Synopses & Reviews
Excerpts from over 100 travel writings of Europe, from 16th-c. pilgrimage diaries thru early specimens of modern tourism accounts to 20th-c. impressions from the other side of the Iron Curtain... By focusing on east European travel writings, this work enlarges both the documentary base and the terms of the debate over a rich source for discussions of identities and mentalities; knowledge and power; gender; and cultural change. The texts - chosen for their relevance, but literary criteria have also been taken into account - illustrate the variety of ways in which east Europeans have written about the West. Most of the material is presented in English for the first time or, in a few cases, rescued from dusty oblivion in long out-of-print volumes. Each text is introduced with a short passage placing it in context. There is an appendix of all cited authors at the end, with brief notes on lives, writings, etc. The 1st volume of a series, complete with a comparative analysis and a bibliographic guide to travel writings from eastern Europe.
Synopsis
Excerpts from over 100 travel writings from 16th Century Pilgrimage diaries thru 20th Century impressions from behind the Iron Curtain.