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By: Apsley Cherry-Garrard (1886-1959)

Book cover Worst Journey in the World, Vol 1

The Worst Journey in the World is a memoir of the 1910–1913 British Antarctic Expedition led by Robert Falcon Scott. It was written and published in 1922 by a survivor of the expedition, Apsley Cherry-Garrard, and has earned wide praise for its frank treatment of the difficulties of the expedition, the causes of its disastrous outcome, and the meaning (if any) of human suffering under extreme conditions.

By: Hendrik van Loon (1882-1944)

Book cover Golden Book of the Dutch Navigators

This is a story of magnificent failures. The men who equipped the expeditions of which I shall tell you the story died in the poorhouse. The men who took part in these voyages sacrificed their lives as cheerfully as they lighted a new pipe or opened a fresh bottle. Some of them were drowned, and some of them died of thirst. A few were frozen to death, and many were killed by the heat of the scorching sun. But what of it? It was all in the day's work. These excellent fellows took whatever came, be it good or bad, or indifferent, with perfect grace, and kept on smiling...

By: Ida Laura Pfeiffer (1797-1858)

Book cover Woman's Journey Round the World

Ida Laura Pfeiffer was an Austrian traveler and travel book author, one of the first female explorers, whose popular books were translated into several languages. "The Woman's Journey Around the World, from Vienna to Brazil, Chili, Tahiti, China, Hindostan, Persia, and Asia Minor" is the travel diary of the first of her two trips "around the world", following her successful trips to the Holy Land and to Iceland.

By: Isabel Anderson (1876-1948)

Book cover Spell of the Hawaiian Islands and the Philippines

Isabel Anderson has written a most interesting travelogue of Hawaii and The Philippines. Actually it is more of a history lesson. Anyone with any interest whatsoever in the South Pacific will find this book very interesting indeed, to note all that has changed since Mrs. Anderson had traveled there.

By: Mabel Bent (c.1847-1929)

Book cover Southern Arabia

Southern Arabia recounts a threatening four-month journey into North Eastern Ethiopia by the Bents. These brave travelers were the first to travel without disguise in a region where Westerners had formerly been fortunate to escape with their lives.

By: Marco Polo (1254-1324)

Book cover Book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian, concerning the kingdoms and marvels of the East, volume 1

"Books of the Marvels of the World" or "Description of the World" (Divisament dou monde), also nicknamed "Il Milione" ("The Million") or "Oriente Poliano", but commonly called "The Travels of Marco Polo", is a 13th-century travelogue written down by Rustichello da Pisa from stories told by Marco Polo, describing the travels of the latter through Asia, Persia, China, and Indonesia between 1271 and 1291.It's been a very famous and popular book since the 14th century, creating the image of Marco Polo as the icon of the bold traveller...

Book cover Book of Ser Marco Polo, the Venetian, concerning the kingdoms and marvels of the East, volume 2

"Books of the Marvels of the World" or "Description of the World" (Divisament dou monde), also nicknamed "Il Milione" ("The Million") or "Oriente Poliano", but commonly called "The Travels of Marco Polo", is a 13th-century travelogue written down by Rustichello da Pisa from stories told by Marco Polo, describing the travels of the latter through Asia, Persia, China, and Indonesia between 1271 and 1291.It's been a very famous and popular book since the 14th century, creating the image of Marco Polo as the icon of the bold traveller...

By: Nellie Bly (1864-1922)

Book cover Six Months In Mexico

This is an account of Nellie Bly's travels through Mexico in 1885. The book was originally a series of individual articles that she submitted to the Pittsburgh Dispatch newspaper for publication. In them she described the conditions of the people and the political system she found in Mexico. Her narratives focused mostly on the impoverished and disadvantaged in a country whose government was extremely corrupt. Bly was perhaps what we now term a feminist, striving for the empowerment and independence of women...

By: Nessmuk (1821-1890)

Book cover Woodcraft

George Washington Sears, who many know better by his pen name "Nessmuk", was an outdoor writer during the last half of the 19th century, writing most often for the magazine "Field and Forest", the predecessor of today's "Field and Stream". "Woodcraft" is his book for "outers" with his tips on how to "smooth it" rather than rough it in the woods. Although some of his methods, equipment and mores may be out of date or objectionable to modern readers, his stories of true wilderness travel tinged with his subtle humor still have messages for those venturing out of doors...

By: Randolph B. Marcy (1812-1887)

Book cover Prairie Traveler

Commissioned by the US War Department and written in 1859 by a decorated US Army captain, The Prairie Traveler is a complete how-to travel guide for the westward-bound pioneer. Covering topics from first aid for rattlesnake bites to how to travel 70 miles across the desert without water for one's livestock, the guide includes 28 travel itineraries with mileage and firewood availability.

By: Roald Amundsen (1872-1928)

Book cover North West Passage -The Gjöa Expedition 1903-1907 (Volume I)

Roald Amundsen and six hearty seafarers tackle the North West Passage in search of the elusive wandering magnetic North Pole.

Book cover North West Passage -The Gjöa Expedition 1903-1907 (Volume II)

Volume II of Roald Amundsen's The Northwest Passage. Roald Amundsen and six hearty seafarers in the tiny sloop Gjöa are the first to make the complete passage across the top of the North American continent from the Atlantic to the Pacific. With a Supplement by First Lieutenant Godfred Hansen, Vice Commander of the expedition. - Summary by Steven Seitel

By: Thomas Wentworth Higginson (1823-1911)

Book cover Book of American Explorers

This book tells the story of exploration in America in the words of the explorers themselves. It consists of extracts from narratives of the early discoverers and explorers of the American continent from the Northmen in 10th century to 17th century Massachusets Bay Colony. - Summary by Kikisaulite

By: Various

Book cover National Geographic Magazine Vol. 03

National Geographic Magazine Volume 3, articles published in 1891 and 1892. South America: Annual Address by the President, Gardiner G. Hubbard Geography of the Land: Annual Report by Vice-President Herbert G. Ogden Geography of the Air: Annual Report by Vice-President A. W. Greely An Expedition to Mount St. Elias, Alaska Introduction. The Southern Coast of Alaska Part I. Previous Explorations in the St. Elias Region Part II. Narrative of the St. Elias Expedition of 1890 Part III. Sketch of the Geology of the St...

Book cover National Geographic Magazine Vol. 01 No. 3

National Geographic Magazine Volume 1 Number 3 published in 1889. Topics of articles are: The Rivers and Valleys of Pennsylvania Topographic Models International Literary Contest

Book cover National Geographic Magazine Vol. 02 No. 3-5

National Geographic Magazine Volume 2 Number 3: The Arctic Cruise of the U.S.S. Thetis in the Summer and Autumn of 1889. The Law of Storms, considered with special reference to the North Atlantic. The Irrigation Problem in Montana. National Geographic Magazine Volume 2 Number 4: Korea and the Koreans. The Ordnance Survey of Great Britain - its history and object. Geographic Nomenclature. National Geographic Magazine Volume 2 Number 5: Announcement. Summary of Reports on the Mt. St. Elias Expedition. By-Laws and Rules of the National Geographic Society.

Book cover National Geographic Magazine Vol. 04

The National Geographic Magazine Volume 4, articles published in 1892 and 1893. The Evolution of Commerce: Annual Address by the President, Gardiner G. Hubbard Studies of Muir Glacier, Alaska Geography of the Air: Annual Report by Vice-President General A. W. Greely The Mother Maps of the United States An Expedition through the Yukon District The North American Deserts The Alaskan Boundary Survey Collinson's Arctic Journey Notes: Topographic Survey of Canada Lieutenant Peary's Crossing of northern Greenland Geographic Prizes

Book cover American Far West: Seven Mid-Nineteenth Century Views From Abroad

Charles Dickens started and edited a magazine called All The Year Round, a weekly collection of articles on a wide variety of topics. An anonymous correspondent in 1868-69 sent in these seven articles about life in the far West of the United States.

Book cover National Geographic Magazine Vol. 06

National Geographic Magazine Volume 6, articles published from January, 1894, to May, 1895. Geographic Progress of Civilization - Annual Address by the President Honorable Gardiner G. Hubbard Shawangunk Mountain, by N. H. Darton Weather Making, Ancient and Modern, by Mark W. Harrington Geomorphology of the Southern Appalachians, by Charles Willard Hayes and Marius R. Campbell The Battle of the Forest, by B. E. Fernow Surveys and Maps of the District of Columbia, by Marcus Baker The first Landfall of Columbus, by Jacques W...

Book cover Travels in Lancashire

A collection of fiction, non-fiction and poetry on travels in Lancashire, England, with occasional sorties into adjacent counties.

Book cover National Geographic Magazine Vol. 02 No. 1-2

National Geographic Magazine Volume 2 Number 1 April 1890.: On the Telegraphic Determinations of Longitude by the Bureau of Navigation Report: Geography of the Land Report: Geography of the Air National Geographic Magazine Volume 2 Number 2 May 1890.: The Rivers of Northern New Jersey, with notes on the classification of rivers in general. A Critical Review of Bering's First Expedition, 1725-30, together with a translation of his original Report upon it. Supplementary note on the alleged observation of a Lunar Eclipse by Bering in 1728-9.

Book cover Early explorations in New South Wales: A collection

In the early days of the penal colony at Sydney, rumour was rife among the convicts of another colony beyond the Blue Mountains and perhaps a route to China. In the hope of quelling the rumours, Governor John Hunter put together a bizarre exploration party, charged to travel as far into the interior as it could. The party consisted of four convicts, two guides and four soldiers to protect the guides from the convicts. The leader of the party was John Wilson, an ex-convict who had elected to live in the bush among the Aborigines, who had named him Bunboee...

Book cover National Geographic Magazine Vol. 05

National Geographic Magazine Volume 5, articles published in 1893. Contents: Discoverers of America: Annual Address by the President, Gardiner G. Hubbard The Movements of our Population Rainfall Types of the United States: Annual Report by Vice-President General A. W. Greely The Natural Bridge of Virginia The geographical Position and Height of Mount Saint Elias The Improvement of Geographical Teaching An undiscovered Island off the northern Coast of Alaska The Geologist at Blue Mountain, Maryland The...

Book cover Yellowstone National Park: Six Early Pieces

Lost in the wilderness of The Yellowstone for over a month, nearly dying of starvation and wild animal attack, despairing of ever finding his way out. Here are six relatively unknown early pieces about the U.S.A.’s first national park. The first is a U.S. Geological booklet about initial exploration and Congress’s institution of the park. The next two are articles from Scribner’s Monthly, 1871, a very popular magazine of the time, describing the park’s features (vol 2 #1 pp 1-17 and vol 2 #2 pp 113-128) ...

Book cover National Geographic Magazine Vol. 07 - January 1896

The National Geographic Magazine, an illustrated monthly, the January Number. It includes the Introductory by the editor, John Hyde, and the following articles: Russia in Europe, an annual address by Hon. Gardiner G. Hubbard The Arctic Cruise of the U.S. Revenue Cutter "Bear", by Sheldon Jackson The Scope and Value of Arctic Explorations, by Gen. A. W. Greelyalong with an obituary, geographic literature, executive reports, and North American notes.

By: Adolphus W. Greely (1844-1935)

Book cover True Tales of Arctic Heroism in the New World

The Arctic has always been a fascinating area for us. This is true today just as much as in Adolphus Greely's time. In 1912, Greely published this volume of notable Arctic explorations and the explorers. The modern reader can follow a very readable account of the successes and failures of these early explorers comfortably from the armchair, and learn a lot of history in the processes. - Summary by Carolin

By: Agnes Edwards (1888-1954)

Book cover Old Coast Road From Boston to Plymouth

A delightful trip from Boston through a dozen South Shore towns to Plymouth, stopping in each to explore a bit of the local history and 'modern' highlights. Written in 1920, it's a great journey through the past.

By: Agnes von Blomberg Bensly

Our Journey to Sinai by Agnes von Blomberg Bensly Our Journey to Sinai

Fortress-walled Saint Catherine's monastery on the Sinai peninsula has been a pilgrimage site since its founding by the Byzantine Emperor Justinian in the 6th century. According to tradition, the monastery sits at the base of the mountain where Moses received the Tablets of the Law. Set in rugged country, accessible in times past only by a many days journey by camel across barren desert, the monastery survived intact through the centuries, and, as a result, became a rich repository of religious history—told through its icons, mosaics, and the books and manuscripts in the monastery library...

By: Alexander Kinglake

Eothen, or Impressions of Travel brought Home from the East by Alexander Kinglake Eothen, or Impressions of Travel brought Home from the East

A classic of Victorian travel writing, Kinglake’s book describes his journey through the Ottoman empire to Cairo, and his residence there in time of plague.

By: Alice Bacon (1858-1918)

Japanese Girls and Women by Alice Bacon Japanese Girls and Women

A clear and delightful peek into the world of Japanese girls and women of the late 1800s: their childhood, education, marriage and intimate family life. And it is done by someone who admires the immense resources, abilities and strength shown by all of these girls and women. The intricate customs that bind the society together and must be learned by every girl, such as the annual Doll ceremony are explained as well as the difficult life of a Japanese wife of this period. Life among the nobles and upper class in the courts and castles, something long hidden away, is explored...

By: Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca (ca. 1490/1507 - ca.1557/1579)

The Journey of Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca by Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca The Journey of Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca

Few stories of shipwreck and survival can equal that of the 16th century Spaniard Alvar Núñez Cabeza de Vaca who, cast ashore near present day (USA) Tampa Bay, Florida, in 1528, survived eight years of hand-to-mouth existence among the Indians of the South and Southwest, and who walked on foot across the plains to the Pacific Coast, arriving in Mexico in 1536. In 1542 he published an account of his adventures, and the present reading is based on Fanny Bandelier’s English translation of that text...

By: Amelia B. Edwards (1831-1892)

A Thousand Miles up the Nile by Amelia B. Edwards A Thousand Miles up the Nile

Known as the Godmother of Egyptology, Amelia Ann Blanford Edwards traveled through Egypt at a time when archeology was in its infancy in that country and literally anyone with a spade or trowel could go exploring through the magnificent, untouched ruins. She was one of a group of amazing Victorian women who ignored the repressive 19th century attitudes toward female scientists and defied society to follow their passion for history. A Thousand Miles up the Nile was first published in 1877. The title refers to the approximate distance from Alexandria to the Second Cataract of the Nile river, a journey that the author undertook over the course of a year in Egypt...

By: Amy Wilson Carmichael (1867-1951)

Book cover From Sunrise Land

One of the most renowned of all Protestant Christian missionaries, Amy Carmichael is remembered most for the fifty-five years she spent doing evangelistic and philanthropic work in India. She began her missions career, however, with fifteen months in Japan before falling ill, returning to Ireland, and then returning to Asia with her focus on India. This collection of letters is a record of that time in Japan, and is fascinating not only for its biographical interest but also for its insights into...

By: Andre Norton (1912-2005)

The Time Traders by Andre Norton The Time Traders

If it is possible to conquer space, then perhaps it is also possible to conquer time. At least that was the theory American scientists were exploring in an effort to explain the new sources of knowledge the Russians possessed. Perhaps Russian scientists had discovered how to transport themselves back in time in order to learn long-forgotten secrets of the past. That was why young Ross Murdock, above average in intelligence but a belligerently independent nonconformist, found himself on a “hush-hush” government project at a secret base in the Arctic...

Key Out of Time by Andre Norton Key Out of Time

This is Book 4 in the Time Traders Series, In this book Ross Murdock and Arthur Ashe continue their adventures in Time and Space on the World of Hawaika. Hawaiian and Polynesian settlers help Ross and Ashe discover the way the world has changed from the data tape to present time. Helped by a girl (Karara) and her two trained dolphins (Tino-rau and Taua)

The Defiant Agents by Andre Norton The Defiant Agents

Travis Fox and a band of fellow Apache AmerIndians have their racial memories and survival abilities enhanced by the Redax machine and are sent to the planet Topaz, one of the few worlds of the ancient star empire that the US has voyage tapes to. But the Reds have “snooped” the tapes and get there first, and have a nasty surprise waiting for any ship that does not have the proper identification. Travis and some of his fellow Apaches survive the ensuing crash landing…but can they defeat the Reds and win Topaz for themselves? This work is a sequel to both The Time Traders and Galactic Derelict...

By: Anna Harriette Leonowens

The English Governess at the Siamese Court by Anna Harriette Leonowens The English Governess at the Siamese Court

1862 Anna Leonowens accepted an offer made by the Siamese consul in Singapore, Tan Kim Ching, to teach the wives and children of Mongkut, king of Siam. The king wished to give his 39 wives and concubines and 82 children a modern Western education on scientific secular lines, which earlier missionaries’ wives had not provided. Leonowens sent her daughter Avis to school in England, and took her son Louis with her to Bangkok. She succeeded Dan Beach Bradley, an American missionary, as teacher to the Siamese court...

By: Archibald Geikie (1835-1924)

Book cover Scottish Reminiscences

Archibald Geikie was a geologist in Scotland by profession, and a writer. While most of his writings were professional, this is a more personal book telling some of the history of Scotland, Archibald's memories, experiences and recollections there as well as stories he was told by people he met. He has a good sense of humour which shines through. - Summary by Jmbau13

By: Arthur Griffiths (1838-1908)

The Rome Express by Arthur Griffiths The Rome Express

The passengers in the sleeping car of the Rome Express were just woken and informed that they will reach Paris soon, and a general bustle fills the train. Only one passenger cannot be awoken by the porter, no matter how loudly he knocks on the compartment door. At last, when the door is forced open, the occupant of the compartment is found dead - stabbed to the heart! The murderer must be found among the passengers...

By: Arthur Henry Patterson (1857-1935)

Book cover Wild Life on a Norfolk Estuary

Published in 1907 by Arthur Henry Patterson, a self-taught local naturalist, Wild Life on a Norfolk Estuary was one of his defining books on the seasonal nature and natural history of the Norfolk Broads. The book is presented in two sections - The first part documents life on and around Breydon Water and the Broads throughout each season of the year, whilst the second part is a continuation of a previous AHP book – Notes of an East Coast Naturalist. AHP’s approachability, enthusiasm and extensive knowledge of the natural history of the Broads region would allow him to develop regular contacts with a wide range of fellow naturalists...

Book cover Man and Nature on the Broads

From its man-made origins as a consequence of medieval peat excavations, the Broads of Norfolk and Suffolk have evolved into a natural ecosystem, providing habitat for a diverse range of flora and fauna , as well as a means of livelihood for the inhabitants of this region. In the company of the book’s author, a self-taught lifelong naturalist and undisputed expert of the Broads , we discover how the life of the Broads unfolds over the course of a single year. So, why not listen in, and join us...

Book cover Through Broadland in a Breydon Punt

Arthur Henry Patterson was a self-taught naturalist who, from a very early age, devoted much of his free time to observing, discovering and documenting all aspects of the natural history of the Norfolk Broads, especially the area around Breydon Water near his home town of Great Yarmouth. At some 75000 acres , the Broads are the largest protected wetland in Britain. AHP was the author of many books about Broadland as well as submitting numerous papers and articles to nature societies and journals...

Book cover Notes of An East Coast Naturalist

Arthur Henry Patterson was a self-taught naturalist with an immeasurable knowledge and perspicacity of the Broadland region’s flora and fauna – especially the area around Great Yarmouth and Breydon Water. He was the author of many books about Broadland and was a regular and popular contributor to the local county newspaper. From an early age, he developed an affinity with the natural history of the Broads and kept extensive daily notes on the area’s wildlife – which ultimately led him to collate and distil the observations that he had recorded over 25 years into this book...

By: Arthur Poyser

Book cover Tower Of London

Description. History. “… those who read this book and have no opportunity of visiting the Tower expect that the characters in the moving drama of its history shall have some semblance of life as they walk across the stage…. My wish has been to persuade those who come to visit the Tower that there is a great deal to be seen in its immediate vicinity… A noble and historic building like the Tower resembles a venerable tree whose roots have spread into the soil in all directions, during the uncounted years of its existence, far beyond the position of its stem.” - Summary by Book Preface and David Wales

By: Arthur Young (1741-1820)

Book cover Travels in France During the Years 1787, 1788, 1789

Arthur Young, an English agriculturist, set out to write a travelogue on the state of agriculture in France and found himself in the midst of the French Revolution. His report on life in the capital and in the countryside in the years 1787, 1788, and 1789, replete with droll traveler's mishaps, becomes an eyewitness account of a society on the brink of catastrophe. From the court scene at Versailles to backroads villages comes this astonishing record of unfolding events, conspiracy theories about the queen, jubilation, and mass hysteria.

By: August F. Jaccaci

On the Trail of Don Quixote, Being a Record of Rambles in the Ancient Province of La Mancha by August F. Jaccaci On the Trail of Don Quixote, Being a Record of Rambles in the Ancient Province of La Mancha

On the Trail of Don Quixote is an engaging 1890’s “record of rambles in the Ancient Province of La Mancha” by two artist friends, French author August Jaccaci and Spanish illustrator Daniel Vierge. “Both lovers of the book wherein are recounted the adventures of the good Knight and of his faithful Squire,” as Jaccaci explains, the two men set out to record -Jaccaci in evocative prose, and Vierge in pen and ink drawings - their exploration of the landmarks of Cervantes’ “immortal romance...

By: Ayn Rand (1905-1982)

Anthem by Ayn Rand Anthem

The title 'Anthem' is derived as an anthem to sense of self and self-governing thoughts. Anthem is a story of Equality 7-2521 who is a young man living in some unspecified future time and place. In this future era freedom and individual rights have been eradicated. The starring character of the novel is an inquisitive street cleaner. He lives in a society where people have lost their knowledge of individualism, to the extreme that people do not know words like 'I' or 'mine'. All the people live and work for their livelihood in collective groups, along with the people with power, namely the 'Councils'...

By: Beth Ellis (1874-1913)

Book cover English Girl's First Impressions of Burmah

An English Girl's First Impressions of Burmah, by Beth Ellis, is a well-edited, turn-of-the-century journal documenting a young woman’s visit to Burma. The account documents her ocean voyage to Rangoon, and her stay in a small, jungle-embedded, European community in Remyo. The author, who travelled to Asia alone to visit her brother, is quick to laugh at her own exaggerated fears. She gives us a glimpse into the less-than-glamorous lives to Myanmar’s British occupiers. The book was published in 1899, just thirteen years after the conclusion of the third Anglo-Burmese war, when Britain took formal control of Myanmar and made it a province of India.

By: C. L. Freeston (1865-1942)

Book cover Cycling in the Alps

A guide to cycling in the European Alps in the days before surfaced roads and automobile tourism. As the author explains, the spectacular views are well worth the effort of pushing your bicycle up the passes and perfectly safe as long as your cycle is equipped with brakes.

By: Candido Mariano da Silva Rondon (1865-1958)

Book cover Roosevelt-Rondon Scientific-Expedition and the Telegraph Line Commission

The Roosevelt–Rondon Scientific Expedition was the famous survey that took place in 1913-14 to follow the path of the Rio da Dúvida in the Amazon basin. The expedition was jointly led by Theodore Roosevelt, the former President of the United States, and Colonel Cândido Rondon, the Brazilian military engineer known for his explorations of the Western Amazon Basin and his lifelong support of Brazilian indigenous populations. Almost from the start, the expedition was fraught with problems: diseases...

By: Carl Lumholtz

Unknown Mexico by Carl Lumholtz Unknown Mexico

Unknown MexicoA Record of Five Years' Exploration Among the Tribes of the Western Sierra Madre; In the Tierra Caliente of Tepic and Jalisco; and Among the Tarascos of Michoacan By Carl Lumholtz, M.A. PREFACE In the course of my travels in Australia, and especially after my arrival at Upper Herbert River in Northern Queensland, I soon perceived that it would be impracticable for me to hunt for zoological specimens without first securing the assistance of the natives of the country. Thus it came about...

By: Carl Parcher Russell (1894-1967)

Book cover One Hundred Years In Yosemite: The Story Of A Great Park And Its Friends

This recording of the 1931 book about Yosemite National Park comprises the narrative text about the Park from its discovery by non-natives in the Indian War of 1851 to the mid-twentieth century. The printed book contains dozens of early photographs and drawings, as well as an extensive timeline and bibliography, which are not here recorded. The author was an ecologist, historian, and administrator. He was an officer of the U.S. National Park Service for thirty four years, serving as the Chief Naturalist of Yosemite from 1923-1929 and later as Park Superintendent. - Summary by David Wales

By: Charles A. Higgins

Book cover Titan Of Chasms: The Grand Canyon Of Arizona

This is a 1906 collection of three essays by men famously associated with The Grand Canyon: Charles A. Higgins, John Wesley Powell, and Charles F. Lummis. - Summary by david wales

By: Charles Darwin (1809-1882)

The Voyage of the Beagle by Charles Darwin The Voyage of the Beagle

The book, also known as Darwin’s Journal of Researches, is a vivid and exciting travel memoir as well as a detailed scientific field journal covering biology, geology, and anthropology that demonstrates Darwin’s keen powers of observation, written at a time when Western Europeans were still discovering and exploring much of the rest of the world. Although Darwin revisited some areas during the expedition, for clarity the chapters of the book are ordered by reference to places and locations rather than chronologically. With hindsight, ideas which Darwin would later develop into his theory of evolution by natural selection are hinted at in his notes and in the book .

By: Charles Dickens (1812-1870)

American Notes for General Circulation by Charles Dickens American Notes for General Circulation

American Notes for General Circulation is a travelogue by Charles Dickens detailing his trip to North America from January to June, 1842. While there he acted as a critical observer of these societies almost as if returning a status report on their progress. This can be compared to the style of his Pictures from Italy written four years later, where he wrote far more like a tourist. His American journey was also an inspiration for his novel Martin Chuzzlewit.

Book cover Pictures from Italy

e: Dickens takes time off his novels to give an account of travels which he and his family undertook in France and Italy. There are vivid descriptions of the places, but also of the people and their lives.

By: Charles Francis Saunders (1859-1941)

Book cover Under The Sky In California

This is a 1913 travelogue by a then-well-known botanist who wrote many books about the American Southwest and California in particular. This popular book went into three printings. “…the main concern of the author has been to draw attention to an immensity of almost unexplored mountain, desert, canon and flowery plain,… This is the real California…. Like all genuine things, it has the compelling charm of the primitive and to the lover of the unartificial it appeals with freshness and power.”

By: Charles Granville Bruce (1966-1939)

Book cover Assault on Mount Everest, 1922

Personal narratives of climbing Mount Everest in 1922-1923. The expeditions did not reach the summit. The northern approach to the mountain was discovered by George Mallory and Guy Bullock on the initial 1921 British Reconnaissance Expedition. It was an exploratory expedition not equipped for a serious attempt to climb the mountain. With Mallory leading they climbed the North Col to an altitude of 7,005 metres . From there, Mallory espied a route to the top, but the party was unprepared for the great task of climbing any further and descended...

By: Charles Norris Williamson (1859-1920)

It Happened In Egypt by Charles Norris Williamson It Happened In Egypt

Lord Ernest Borrow and Captain Anthony Fenton think they know a secret – a secret that could make them both rich. En route, they are sidetracked by Sir Marcus Antonius Lark, a woman who thinks she’s Cleopatra reincarnate, a Gilded Rose of an American Heiress, and Mrs. Jones, a mysterious Irish woman with a past. Will they find the secret? Or will the trip up the Nile on the Enchantress Isis net them another discovery altogether?

The Golden Silence by Charles Norris Williamson The Golden Silence

Trying to get away from an engagement he had got himself into more or less against his will, Stephen Knight travels to Algiers to visit his old friend Nevill. On the Journey there he meets the charming and beautiful Victoria. She is on her way to Algiers to search for her sister, who had disappeared years ago after marrying an Arab nobleman. With the support of his friend, Stephen Knight decides to help the girl - but when she also disappears, the adventure begins...

By: Charles Warren Stoddard (1843-1909)

Book cover South-Sea Idyls

The American Charles Warren Stoddard wrote quite popular travel books, especially those about Polynesia. South-Sea Idyls was his most popular book. A series of letters to a friend, "They are," wrote William Dean Howells, "the lightest, sweetest, wildest, freshest things that were ever written about the life of that summer ocean." Stoddard also wrote The Lepers Of Molokai , a book that brought Father Damien and his charges to public notice. - Summary by David Wales

By: Charlie Chaplin (1889-1977)

Book cover My Trip Abroad

"A steak and kidney pie, influenza and a cablegram. There is the triple alliance that is responsible for the whole thing." So begins Charlie Chaplin's My Trip Abroad, a travel memoir charting the actor-director's semi-spontaneous visit to Europe. Fresh off the success of 1921's The Kid, Chaplin decides to "play hookey" after his seven year stay in Hollywood. He return to his native Europe as an international superstar, beloved by fans and hounded by reporters. The "triple alliance" of the book's opening line sends Chaplin on an whirlwind tour through Great Britain, Germany, and France -- and the results are both funny and insightful...

By: Charlotte Evans (1841-1882)

Book cover Over the Hills and Far Away: A Story of New Zealand

One of the very first New Zealand novels, Over the Hills and Far Away is a heavily romanticised tale of a woman's journey from England to Otago, New Zealand, and her subsequent experiences in the wild new colony. - Summary by Lewis Fletcher

By: Charlotte M. Yonge (1823-1901)

Little Lucy's Wonderful Globe by Charlotte M. Yonge Little Lucy's Wonderful Globe

Travel with Little Lucy around the globe and learn a little geography and small bits about other cultures.

By: Clifford Simak (1904-1988)

Project Mastodon by Clifford Simak Project Mastodon

Clifford Simak deals with the implications of time travel in his own unique way in this story. What if a group of guys did it on their own, without any help from government or industry? On a shoestring,so to speak? Would anyone believe them? What would you do if you could go back 150,000 years to a time when mastodons and saber toothed tigers roamed North America? And what happens when they run out of money? All these questions are explored in the usual humorous, wry Simak way in this story.

By: Dame Shirley (d.1906)

The Shirley Letters from California Mines in 1851-52 by Dame Shirley The Shirley Letters from California Mines in 1851-52

Louise Amelia Knapp Smith Clappe moved to California from Massachusetts during the Gold Rush of the mid-1800’s. During her travels, Louise was offered the opportunity to write for The Herald about her travel adventures. It was at this point that Louise chose the name “Shirley” as her pen name. Dame Shirley wrote a series of 23 letters to her sister Mary Jane (also known as Molly) in Massachusetts in 1851 and 1852. The “Shirley Letters”, as the collected whole later became known, gave true accounts of life in two gold mining camps on the Feather River in the 1850s...

By: Daniel Defoe

The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe by Daniel Defoe The Further Adventures of Robinson Crusoe

“THE FARTHER ADVENTURES OF ROBINSON CRUSOE; Being the Second and Last Part OF HIS LIFE, And of the Strange Surprizing Accounts of his Travels Round three Parts of the Globe.” After the death of his wife, Robinson Crusoe is overcome by the old wanderlust, and sets out with his faithful companion Friday to see his island once again. Thus begins a journey which will last ten years and nine months, in which Crusoe travels over the world, along the way facing dangers and discoveries in Madagascar, China, and Siberia.

By: Dillon Wallace (1863-1939)

The Lure of the Labrador Wild by Dillon Wallace The Lure of the Labrador Wild

The Lure Of The Labrador Wild is a account of a expedition by Leonidas Hubbard, an adventurer and journalist to canoe the system Naskaupi River - Lake Michikamau in Labrador and George River in Quebec. His companions on this journey were his friend, New York lawyer Dillon Wallace and an Indian guide from Missannabie, George Elson. From the start, the expedition was beset with mistakes and problems. Instead of ascending the Naskaupi River, by mistake they followed the shallow Susan Brook. After hard long portaging and almost reaching Lake Michikamau, with food supplies running out, on September 15 at Windbound lake, they decided to turn back...

By: Dorothy Richardson (1873-1957)

Pointed Roofs by Dorothy Richardson Pointed Roofs

Miriam Henderson is one of what novelist Dolf Wyllarde (in her great work, The Pathway of the Pioneer) termed "nous autres," i.e., young gentlewomen who must venture forth and earn their living after their fathers have been financially ruined. Also, she has read Villette; she thus applies for and is offered a job teaching conversational English at a girls' school, albeit in Germany rather than France. Pointed Roofs describes her year abroad, as she endeavors to make her way in the hotbed of seething female personalities that populate the school, overseen by her employer, the formidable Fraulein...

By: Douglas Grant (aka Isabel Ostrander) (1883-1924)

Book cover Anything once

An unlikely pair of wanderers they were; the orphan girl Lou and her travelling partner Jim Botts. Jim appeared in need of following some apparent 'rules' during the journey, while Lou seemed in need of better clothing, and perhaps some refinement. But who was most benefitting whom on the week-long journey from rural village to big city? And which of the two was willing to try anything once? (Introduction by Roger Melin)

By: Edmund Plauchut (1824-1909)

Book cover China and the Chinese

Edmund Plauchut spent many years in China and gives an account of his observations of the places, people, and culture as he experienced them through the eyes of a European near the beginning of the 20th century.

By: Edna Brush Perkins (1880-1930)

The White Heart of Mojave by Edna Brush Perkins The White Heart of Mojave

"The White Heart of the Mojave" recounts a 1920's adventure "in the wind and sun and big spaces" of Death Valley by two independent minded women, Edna Brush Perkins and Charlotte Hannahs Jordan. Both women were early feminists, Edna as chairwoman of the greater Cleveland Woman's Suffrage Party (1916-18). At the end of the Great War, the two friends wanted nothing more than to escape "to the solitariness of some wild and lonely place far from city halls, smokestacks, national organizations, and streets of little houses all alike...

By: Edna Ferber (1885-1968)

Emma McChesney and Company by Edna Ferber Emma McChesney and Company

This is the final volume in the trilogy following the smart, stylish, divorced and independent businesswoman Emma McChesney in her career from stenographer, then drummer (traveling salesman) to owner of her own company. (The first was Roast Beef, Medium and the second Personality Plus). Edna Ferber first gained success with these stories and later went on to write Show Boat, Giant and other well known books. First published in 1915, Emma's son, Jock, has moved to Chicago with his new wife. Emma decides to sell in South America and proves she has not lost her magic touch...

By: Edward Bellamy (1850-1898)

Looking Backward: 2000-1887 by Edward Bellamy Looking Backward: 2000-1887

Looking Backward: 2000-1887 is a utopian novel by Edward Bellamy, first published in 1888. It was the third largest bestseller of its time, after Uncle Tom’s Cabin and Ben-Hur: A Tale of the Christ.The book tells the story of Julian West, a young American who, towards the end of the 19th century, falls into a deep, hypnosis-induced sleep and wakes up more than a century later. He finds himself in the same location (Boston, Massachusetts) but in a totally changed world: It is the year 2000 and, while he was sleeping, the U...

By: Edward Frederick Knight (1852-1925)

Book cover Cruise of the Falcon - A Voyage to South America in a 30-Ton Yacht

In this fine sailing and exploring yarn, Edward Frederick Knight , sometime English barrister, journalist, sportsman, and amateur seaman, conspires over a fish dinner in Harwich to buy and refit the tiny yacht Falcon, recruit a crew of four , and sail across the Atlantic Ocean to South America. This they do, despite naysayers who advised painting the yacht's name conspicuously on her keel to aid identification when found floating upside down in some foreign sea. The book provides detailed descriptions...

Book cover "Falcon" on the Baltic

A coasting voyage boyage in a small yacht from Hammersmith in the UK to Copenhagen and back, including various visits to places on the Baltic. - Summary by Jane Bennett

Book cover Cruise of the Alerte - In Search of Treasure

The book describes a voyage undertaken in 1889 by an English barrister Edward Frederick Knight to the South Seas. This delightful story takes the reader on a voyage to the forbidding desert island of Trindade, where it is rumored that immense treasure lies buried. Though the heroes of this treasure-hunt do not have to contend with malicious people, they have their share of adventures. Almost inaccessible desert island, changing weather, hideous land crabs and heavy digging in the mud are enough challenges for the brave adventurers.

By: Edward Granville Browne

A year amongst the Persians; impressions as to the life, character, and thought by Edward Granville Browne A year amongst the Persians; impressions as to the life, character, and thought

Edward Granville Browne (1862 – 1926), born in Stouts Hill, Uley, Gloucestershire, England, was a British orientalist who published numerous articles and books of academic value, mainly in the areas of history and literature. His works are respected for their scholarship, uniqueness, and style. He published in areas which few other Western scholars had explored to any sufficient degree. He used a language and style that showed high respect for everybody, even toward those he personally did not view in positive light...

By: Edward Lawton Moss (1843-1880)

Book cover Shores of the Polar Sea: A Narrative of the Arctic Expedition of 1875-6

"THE ARCTIC EXPEDITION of 1875 left England on 29th May, crossed the Atlantic to Davis Straits in a succession of storms, and entered the Arctic regions on 4th July. It sailed with orders to 'attain the highest northern latitude, and, if possible, reach the Pole.'" This is the story of the crew of the HMS Alert, on its voyage of exploration up the Baffin Sea and toward northern Greenland. volunteers wish to thank the volunteers of Distributed Proofreaders for their work over the last 20 years to convert public domain books into e-books. "Shores of the Polar Sea" was DP's 35,000th title. Congratulations and Happy 20th Anniversary Distributed Proofreaders! .

By: Edward V. Lucas (1868-1938)

Highways and Byways in Sussex by Edward V. Lucas Highways and Byways in Sussex

A very personal and opinionated wander through the Sussex of around 1900, illustrated with anecdotes, literary and poetic quotations, gravestone epitaphs and a gentle sense of humour. The author colours the countryside with his nostalgia for times past and regret for the encroaching future, his resentment of churches with locked doors, and his love of deer parks, ruined castles and the silent hills.(I must add my apologies for my attempts at the Sussex dialect in the chapter on that subject.)[This book is of Reading Grade of 9...

By: Edward Whymper (1840-1911)

Scrambles Amongst the Alps in the Years 1860-69 by Edward Whymper Scrambles Amongst the Alps in the Years 1860-69

Scrambles Amongst the Alps is one the great classics (some would say the greatest) of early mountaineering literature, and Edward Whymper (1840-1911) one of the leading figures of the early years of Alpine climbing. He is best known, of course, for his many attempts on the Matterhorn, and for the loss of four members of his climbing party after the successful first ascent of the peak in July, 1865. Although the Matterhorn stands in ways in the center of his book, there are descriptions of many other ascents as well, in the Alps of France and Italy, as well as those of Switzerland...

By: Eleanor Hallowell Abbott (1872-1958)

The Indiscreet Letter by Eleanor Hallowell Abbott The Indiscreet Letter

Three fellow travelers on a train enter into a discussion concerning what they would call an ‘indiscreet letter.’ The discussion albeit short, produces some rather interesting revelations during the journey and at journey’s end.

By: Elizabeth Bisland (1861-1929)

Book cover In Seven Stages: A Flying Trip Around the World by Elizabeth Bisland

In November 1889, the New York World announced that it was sending its reporter Nellie Bly around the world, in a bid to beat Phileas Fogg's fictitious 80-day journey in Jules Verne's novel Around the World in Eighty Days. Catching wind of this publicity stunt, John Brisben Walker, who had just purchased the three-year-old and still-fledging Cosmopolitan, decided to dispatch Bisland on her own journey.] Six hours after being recruited, Bisland departed westward from New York. Meanwhile, Bly left on a steamer headed to Europe, both on the same day—November 14, 1889...

By: Elizabeth Davis Bancroft (1803-1886)

Letters from England, 1846-1849 by Elizabeth Davis Bancroft Letters from England, 1846-1849

Elizabeth Bancroft went to England with her husband, historian George Bancroft, for three of the most dynamicy years in European hstory. As Ambassador to England from the United States, George moved in the highest circles. In his wife’s letters to their sons, her uncle, her brother, and Mrs. Polk (the President’s wife), we see glimpses not only of early Victorian English life, but also of Queen Victoria herself! Mrs. Bancroft speaks of dinners with Benjamin Disraeli, visits to Wordsworth, weekends in the country with Louis Napolean and Sir Robert Peel with such matter of fact aplomb that one cannot help being impressed.

By: Elizabeth von Arnim (1866-1941)

Elizabeth and her German Garden by Elizabeth von Arnim Elizabeth and her German Garden

Elizabeth and Her German Garden is a novel by Elizabeth von Arnim, first published in 1898; it was very popular and frequently reprinted during the early years of the 20th century. The story is a year's diary written by the protagonist Elizabeth about her experiences learning gardening and interacting with her friends. It includes commentary on the beauty of nature and on society, but is primarily humorous due to Elizabeth's frequent mistakes and her idiosyncratic outlook on life. She looked down upon the frivolous fashions of her time writing "I believe all needlework and dressmaking is of the devil, designed to keep women from study...

By: Elizabeth W. Grierson (1869-1943)

Book cover Things Seen in Florence

One of the largest and wealthiest cities of medieval Europe, the home of Dante and Giotto has long been a magnet for lovers of art, architecture and history. In this short guide, Elizabeth Wilson Grierson shares her passion for the city, taking the visitor on an informative tour of its major sights as well as some of its hidden corners. - Summary by Phil Benson

Book cover Tales Of English Minsters: Canterbury Cathedral Kent and Saint Paul's London

These simple stories of two of England’s greatest cathedrals were originally written for youth but adults will also enjoy them. St. Paul’s Cathedral, London, and Canterbury Cathedral in Kent County are central to the story of England, especially church history though not exclusively so. Here are stories of great spiritual leaders, saints, sinners, politicians, kings, soldiers, murders, pilgrimages, common folks, peoples’ spiritualities, spiritual life, civil life. - Summary by david wales

By: Ellen Clacy

A Lady's Visit to the Gold Diggings of Australia in 1852-53, by Ellen Clacy A Lady's Visit to the Gold Diggings of Australia in 1852-53,

“If you have visions of a middle-aged parasol-bearing lady smiling sweetly from her carriage as she tours Bendigo think again. In 1852, 20 year old clergyman’s daughter Ellen and her brother boarded ship for Melbourne then set off to walk to Bendigo. Dressed in her blue serge skirt which doubled as nightwear, she camped under a tent made of blankets, had mutton, damper and tea most meals and on arrival lent her hand to gold washing. And seemed to enjoy it !And amongst other things she tells of colonial life , transportation, emigration and other gold-fields.But you will need to listen to hear more about bush-rangers and orphans as well as what she did with her parasol.”

By: Elmer Erwin Thomas (1860-1923)

Book cover In the North Woods of Maine

Two fifteen-year-old boys---the younger of whom may have been fourteen---decide to hunt and trap away from home in the north woods of Maine. A true recounting of their adventures can be found here, though the years that passed before the tale was written down may have added a slight bit of exaggeration. Then again, they set out in the winter of 1875 and all that's written could very well be the complete and honest truth! The listener may wish to listen first to Section 18 of this recording---Notes on Maine Animals---as familiarity with these will enhance an understanding of the memoir.

By: Enos A. Mills (1870-1922)

Wild Life on the Rockies by Enos A. Mills Wild Life on the Rockies

“This book contains the record of a few of the many happy days and novel experiences which I have had in the wilds. For more than twenty years it has been my good fortune to live most of the time with nature, on the mountains of the West. I have made scores of long exploring rambles over the mountains in every season of the year, a nature-lover charmed with the birds and the trees. On my later excursions I have gone alone and without firearms. During three succeeding winters, in which I was a Government Experiment Officer and called the “State Snow Observer,” I scaled many of the higher peaks of the Rockies and made many studies on the upper slopes of these mountains.”

By: Ernest Ingersoll (1852-1946)

Book cover Book of the Ocean

The Book of the Ocean is precisely what its title promises. It contains a rather broad overview of all topics connected to the ocean, such as its geography and the history of the exploration of the oceans. Besides the oceans themselves, the book contains several chapters on the different aspects of seafaring: building ships and seafaring, war ships, merchant ships and voyages, piracy, and yachting. - Summary by Carolin

By: Ernest Richard Suffling (1855-1911)

Book cover Land of the Broads

The Broads area of Norfolk and Suffolk is in the East Anglian region of England. It is the location of Britain's third largest inland waterway system and largest protected wetland area. Many examples of rare flora and fauna are found only in this unique location which has also been designated as a national park.This book: The Land of the Broads, is a practical guide to the extensive but (at one time), little-known district of the Broads of Norfolk and Suffolk.Written (and now narrated) for the use of all who take an interest in one of the Quaintest and most Old-World parts of England, either from an Archaeological, Historical, Picturesque, or Sporting point of view...

By: Ernest Shackleton

South! The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition 1914-1917 by Ernest Shackleton South! The Story of Shackleton's Last Expedition 1914-1917

The expedition was given the grand title of The Imperial Trans-Antarctic Expedition. Due to be launched in 1914, two ships were to be employed. The first, the lead vessel, fittingly named the Endurance was to transport the team to the Weddell Sea from where the great explorer Ernest Shackleton and five others would cross the icy wastes of Antarctica on foot. The second ship, the Aurora was to approach the continent from the other side and put down supplies at various points to help the explorers...

By: Ernst Dieffenbach (1811-1855)

Book cover Travels in New Zealand with contributions to the geography, geology, botany, and natural history of that country, Vol. I

“Let the reader imagine a deep lake of a blue colour, surrounded by verdant hills; in the lake several islets, some showing the bare rock, others covered with shrubs, while on all of them steam issued from a hundred openings between the green foliage without impairing its freshness: on the opposite side a flight of broad steps of the colour of white marble with a rosy tint, and a cascade of boiling water falling over them into the lake!” Such is Ernest Dieffenbach’s description of his first glance of the White Terraces in Lake Rotomahana, see cover image...

By: Erskine Childers (1870-1922)

The Riddle of the Sands by Erskine Childers The Riddle of the Sands

Containing many realistic details based on Childers’ own sailing trips along the German North Sea coast, the book is the retelling of a yachting expedition in the early 20th century combined with an adventurous spy story. It was one of the early invasion novels which predicted war with Germany and called for British preparedness. The plot involves the uncovering of secret German preparations for an invasion of the United Kingdom. It is often called the first modern spy novel, although others are as well, it was certainly very influential in the genre and for its time...

By: Ethel Gwendoline Vincent (1861-1952)

Book cover Forty Thousand Miles Over Land and Water

Subtitled "The Journal of a Tour through the British Empire and America," this book is a record of the author's travels with her husband through the British Empire and America in the late 1800's. In the words of the author, "It is but a simple Journal of what we saw and did." Their travels took them across the Atlantic to the U.S. and Canada, then across the Pacific to New Zealand, Australia, then on to the Dutch East Indies, the Straits settlements, the Indian subcontinent and Egypt - Summary by knotyouraveragejo

By: Etheria

Book cover Pilgrimage Of Etheria

This late fourth century common era narrative of a Christian pilgrimage is the earliest such text which survives to us. It is an important source of information about early Christian practices. This book has an extended introduction which provides invaluable context and summaries, though some of it is a bit scholarly and dry. The text is damaged with some parts missing; missing parts will be designated in this recording by this verbal usage: “dot dot dot dot” . More information: Egeria, Etheria or Aetheria was a woman, widely regarded to be the author of a detailed account of a pilgrimage to the Holy Land...

By: Eva March Tappan (1854-1930)

Book cover World’s Story Volume X: England, Scotland, Ireland and Wales

This is the tenth volume of the 15-volume series of The World’s Story: a history of the World in story, song and art, edited by Eva March Tappan. Each book is a compilation of selections from prose literature, poetry and pictures and offers a comprehensive presentation of the world's history, art and culture, from the early times till the beginning of the 20th century. Part X covers the second part of the history of England, from the Stuart Kings till the early 1900s. Also included are excerpts from the history of Ireland, Scotland and Wales, as well as Irish and Welsh legends and Scottish ballads...

Book cover World’s Story Volume XI: Canada, South America, Central America, Mexico and the West Indies

This is the eleventh volume of the 15-volume series of The World’s Story: a history of the World in story, song and art, edited by Eva March Tappan. Each book is a compilation of selections from prose literature, poetry and pictures and offers a comprehensive presentation of the world's history, art and culture, from the early times till the beginning of the 20th century. Part XI contains stories about Canadian history and about the discovery of Central and South America, from the early Inca and Aztec civilizations to the 20th century revolutions and upheavals. - Summary by Sonia Cast list for The Court of Justice of General Gomez: Major: Jim Locke / Gomez: Monika M.C. / Narrator: Sonia

Book cover World’s Story Volume XII: The United States

This is the twelfth volume of the 15-volume series of The World’s Story: a history of the World in story, song and art, edited by Eva March Tappan. Each book is a compilation of selections from prose literature, poetry and pictures and offers a comprehensive presentation of the world's history, art and culture, from the early times till the beginning of the 20th century. Part XII compiles stories about the early history of the United States, starting with the first explorators, the fights with the native Americans, the early settlers and culminating with the struggle for independence from the European leaders. - Summary by Sonia


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