"France in eighteen hundred and two : Described in a series of contemporary…." by Henry Redhead Yorke is a historical travel narrative in letters written in the early 19th century. It presents an English observer’s on‑the‑spot account of France during the Consulate, tracing a journey from Calais to Paris and reflecting on the social and political aftermath of the Revolution. Expect sharp commentary on bureaucracy, policing, military dominance, and moral tone, alongside vivid descriptions of ruined churches, emptied châteaux, beggar‑crowded towns, and the everyday realities of travel. The opening of this volume begins with Richard Davey’s introduction and the editor’s note explaining the rediscovery and pruning of Yorke’s scarce letters, sketching his path from youthful radicalism to a chastened liberalism after imprisonment, and framing the letters as a critique of Revolutionary excess, Napoleonic spoliation, and cultural decline. Yorke’s first letters then narrate his landing at Calais—petty passport ordeals, a squalid cabaret, and a frank soldier’s view that the army fights for “glory and plenty,” not liberty—followed by a portrait of humane municipal leaders who spared Calais from Terror, contrasted with Joseph Le Bon’s atrocities elsewhere. He details travel logistics and costs, then moves post by post through Boulogne, Montreuil, Abbeville, and Amiens, recording wrecked monasteries, pervasive beggary, women at the plough, poor husbandry, grasping innkeepers, and the mutilated cathedral at Amiens, capped by a chilling anecdote of Le Bon’s fall. From Chantilly he mourns the obliteration of the Condé estates (stables surviving, palaces razed, gardens and menageries destroyed), and at S. Denys he finds the royal necropolis gutted. Entering Paris, he notes the absence of a stabilizing middle class, endures comic‑grim battles with fashion and a predatory hairdresser, and closes this opening stretch at the Police Ministry amid queues, soldiers’ privilege, and a brusque, militarized bureaucracy. (This is an automatically generated summary.)

Edinburgh-born artist John David Borthwick left New York for California in 1851, crossing the Isthmus at Chagres. In 1860 Borthwick returned to Britain, where his paintings were exhibited in several galleries including the Royal Academy. Three years in California (1857) focuses on his experiences mining gold and quartz at Hangtown, Foster's Bar, Downieville, Mississippi Bar, Jacksonville, and Carson's Hill. He devotes much attention to social life in the camps as well as mining techniques, describing crime, the Chinese and French and other ethnic groups, and holidays and public entertainments. Borthwick illustrated the book with eight of his own lithographs which are considered the most realistic of the period for California.

"Auf Großtierfang für Hagenbeck: Selbsterlebtes aus afrikanischer Wildnis" by Chr. Schulz is an autobiographical travel and adventure account written in the early 20th century. The book centers on Schulz's experiences as a collector of live wild animals in East Africa for Carl Hagenbeck’s renowned animal park in Hamburg. Instead of describing big-game hunting, Schulz details the challenges and techniques involved in capturing wild animals alive for zoological gardens, providing firsthand insights into the demanding, little-known profession of animal catching and transport. The opening of the book begins with an introduction that positions Schulz’s work as a fresh contribution to the literature on East African wildlife, emphasizing the scarcity of firsthand accounts from professional animal catchers. It recounts Schulz’s early assignments for Hagenbeck, including notable successes such as acquiring young rhinos and elephants, and describes his journeys and impressions through colonial East African towns and landscapes. The narrative offers vivid depictions of local cultures, natural scenes, logistical hardships, and the complex process of organizing animal transports by land and sea. Early adventures include acquiring and caring for diverse animals, the challenges of their shipment back to Europe, and preparations for extended animal catching expeditions into the African wilderness. (This is an automatically generated summary.)