Exploring the Globe: A 1697 English Publication of Vivid Accounts

The Guardian praises the timeless allure of an English account published in 1697, stating that its vividness and thrill remain as strong today as they were over three centuries ago.

William Dampier, a pirate and explorer, sailed around the globe three times, documenting his adventures along the way. His vivid and candid narrative his daring sea journeys from the Caribbean to the Pacific and East Indies. Filled with stories of raids, escapes, and encounters with storms and shipwrecks, Dampier's accounts also offer precise observations of people, places, animals, and exotic foods like guacamole, mango chutney, and chopsticks. This captivating record, first published in 1697 and quickly becoming a bestseller, not only influenced literary classics like Robinson Crusoe and Gulliver's Travels but also left a lasting mark on the landscape of English literature.

Edited with an Introduction by Nicholas Thomas