The Complete Writings of Charles Dudley Warner — Volume 2

Warner invites readers aboard for a transatlantic crossing and onward through the capitals of Europe, armed with sharp eyes and a wry pen. These essays, written in the late 19th century, capture a moment when an educated American traveler could move between Paris, London, and beyond with bemused detachment, cataloging the peculiarities of foreign customs, the discomforts of ocean voyages, and the endless entertainment of national stereotypes. Warner transforms the familiar frustrations of travel rough seas, strange food, the absurd habits of the English and French into occasions for gentle satire and genuine insight. His prose possesses the leisurely charm of a man writing from a comfortable chair about discomforts now safely past. The book endures for readers who cherish the polished travel essay, who want to see Europe through the eyes of a Victorian wit who knew how to make even a rough Atlantic crossing sparkle with observation.