Description: Ranging from the early modern to the postcolonial, and dealing mainly with encounters in Europe, the Americas and the Middle East, Perspectives on Travel Writing is a collection of new essays by international scholars that examines some of the various contexts of travel writing, as well as its generic characteristics. Contributions examine the similarities between autobiography and memoir, fiction, and travel writing, and attempt to define travel writing as a genre. Utilising a variety of approaches, the essays display a shared concern with what travel writing does and how it does it. The effects of encounter and border-crossing on gender, 'race', and national identity are considered throughout. An essay collection with broad historical and geographical coverage, this volume should appeal to students and researchers of travel and travel-related literatures from across the Humanities.
Review Quotes: '... a lively and varied collection.' Modern Language Review 'The volume's contribution to the field [...] lies in its stimulating display of the many ways of reading travel texts... this collection of essays marks another commendable instance of the solid work being carried out lately in the field of travel writing. Apart from the editors and contributors, the publishers deserve equal praise for the careful editing of the hardback which, with its nine illustrations and very useful index, serves as a fine instance of their ongoing commitment to producing excellent books in the field of travel writing.' Atlantis