Travelogue of the Americas

Author: (French) Chateaubriand / Lang Weizhong
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2004-01-01
Features: The American Journey was published in 1827, 36 years after Chateaubriand's 1791 trip to America. He actually spent only five months in America, with his activities limited to the northeastern United States. The descriptions of the Ohio River, the Mississippi River Basin, and Florida were entirely based on references to famous travel writings of the time. This is explained in the Introduction and Preface. This book covers the eastward expansion of the United States. The author provides detailed descriptions of the cities, wilderness, rivers, lakes, flora, and fauna encountered during the journey, narrated in the tone of an explorer. He particularly introduces the customs and traditions of various Native American tribes, including their daily life, clothing, housing, marriage and funeral customs, family life, as well as their experiences in war and peace. He also discusses their religious rituals and language. Some parts, although mentioned in At Fault and Memoirs from Beyond the Grave, are not as comprehensive and in-depth as in this travelogue.