Surveys various works of travel literature and argues that travel writing redefines the myriad genres it often comprises. An ideal guide for today's students, teachers and travel writing enthusiasts.

Acknowledgements; 1. Introduction: defining the terms; Part I. Historical Overview: 2. Medieval and early modern travel writing; 3. Travel writing in the long eighteenth century; 4. Travel writing in the long nineteenth century; 5. 1900 to the present; Part II. Continuities and Departures: 6. Quests; 7. Inner journeys; 8. Traveling b(l)ack; 9. Gender and sexuality; Part III. Writing and Reading Travel: 10. Writing travel; 11. Reading travel writing; 12. The way ahead: current travel writing; Bibliography; Index.

Tim Youngs is Professor of English and Travel Studies at Nottingham Trent University. His publications include the forthcoming Beastly Journeys: Travel and Transformation at the fin de siècle (2012) and, as co-editor, The Cambridge Companion to Travel Writing (2002). In 1997, he founded Studies in Travel Writing and continues to serve as the journal's editor.