Folio Archives 53: A Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain by Daniel Defoe 2006
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1wcarter
A Tour Through the Whole Island of Great Britain by Daniel Defoe 2006
What was Britain really like in the early 18th. century? Not just the major cities, but what was life like in the towns, villages and on the farms 300 years ago?
In 1722, Daniel Defoe when he was 62 years old, set off to find out, and travelled across England, Scotland and Wales in 17 different trips. It is probable that many of these journeys were undertaken many years earlier, and the published details were reconstructed from his diaries and memories. Each Letter forms a chapter, and a map of the area covered appears at the start of each Letter.
Only two years earlier he had published The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, and this tour was a personal reward to himself to discover more about his home island. His letters about his journey were serially published between 1724 and 1726 and were well received by a patriotic nation.
He details not just scenery and events, but describes a wide variety of impressions from the local trades and customs of the people to architecture, politics and produce in a very readable and entertaining style. It is a fascinating contemporary history of Britain’s society and economy.
The full text of all the Tours runs to 400,000 words, but this edition has reduced that by half to make it more readable by the editors P.N. Furbank, W.R.Owens and A.J. Coulson. A 19 page introduction by the editors explains the background of the book. It follows the text of a 1991 Yale University Press edition.
It is a large, sturdy, profusely illustrated book of xix + 524 pages and includes an index. There are integrated contemporary art works on about half of all the pages, and I would guess that one third are coloured. Plain endpapers. Quarter bound in black buckram with dark green cloth sides blocked on the cover with a gilt map of central England. The spine has a gilt blocked title, the back cover is plain.
The slipcase is illustrated with a rural scene on all three sides and is 27.2x19.5x5.2cm.
Wrap-around montage of slipcase
Clipping from prospectus
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
What was Britain really like in the early 18th. century? Not just the major cities, but what was life like in the towns, villages and on the farms 300 years ago?
In 1722, Daniel Defoe when he was 62 years old, set off to find out, and travelled across England, Scotland and Wales in 17 different trips. It is probable that many of these journeys were undertaken many years earlier, and the published details were reconstructed from his diaries and memories. Each Letter forms a chapter, and a map of the area covered appears at the start of each Letter.
Only two years earlier he had published The Adventures of Robinson Crusoe, and this tour was a personal reward to himself to discover more about his home island. His letters about his journey were serially published between 1724 and 1726 and were well received by a patriotic nation.
He details not just scenery and events, but describes a wide variety of impressions from the local trades and customs of the people to architecture, politics and produce in a very readable and entertaining style. It is a fascinating contemporary history of Britain’s society and economy.
The full text of all the Tours runs to 400,000 words, but this edition has reduced that by half to make it more readable by the editors P.N. Furbank, W.R.Owens and A.J. Coulson. A 19 page introduction by the editors explains the background of the book. It follows the text of a 1991 Yale University Press edition.
It is a large, sturdy, profusely illustrated book of xix + 524 pages and includes an index. There are integrated contemporary art works on about half of all the pages, and I would guess that one third are coloured. Plain endpapers. Quarter bound in black buckram with dark green cloth sides blocked on the cover with a gilt map of central England. The spine has a gilt blocked title, the back cover is plain.
The slipcase is illustrated with a rural scene on all three sides and is 27.2x19.5x5.2cm.
Wrap-around montage of slipcase
Clipping from prospectus
An index of the other illustrated reviews in the "Folio Archives" series can be viewed here.
2kdweber
What's the difference between this edition and the 1983 three volume edition? The earlier edition totaled 872 pages (unabridged?) vs this abridged version?
3wcarter
>2 kdweber:
I suspect the difference is “The full text of all the Tours runs to 400,000 words, but this edition has reduced that by half to make it more readable” as mentioned in the review above.
I suspect the difference is “The full text of all the Tours runs to 400,000 words, but this edition has reduced that by half to make it more readable” as mentioned in the review above.
4kdweber
Different pictures as well and all of the pictures in the 1983 edition are in black and white, no color.
6folio_books
I have the three volume version. It is deceptively heavy, presumably because of the art paper it's printed on. I note from the link to the promo leaflet at >5 wcarter: they mention the leather-bound edition. This is on my perennial want list and I see it very rarely.
7The_Toad_Revolt_of84
I've started collecting Folio travel books... Not the series but all the others of interest in good enough condition. This is probably my favorite aside of Yangtze Valley... And again Warwick you have cost me money... And as only an addict would say, I thank you, heartily!
