Orientations: An Anthology of European Travel Writing on Europe(1 East Looks West)

Excerpts from over 100 travel writings of Europe, from 16th c. pilgrimage diaries through 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. This is the first volume of the three-part set East Looks West. Vol. 2. Under Eastern Eyes. A Comparative Introduction to East European Travel Writing on Europe, 1550–2000; Vol. 3. A Bibliography of East European Travel Writing on Europe.

Table of Contents:
East European Travel Writing: A Guide to Orientation, I. Europe in All its Variety (16th–18th centuries) II. Voyages of Discovery (18th-mid-19th centuries), III. On the Tourist Track (mid-19th century–1940s), IV. Europe Divided (1945–1989), V. A Single Europe? (Since 1989), Notes on Further Reading, Copyright Acknowledgements, Index

About the Author :
Dr. Wendy Bracewell is Senior Lecturer in History, School of Slavonic and East European Studies, University College London

Review :
"The reader may find literary gems, presenting insights on customs, mentalities, cultural differences, gender, and class, as well as describing the scenery of the visited land. Encompassing both the nation and the world, these perceptive glimpses, as well as descriptions of cities and terrain of European countries, place in focus political and cutlural issues that create the East-West apposition - for example liminality, inferiority, and practice of justice. Summing up: recommended." "In short, this book is an enjoyable and informative read, a good resource for scholars of Europe, and exceptionally well suited for use in the classroom." "Wendy Bracewell's anthology makes it possible to imagine a dialogue between Western and Eastern European travellers. In order to represent 20 languages Bracewell collaborated with a team of editors and translators. The remarkable variety of selections in the anthology includes both published and unpublished sources. The book consists of five chronologically sequenced sections, each of which includes clusters that highlight themes or itineraries characteristic of the given period."