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A unique online celebration of Penguin Books' early 'Travel & Adventure' series, published between 1936 and 1959, when Britain still had an empire and the world clung on to its last few unexplored corners. In line with Penguin's original policy of colour-coding these affordable, pocket-sized works of literature according to genre, 'Travel & Adventure' titles were cerise (pink).
Several Penguin cerise authors became household names (Graham Greene, Aldous Huxley, D. H. Lawrence); others became established travel writers (Freya Stark, Norman Douglas, Peter Fleming); there are others still who slipped unfairly into obscurity (Rosita Forbes, K. C. Gandar Dower, Jan and Cora Gordon). Whatever their eventual fate, all their exploits remain noteworthy, from brave polar explorers and intrepid female travellers, to PoW escapees and south sea island pleasure seekers. Their books still retain a wonderful sense of adventure, offering a glimpse of the past as valuable as that found in any history or geography book. Each too has played a part, however large or small, in the historical development of one of Britain's greatest publishing houses.
All of Penguin's ninety-five 'Travel & Adventure' titles are listed in the archive, together with the Penguin 'Main Series' number, author(s), publication date, and destination (or subject matter). An Amazon link is given for affordable modern editions of those titles still in print. Thereafter follows a synopsis of each book with reviews and occasional extracts, as well as details of any special editions.
(Duncan J. D. Smith - Urban Explorer, photohistorian, travel guide writer)
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