Far-fetched facts : the literature of travel and the idea of the South Seas

An in-depth history of travel literature, and particularly how the South Seas have been perceived by Western imaginations from classical times to the twentieth century. The book explores how the distinction between fact and fiction is blurred by comparing real and imaginary accounts of travel. Featuring prominently are the writings of Marco Polo, Mandeville, and Columbus; Cook and Bougainville; Montaigne and Bacon; Melville, Stevenson, Loti, Mead and Malinowski. Extensively indexed, including a bibliography as well as eight black and white plates.