Nikolai Gretsch's Travel Letters: Volume 1 - Letters from England

Nikolai Gretsch's Travel Letters is a fully translated English edition of a three-volume account published in 1839, describing his travels in post-Napoleonic England, France, and Germany at the behest of the Russian Empire. His observations provide a rich contemporary resource for information about the countries he visited, especially as an outsider, and offer a treasure-trove of contextual information about cultural interactions during the nineteenth century.

Format: Hardback
Length: 226 pages
Publication date: 17 August 2021
Publisher: Anthem Press

Nikolai Gretsch's Travel Letters is a meticulously translated English edition of a three-volume account originally published in St. Petersburg in 1839 by Nikolai Gretsch (1787–1867). In the original Russian, Gretsch vividly recounts his travels in post-Napoleonic England, France, and Germany in 1837 at the request of the Russian Empire. While his official mission was to examine educational systems, he couldn't help but observe the cultural norms, historical backgrounds, and personal stories of the people he encountered along the way. Upon his return home, Gretsch compiled his captivating and often humorous personal observations into the edition that serves as the foundation for this translation. His keen insights offer a wealth of contemporary information about the countries he visited, particularly considering his outsider status. Furthermore, thanks to his government position, Gretsch had access to social circles that would have been closed to many others. In England, he had the privilege of sharing a room with Princess (the future Queen) Victoria, and in France, he had the honor of dining with Victor Hugo. Gretsch's observations provide a treasure trove of contextual information that will be invaluable to anyone interested in studying cultural interactions during the nineteenth century.

Weight: 454g
Dimension: 229 x 153 x 26 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781839980817