Explorers and Travellers

Greely, A. W. (Adolphus Washington), 1844-1935Project Gutenberg · United StatesDec 2019

3.5

Word count: 490K words
Chapters: 50

Summary

Project Gutenberg was the first provider of free electronic books, or eBooks. Michael Hart, founder of Project Gutenberg, invented eBooks in 1971 and his memory continues to inspire the creation of eBooks and related technologies today.Explorers and Travellers by A. W. GreelyAuthor: Greely, A. W. (Adolphus Washington), 1844-1935,Language: English, Class: G: Geography, Anthropology, Recreation, Release Date: May 9, 2011

Editor's review

Written from Greeley's own experience in polar exploration and geographical surveying, this popular volume recounts the true experiences of explorers and travelers through history, combining the history of geographical discovery with human narrative. A former U.S. Army officer who took part in Arctic expeditions, the author offers firsthand observation of polar conditions, supply difficulties, and expedition management, and his account carries the judgment and detail of an eyewitness. As a public-domain e-book, it is better suited as an introduction to late nineteenth-century Western exploration narrative and geographical knowledge than as a systematic academic monograph. Readers may note how the author describes the exploration of "unknown regions," the differing motives of travelers, and the limits of contemporary understanding of the natural world. Suitable for reading in segments during commutes or before sleep; consulting a map alongside will make it more rewarding.

Who it's for

A good fit for

General readers interested in the history of geographical discovery and exploration stories
Readers of history and literature seeking to understand late nineteenth-century Western exploration narrative
Intermediate to advanced English learners who wish to practice reading with a public-domain English book
Nonfiction readers who enjoy personal experience and travel detail

Not a good fit for

Readers seeking systematic geographical theory or academic scholarship
Those who need a contemporary exploration safety guide or practical travel tips
Readers who prefer tight plotting and a strong narrative pace

Reading tips

Begin with the table of contents and chapter introductions, prioritizing chapters related to polar or overland travel.
Consult a world map while reading to mark the places mentioned and build a sense of space.
After each chapter, note the author's core points and key figures in two or three sentences.
For the English original, read with a dictionary; skip unfamiliar place names and proper nouns at first and look them up later.

About the publisher

Project Gutenberg United States · Founded in 1971

Project Gutenberg is a digital publishing project focused on public-domain ebooks. Its publishing direction centers on classic literary works whose copyright has expired, covering genres such as poetry, drama, fiction, and epic. Representative books include Lyrical Ballads by Wordsworth and Coleridge, Proust's Du côté de chez Swann, Shakespeare's Macbeth and The Complete Works of William Shakespeare, Homer's The Iliad, Dante's La Divina Comèdia: Purgatòri, Cervantes's The History of Don Quixote, Volume 2, and Grahame's The Wind in the Willows. Its author resources consist mainly of classic Western writers such as Wordsworth, Proust, Shakespeare, Homer, Dante, Cervantes, Grahame, and Tolstoy. Its publishing feature is the provision of freely accessible ebooks in EPUB and Kindle formats; it is not a traditional publisher, and publicly available information is limited.

FAQ

Is this book a novel or nonfiction?

It is nonfiction exploration and travel narrative, based on the author Greeley's geographical surveys and exploration experience and centered on explorers and travelers in history; it is not a novel.

Can I understand it without a background in geography?

Yes. The book is aimed at general readers and focuses on people and travel experience rather than specialized terminology. Looking up unfamiliar place names on a map is enough; the overall barrier to reading is low.

How difficult is the English original?

It is late nineteenth- to early twentieth-century English nonfiction, with rather long sentences but not obscure vocabulary. Intermediate to advanced English learners can read it in segments with a dictionary and need not understand every word.

Is this book suitable as a travel guide?

No. It records historical exploration and geographical discovery and offers no contemporary transport, accommodation, or safety advice. For practical travel information, choose a modern travel guide.

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About the author

Greely, A. W. (Adolphus Washington), 1844-1935 Author · American · 1844–1935

Adolphus Washington Greely (1844–1935) was a United States Army officer and Arctic explorer who led the Greely Arctic Expedition. Public information about his early life and education is limited. Two of his works are held in this collection: Explorers and Travellers and True Tales of Arctic Heroism in the New World. Both draw on polar exploration and travel, recounting the hardships and deeds of high-latitude journeys from a first-hand perspective in a documentary yet narrative style. Such writing preserves primary material on nineteenth-century Arctic exploration and helped circulate tales of polar heroism among English-language readers, leaving a mark on later polar exploration literature.