Great Foggian Purge’. Banished from England, he lived out his days in secrecy – before disappearing on an expedition to Manchuria in the winter of 1939. Almost eight decades passed. Then, one morning William Fogg receives a letter from a legal firm in London, claiming he’s the sole inheritor to his great-great-grandfather’s Estate. Knowing almost nothing of his forebear, he takes possession of the single object left in the bequest – a large rusty iron key… the key to a door in Marrakesh. And there begins the treasure trail of mystery, danger and uproar, as William pieces together the clues left for him by Hannibal Fogg. Zigzagging through five continents, the quest reveals how Alexander the Great was never beaten in battle. By completing the life work of Hannibal, William Fogg strives to lift the veil on the Supreme Secret of Man. First in a series of ground-breaking adventure novels from master storyteller, Tahir Shah, Hannibal Fogg and the Supreme Secret of Man is unlike anything published in recent times. Ten years in the making, it’s as worldly and wise as the indefatigable Hannibal Fogg. By the celebrated author of The Caliph’s House, a TIME Top Ten Book of the Year.
Read more
Previous slide of product details
  1. Print length
    640 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    June 13, 2018
  4. Dimensions
    5.5 x 1.6 x 8.5 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0957242972
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0957242975
Next slide of product details
"Layla" by Colleen Hoover for $7.19
From #1 New York Times bestselling author Colleen Hoover comes a novel that explores life after tragedy and the enduring spirit of love. | Learn more

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Secretum Mundi; Large type / Large print edition (June 13, 2018)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 640 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0957242972
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0957242975
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 1.77 pounds
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 5.5 x 1.6 x 8.5 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    4.5 out of 5 stars 127 ratings

About the author

Follow authors to get new release updates, plus improved recommendations.
Tahir Shah

Tahir Shah

Brief content visible, double tap to read full content.
Full content visible, double tap to read brief content.

Tahir Shah was born in London, and raised primarily at the family’s home, Langton House, in the English countryside – where founder of the Boy Scouts, Lord Baden Powell, was also brought up.

Along with his twin and elder sisters, Tahir was continually coaxed to regard the world around him through Oriental eyes. This included being exposed from early childhood to Eastern stories, and to the back-to-front humour of the wise fool, Nasrudin.

Having studied at a leading public school, Bryanston, Tahir took a degree in International Relations, his particular interest being in African dictatorships of the mid-1980s. His research in this area led him to travel alone through a wide number of failing African states, including Uganda, Sierra Leone, and Zaire.

After university, Tahir embarked on a plethora of widespread travels through the Indian subcontinent, Latin America, and Africa, drawing them together in his first travelogue, BEYOND THE DEVIL'S TEETH. In the years that followed, he published more than a dozen works of travel. These quests – for lost cities, treasure, Indian magic, and for the secrets of the so-called Birdmen of Peru – led to what is surely one of the most extraordinary bodies of travel work ever published.

In the early 2000s, with two small children, Tahir moved his young family from an apartment in London’s East End to a supposedly haunted mansion in the middle of a Casablanca shantytown. The tale of the adventure was published in his bestselling book, THE CALIPH'S HOUSE.

In recent years, Tahir Shah has released a cornucopia of work, embracing travel, fiction, and literary criticism. He has also made documentaries for National Geographic TV and the History Channel, and published hundreds of articles in leading magazines, newspapers, and journals. His oeuvre is regarded as exceptionally original and, as an author, he is considered as a champion of the new face of publishing.

www.tahirshah.com

www.twitter.com/humanstew

www.facebook.com/TahirShahAuthor

http://www.youtube.com/user/tahirshah999

www.pinterest.com/tahirshah

Customer reviews

4.5 out of 5 stars
127 global ratings

Review this product

Share your thoughts with other customers
Write a customer review

Customers say

Customers find this book to be a delightful romp suitable for all ages, with a wondrous adventure and fun historical fiction element. The writing style receives positive feedback, with one customer comparing it to watching an Indiana Jones movie. They appreciate the suspenseful elements, with one review noting how it weaves social issues into its fantastical narrative, while another describes it as a roller coaster ride of a novel.

AI-generated from the text of customer reviews

Select to learn more

10 customers mention "Enjoyment"10 positive0 negative

Customers find the book enjoyable, with one describing it as an incredible page turner and another noting it's suitable for all ages.

"...This is a book that should delight readers of all ages Note: the *feel* of the book itself is also satisfying...." Read more

"...life in England to dive in head first and move to Morocco, it's wonderful, inspiring, and a love letter to Morocco...." Read more

"...A great summer read." Read more

"...Thanks, Tahir, for another great book." Read more

8 customers mention "Adventure"8 positive0 negative

Customers enjoy the adventure in this book, describing it as a wondrous and fun historical fiction with a lively plot, and one customer compares it to a roller coaster ride of a novel.

"...settings around the world, moving around time, evoke the best traditions of the English explorers of the 19th century and the fictional Indiana Jones..." Read more

"What a splendidly gripping - and complicated - adventure. A Thousand and One Nights meets Indiana Jones...." Read more

"...text, the author plays easily between magical realism and historical fiction with ease, to the multi-storied benefit of the reader time and time..." Read more

"A roller coaster ride of a novel, a hero’s journey brimming with adventure, plot twists and insight. I couldn’t put it down until the very last page!..." Read more

7 customers mention "Writer"7 positive0 negative

Customers appreciate the writing style of the book, with one customer noting it reads like an Indiana Jones movie, while another describes the author as an erudite master storyteller who skillfully blends magical realism.

"...The print is easy to read, the maps and diagrams also to the enjoyment of the story." Read more

"...Burton and Madame Blavatsky to name but two written by an erudite master storyteller. A great summer read." Read more

"...Written in rich descriptive text, the author plays easily between magical realism and historical fiction with ease, to the multi-storied benefit of..." Read more

"...He is a great writer and story teller." Read more

6 customers mention "Suspenseful"6 positive0 negative

Customers find the book suspenseful, with one review highlighting its intriguing central mystery, while another describes it as a galloping romp peppered with references to real people.

"...Without spoiling how the story unfolds, it keeps you guessing and wanting to find out what happens next...." Read more

"...A galloping romp peppered with references to real people - Sir Richard Burton and Madame Blavatsky to name but two written by an erudite master..." Read more

"...Amply drenched in National Treasure-esque conspiracy theories, secret organizations, and shadowy government agencies the roller-coaster ride of a..." Read more

"...and even the Adventures of Tintin, it revolves around an intriguing central mystery: the Alexander Mechanism, the Supreme Secret of Man." Read more

Incredible page turner - couldn't put it down
5 out of 5 stars
Incredible page turner - couldn't put it down
I found this book because I've been a fan of Tahir Shah's work, notably The Caliph's House. If you haven't read it yet, go read the Caliph's House at once, it paints a wonderful picture of a family uprooting their life in England to dive in head first and move to Morocco, it's wonderful, inspiring, and a love letter to Morocco. Hannibal Fogg is tons of fun, but a very different writing style, it's a novel (not a memoir like Caliph's House). It pulls you in from the first few pages with scuba divers in search of ancient secrets. Without spoiling how the story unfolds, it keeps you guessing and wanting to find out what happens next. I liked it so much I bought an copy for my teenage cousin, he doesn't read much of anything (never looks up from his phone), but he actually read and loved this book. Having a teenager engaged and enjoying a book is an accomplishment! If you're looking for a birthday gift or Christmas present look no further, they'll love this book.
Hide
Thank you for your feedback
Sorry, there was an error
Sorry we couldn't load the review

Top reviews from the United States

  • Robert E Neilsen
    5.0 out of 5 stars Grand Adventure
    Reviewed in the United States on December 9, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    Twenty-one-year-old Will Fogg unravels the secrets of his own past, his family's past, the ancient past, while pushing past his own fears and doubts to unlock his own destiny, like peeling away the layers of an onion. The lively plot, dialog and mysterious settings around the world, moving around time, evoke the best traditions of the English explorers of the 19th century and the fictional Indiana Jones. This is a book that should delight readers of all ages Note: the *feel* of the book itself is also satisfying. The print is easy to read, the maps and diagrams also to the enjoyment of the story.
    Helpful
     Report
  • Matt
    5.0 out of 5 stars Incredible page turner - couldn't put it down
    Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    I found this book because I've been a fan of Tahir Shah's work, notably The Caliph's House. If you haven't read it yet, go read the Caliph's House at once, it paints a wonderful picture of a family uprooting their life in England to dive in head first and move to Morocco, it's wonderful, inspiring, and a love letter to Morocco.

    Hannibal Fogg is tons of fun, but a very different writing style, it's a novel (not a memoir like Caliph's House). It pulls you in from the first few pages with scuba divers in search of ancient secrets. Without spoiling how the story unfolds, it keeps you guessing and wanting to find out what happens next.

    I liked it so much I bought an copy for my teenage cousin, he doesn't read much of anything (never looks up from his phone), but he actually read and loved this book. Having a teenager engaged and enjoying a book is an accomplishment! If you're looking for a birthday gift or Christmas present look no further, they'll love this book.
    Customer image
    Matt
    5.0 out of 5 stars
    Incredible page turner - couldn't put it down

    Reviewed in the United States on October 12, 2018
    I found this book because I've been a fan of Tahir Shah's work, notably The Caliph's House. If you haven't read it yet, go read the Caliph's House at once, it paints a wonderful picture of a family uprooting their life in England to dive in head first and move to Morocco, it's wonderful, inspiring, and a love letter to Morocco.

    Hannibal Fogg is tons of fun, but a very different writing style, it's a novel (not a memoir like Caliph's House). It pulls you in from the first few pages with scuba divers in search of ancient secrets. Without spoiling how the story unfolds, it keeps you guessing and wanting to find out what happens next.

    I liked it so much I bought an copy for my teenage cousin, he doesn't read much of anything (never looks up from his phone), but he actually read and loved this book. Having a teenager engaged and enjoying a book is an accomplishment! If you're looking for a birthday gift or Christmas present look no further, they'll love this book.
    Images in this review
    Customer image
    2 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Elizabeth W. Schmid
    4.0 out of 5 stars A Captivating Adventure!
    Reviewed in the United States on July 2, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    What a splendidly gripping - and complicated - adventure. A Thousand and One Nights meets Indiana Jones. What lured me in was the magic house in Marrakesh and what kept me reading was Shah's wit and precise and vivid evocations of exotic places - including India and Ethoipia and Peru -and London too. A galloping romp peppered with references to real people - Sir Richard Burton and Madame Blavatsky to name but two written by an erudite master storyteller. A great summer read.
    7 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • Colin
    5.0 out of 5 stars Boisterous and Fun Historical Fiction
    Reviewed in the United States on June 19, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    The author has achieved a rare feat in 'Hannibal Fogg and the Supreme Secret of Man', he has created a history book of alternative futures directly alongside a narrative of historical fact. While this is the aim of any good historical fiction, the author has done so creatively and across not just a single time period but an entire timeline from ancient times to present. Using the AntiKythera Mechanism (found in the wreckage of a Trireme off the coast of the island Antikythera in 1902) - an ancient Grecian steampunk computer (perhaps) as a plot device to tie the protagonist's great-great-grandson (William Fogg) to a journey from one present/historical destination to the next to find pieces of an ancient machine that will break modern society with the truths it unveils. I can imagine in my mind's eye the partially transparent map overlay in the Indiana Jones movies where Indiana travels from New York to Cairo in a plane travelling the the red line between exotic locales - as William and his team jet set from Marrakesh to China to the Rub al Khali (Empty Quarter of Saudi Arabia) as well as many other exciting destinations. Each location is slowly revealed through a series of intricate riddles and clues hidden in time and space.

    With each new discovery the reader can share in the adventure as William uncovers each layer of the mystery. Written in rich descriptive text, the author plays easily between magical realism and historical fiction with ease, to the multi-storied benefit of the reader time and time again. Amply drenched in National Treasure-esque conspiracy theories, secret organizations, and shadowy government agencies the roller-coaster ride of a novel is boisterous and fun.

    Given the backdrop of this adventure, the 600+ page book was a speed read for me. This is the first of three books (I believe). I am eagerly awaiting the next installment!
    3 people found this helpful
    Helpful
     Report
  • RogerMCPS
    5.0 out of 5 stars A delightful romp.
    Reviewed in the United States on September 23, 2020
    Verified Purchase
    If you have liked Shah’s travel books I think you will enjoy the ways he has woven them into William’s adventures trying to figure out just what his great great grandfather Hannibal Fogg wants him to do, and how on earth Hannibal could have known so much about William’s life when nobody has seen him for almost 90 years.
    Helpful
     Report

Top reviews from other countries

Translate all reviews to English
  • Miland Joshi
    5.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining adventure story, not for younger children
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on July 5, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Shah's novel at over 600 pages may seem intimidatingly large, but in fact the font is pleasantly large, and very readable. Still on the physical side, the book is attractively designed and well bound - the spine didn't crack when I opened the book. All the pages of the main text have a monogram at the side near the edge of the book. This may be an anti-piracy device as well as a decoration.
    The story is complex and packed with interesting details, but still well-paced and hard to put down. It has shades of Indiana Jones, Robert Langdon and even Mission Impossible, but unlike adventures bound mainly to one or two countries, the action takes place in all the major regions of the world.
    There is a lot of emphasis on remarkable coincidences, the ability of a genius to foretell the future to an unbelievably accurate degree, and intuitions and hunches abound. Conflict, sometimes including violence is an important theme.
    The story mentions a major character's knowledge of Esperanto and even acquaintance with its creator Zamenhof. This would mean that the fictional linguist in question might for example have attended the first few World Congresses, though there's no mention of this.
    In the map on page 396, Cambodia is mislabelled Thailand, Thailand "Burma", and Myanmar Bangladesh. Perhaps the mistakes might be corrected in future editions.
    More explanations would have been helpful sometimes, such as why the baddies are called Magi and a mystifying reason involving bones and a mendicant on page 469 for a certain action - unless, perhaps this is intended to be provided in the future.
    Speaking of the future, the ending seems to point to a sequel, which should be very interesting since the story itself seems to hint at a dramatic, even apocalyptic ending.
    Highly recommended as an entertaining adventure story, but not for younger children.
    Report
  • Paul Gamache
    5.0 out of 5 stars Everyone should read this book.
    Reviewed in Canada on January 26, 2019
    Verified Purchase
    Hannibal Fogg and the Supreme Secret of Man is a wonder-full book! Especially so, for those who imagine that they have read it all, seen it all, and cannot be surprised. Adventure, intrigue, and pure magic await between the covers and keep the reader riveted until the last page. That the author, Tahir Shah, is a world traveler, whose astonishing real-life adventures rival those of his hero, only contributes to the spell-binding quality of the work. If you have not as yet obtained a copy, do so without delay. You are in for a rare treat.
    Report
  • Ornella
    5.0 out of 5 stars Una grande missione
    Reviewed in Italy on July 10, 2023
    Verified Purchase
    Will è un giovane studente che improvvisamente si ritrova erede del misterioso Hannibal Fogg, un esploratore ed eclettico scienziato e inventore dei primi del Novecento.
    Hannibal è il prozio di Will e ai suoi tempi ha goduto di grandissima fama, ma che ha subito una specie di damnatio memoriae a causa del suo progetto di voler recuperare quel dispositivo che garantì ad Alessandro Magno la sua pressoché completa invincibilità.
    La macchina di Alessandro sembra avere un grandissimo valore per l'umanità ma è stata privata di alcuni suoi componenti che dovranno essere rintracciati e riposizionati quando l'umanità stessa sarà pronta per beneficiare del dispositivo.
    I vari componenti sono stati opportunamente nascosti ... nelle religioni.
    A Will quindi è affidato il compito di ritrovare e riattivare la macchina di Alessandro. La missione comporterà grandi viaggi, grandi rischi e grandi sforzi.
    Il ragazzo, aiutato da tutti gli indizi e dalla tecnologia ante litteram lasciati dal prozio, affronterà rocambolesche avventure al limite del parossismo in cui anche i nemici si riveleranno indispensabili al compimento dell'ardua impresa.
    Davvero avvincente, questo romanzo ti tiene legato alla pagina fino all'ultima riga mescolando alti livelli di divertimento a interessanti considerazioni su vari argomenti.
    Molto godibile e istruttivo.
    Report
  • MK
    5.0 out of 5 stars Only just skimmed it...
    Reviewed in Canada on November 29, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    And it looks like the best T Shah has written yet. Multi-layered.
    Looking forward to savouring it slowly, like a connoisseur, then posting properly.
    Till then, be adventuresome; it's a book for adventurers... and see if you can resist devouring it.
    Report
  • P.W.
    5.0 out of 5 stars Wow!
    Reviewed in the United Kingdom on June 26, 2018
    Verified Purchase
    Hannibal Fogg, prodigious polymathic explorer, scientist, inventor and genius (and very quickly this reader’s personal friend) leaves ornately protected cryptic clues for his great-great-grandson William, so he may finish his forebear’s forcibly interrupted work. Though Hannibal is no longer alive in the conventional sense, through the clues he leaves the two men are effectively collaborating to find and activate ‘the supreme secret of man’. Indiana Jones may have had trouble enough looking for the lost Ark, but William Fogg, with unseen enemies at his heels, must use all his muscle, courage, intellect and lateral thinking to chase down seven such lost and arcane elements if he is to activate “the secret” .
    This is an adventure story like no other, played out through time and space, and with a truly wonderful ending, which (thank goodness) hints at more to come. But take your own time getting there, if you can resist the heady momentum of the story, because Shah’s own polymathic knowledge and personal experience of social, cultural and historical aspects of world cultures (also gloriously reflected in his other books) means that this brilliantly told tale, bursting as it is with humour, energy, action, danger, and joy in life, is drenched in the flavour and facets of many different periods, places and settings, all skilfully brought alive in rare detail in this wonderful story.
    One person found this helpful
     Report