Containing more than 600 entries, this valuable resource presents all aspects of travel writing. There are entries on places and routes (Afghanistan, Black Sea, Egypt, Gobi Desert, Hawaii, Himalayas, Italy, Northwest Passage, Samarkand, Silk Route, Timbuktu), writers (Isabella Bird, Ibn Battuta, Bruce Chatwin, Gustave Flaubert, Mary Kingsley, Walter Ralegh, Wilfrid Thesiger), methods of transport and types of journey (balloon, camel, grand tour, hunting and big game expeditions, pilgrimage, space travel and exploration), genres (buccaneer narratives, guidebooks, New World chronicles, postcards), companies and societies (East India Company, Royal Geographical Society, Society of Dilettanti), and issues and themes (censorship, exile, orientalism, and tourism).
For a full list of entries and contributors, a generous selection of sample entries, and more, visit the Literature of Travel and Exploration: An Encyclopedia website.
Biography
Jennifer Speake
"If reference books were precious stones, then this encyclopedia would rank among the very finest of gems... This reference will thrill the connoisseur of autobiographical travel while providing contextual date for potential travelers... As a bonus, the thematic entries illuminate a multitude of topics, from logbooks and the Crusades to volcanology and Romanticism. A researcher's cornucopia and an armchair traveler's delight, this is a significant contribution to the genre with a long shelf life. Highly recommended for any library." -- Library Journal (starred review)
"This outstanding resource splendidly surveys the world of travel. It should find an appreciative audience in both academic and public libraries." -- Lawrence Looks at Books, Gale Reference Reviews
"Suitable for general audience or for students needing a starting point for research." -- Reference & Research Book News
"Rich and inspiring introduction to primary sources for undergraduate and advanced high-school students and an excellent source for further research for graduate students and other scholars. Unique in scope and purpose... Highly recommended for college and university collections and large public libraries." -- Booklist
