ISABELLA BIRD

Endlessly restless and endlessly curious, Isabella Bird (1831-1904) travelled the world looking for new experiences, but never more delightfully than in her pony-bound adventures in the Colorado Territory at a time when it was only notionally under the control of the American authorities. A vanished world of grizzly hunters, cowboys, isolated cabins and rattlesnakes is here beautifully brought back to life. Great Journeys allows readers to travel both around the planet and back through the centuries - but also back into ideas and worlds frightening, ruthless and cruel in different ways from our own. Few reading experiences can begin to match that of engaging with writers who saw astounding things: Great civilisations, walls of ice, violent and implacable jungles, deserts and mountains, multitudes of birds and flowers new to science. Reading these books is to see the world afresh, to rediscover a time when many cultures were quite strange to each other, where legends and stories were treated as facts and in which so much was still to be discovered.

Con el Oeste americano todavía en su período salvaje, los indios resistiéndose ferozmente a la colonización anglosajona, grandes zonas todavía fuera de la ley y una naturaleza en gran parte inexplorada, escasamente hollada, Isabella Bird, mujer de mediana edad y escasa salud pero de enorme personalidad y energia, efectuo un peligroso viaje en solitario a traves de las Montañas Rocosas en el que vivio todo tipo de peripecias, se enfrento a animales salvajes y experimento las circunstancias atmosfericas mas extremas. Pero, sobre todo, trato con uno de los mas feroces forajidos de la epoca Mountain Jim, de lo cual da cuenta en alguno de los mas brillantes pasajes de este libro.

"The Englishwoman in America" is a wonderful travelogue that offers a lively and personal glimpse into mid-nineteenth-century America.In 1856, Isabella Bird published "The Englishwoman in America", the first of what would be many books of her travels around the world. Adopting a tone of aloof bemusement, she describes in detail the hardships and annoyances of her travels by sea from England to Halifax, and on the road to Boston, Cincinnati, and Chicago. The books 20 chapters are full of keenly observed and entertainingly told stories of pickpockets and luggage thieves, greasy hotels, and Americans who are very polite, but have the unfortunate habit of spitting on the floor. Bird admits to sharing the regrettably prejudiced view the English have of America, but nevertheless finds much to like and admire in this new country bustling with ethnically diverse immigrants full of energy and bravado.

A Ladys Life in the Rocky Mountains gathers Isabella Birds 1873 letters from the Colorado Territory into an epistolary travelogue of striking immediacy. Crossing high-country ranches, mining camps, and the open valley of Estes Park, she records harsh weather, rough hospitality, and fledgling frontier economies; her ascent of Longs Peak with the enigmatic Mountain Jim is a classic set piece. The prose is supple and exact, blending natural history with social observation, and stands within Victorian scientific travel writing even as it tests gender norms and demythologizes the American West. Birdan English clergymans daughter whose chronic ailments were eased by rigorous travelwrote these letters to her sister Henrietta, whose light editing preserved their candor. A seasoned traveler before Colorado (Hawaii) and after (Japan, Persia, Tibet), she later became the first woman Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society. The saddle as medicine, Anglican conscience, and empirical habit shape the books restless precision. This book rewards readers of environmental history, western American literature, and gender studies, as well as admirers of unsentimental adventure. Expect period attitudes, but also a singular intelligence testing the limits of mobility, observation, and self-reliance. Few accounts make the nineteenth-century Rockies feel so lived-in.Quickie Classics summarizes timeless works with precision, preserving the authors voice and keeping the prose clear, fast, and readabledistilled, never diluted. Enriched Edition extras: Introduction · Synopsis · Historical Context · Brief Analysis · 4 Reflection Q&As · Editorial Footnotes.

Unbeaten Tracks in Japan is a travel diary written by Isabella Bird of her trip to Japan in 1878, at the age of 47. It was first published in English in 1881.Isabella Lucy Bird (15 October 1831 7 October 1904), was a nineteenth-century English explorer, writer, photographer, and naturalist.

Per primera vegada en català, es publica una de les cròniques més apassionants del segle XIX. L’any 1878, quan el Japó tot just s’obria al món després de dos segles d’aïllament, una dona de salut frà

En la segunda mitad del siglo XIX, cuando Japón permanecía aún cerrado y era un territorio apenas conocido para los occidentales, Isabella Bird emprendió un viaje en solitario hacia el norte del archipielago, adentrandose en regiones casi inexploradas. Desde aldeas remotas hasta la isla de Hokkaid?, Bird atraviesa un pais rural, aspero y fascinante, y se convierte en una de las primeras viajeras europeas en describir la vida cotidiana y las costumbres de pueblos como los ainu, cuya existencia era practicamente ignorada en Europa. El suyo no fue un viaje comodo: a pie, a caballo, en barco o en fragiles medios locales, Isabella Bird avanza entre caminos dificiles, hospedajes precarios y una constante exposicion a la mirada ajena. Pero lejos de amedrentarse, su curiosidad, su fortaleza y su lucidez convierten la experiencia en un relato extraordinario. Japon inexplorado es hoy un clasico del viaje moderno: una mirada libre de condescendencia y exotismo, escrita con precision y vitalidad, que nos devuelve el asombro ante una cultura distinta y profundamente humana.

Por primera vez en castellano el relato de un viaje asombroso realizado en solitario por una mujer que hizo epoca al retratar los misterios del inexplorado Japón del siglo XIX. Aislado, cerrado a los extranjeros, muy pocos occidentales se adentraban en el interior del pais, e islas como la actual Hokkaid, habitada por los ainus, guardaban secretos sin desvelar. Autentica pionera, mujer valiente, de solidas convicciones, y mas que probada curiosidad, Bird atraviesa la espina dorsal del norte de Japon desvelando la ignota vida rural del interior y visitando remotas tribus aborigenes como los antiquisimos ainus, de cuya cultura poco o nada se tenia noticia en Europa. No sera un viaje facil, ni comodo. A pie, a caballo, en barco, sampan o kuruma, alla donde va despierta curiosidad y su presencia convoca muchedumbres asombradas. Valiente y nada convencional, la vemos disfrutar a pesar de la comida, las pulgas, la dificultad de los caminos, o la ausencia de intimidad en las chadoyas, mientras que su afilada mirada nos desvela un Japon rebosante de prodigioso encanto. Traducido y editado con esmero por el profesor Carlos Rubio, su lectura revive hoy el hechizo de una cultura, lejana y distinta, que no deja de sorprendernos.

In "A Ladys Life in the Rocky Mountains," Isabella Bird presents a vivid and captivating account of her travels through the untamed wilderness of the American West during the 1870s. Employing an intimate, conversational literary style, Bird deftly mingles travelogue and memoir, painting a rich tapestry of the landscapes, cultures, and challenges she encountered. Her narrative is laced with keen observations, humor, and a remarkable sense of place, offering readers a firsthand glimpse into both the majestic beauty of the Rocky Mountains and the social dynamics of the time, particularly in relation to the role of women in exploration and adventure. Isabella Bird was a pioneering Victorian explorer and writer, whose restless spirit and passion for adventure defied the conventions of her era. Living through a period marked by restrictive gender roles, she found solace and purpose in her travels, which spanned the globe. Birds firsthand experiences as a woman navigating both the physical challenges of the wilderness and the societal norms of her time undoubtedly shaped her narrative. Her works celebrate resilience and independence, reflecting her commitment to exploring and documenting the world around her. This book is highly recommended for readers seeking an insightful perspective on the interplay of gender, adventure, and the natural world. Birds eloquent prose and compelling storytelling provide not only a historical lens into the American frontier but also a voice that resonates with the ongoing exploration of womens roles in society. Engaging and thought-provoking, "A Ladys Life in the Rocky Mountains" is a timeless classic that enriches the canon of travel literature.In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience:- A succinct Introduction situates the works timeless appeal and themes.- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the eras events and influences that shaped the writing.- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the works messages, connecting them to modern life.- Handpicked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.

A Ladys Life in the Rocky Mountains is a travel book, by Isabella Bird, describing her 1873 trip to the Rocky Mountains of Colorado. The book is a compilation of letters that Isabella Bird wrote to her sister, Henrietta. In 1872, Isabella left Britain, going first to Australia, then to Hawaii, which she refers to as the Sandwich Islands. In 1873 she travelled to Colorado, then the Colorado Territory. After living a time in Hawaii, she takes a boat, to San Francisco. She passed the area of Lake Tahoe, to Cheyenne, Wyoming, to ultimate Estes Park, Colorado, also elsewhere in and near the Rocky Mountains of the Colorado Territory. Early in Colorado, she met Rocky Mountain Jim, described as a desperado, but with whom she got along quite well. She described him as, "He is a man whom any woman might love but no sane woman would marry." She was the first white woman to stand atop Longs Peak, Colorado, pointing out that Jim "dragged me up, like a bale of goods, by sheer force of muscle." Rocky Mountain Jim treated her quite well, and it is sad to note, he was shot to death, seven months later. After many other adventures, Isabella Bird ultimately took a train, east. Upon publication, A Ladys Life in the Rocky Mountains proved an "instant bestseller" and is still considered to be her best work.

In A Ladys Life in the Rocky Mountains by Isabella Bird, readers are taken on a literary journey through the remote and rugged landscapes of the Rocky Mountains in the late 19th century. Birds account is presented in a vivid and descriptive style, highlighting the beauty and challenges of her solo travels through the untamed wilderness. This firsthand narrative provides valuable insights into the culture, society, and nature of the American West during this time period. The book is a blend of travel writing, memoir, and cultural commentary, making it a unique and engaging read for those interested in womens travel writing in a historical context.In this enriched edition, we have carefully created added value for your reading experience:- A succinct Introduction situates the works timeless appeal and themes.- The Synopsis outlines the central plot, highlighting key developments without spoiling critical twists.- A detailed Historical Context immerses you in the eras events and influences that shaped the writing.- A thorough Analysis dissects symbols, motifs, and character arcs to unearth underlying meanings.- Reflection questions prompt you to engage personally with the works messages, connecting them to modern life.- Handpicked Memorable Quotes shine a spotlight on moments of literary brilliance.- Interactive footnotes clarify unusual references, historical allusions, and archaic phrases for an effortless, more informed read.