Up The Country' Letters Written To Her Sister From The Upper Provinces Of India

By Emily Eden and Eleanor Eden

Book Overview

"Up the Country" is a charming and witty travelogue written by way of Emily Eden, an outstanding English writer and sister of the Governor-General of India, Lord Auckland. The book chronicles her reviews and observations all through her travels via India, in particular in the northern regions of the usa throughout the 1830s. In "Up the Country," Emily Eden's storytelling style is marked by way of its humor, eager wit, and astute observations. She affords readers with a delightful and candid account of her interactions with an extensive range of humans, from colonial officials and Indian royalty to local residents and British expatriates. Through her enticing narrative, she gives a brilliant and insightful window into the social and political panorama of the time. While the book is lighthearted in its tone, it also delves into the complexities of British colonial rule in India, losing light at the challenges and absurdities of governance in a foreign land. Eden's work is not only a travelogue however a social statement that explores the interactions and cultural clashes between the British and the Indian populace.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 9359951625
• ISBN13: 9789359951621
• Release Date: December 2023
• Publisher: Double 9 Books
• Length: 266 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.6" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

Enthralling account of life in India

These wonderful letters were writtne by Emily Eden as she travelled with her brother George, who was Governor-General of India in the late 1830s. It is clear from these letters that she was not one of those very enthusiastic lady travellers of the period, but the letters are crammed with humour and fascinating observations on Indian life. She has a more symnpathetic attitude towards the Indians than one might expect of someone of her era. As the sister of the Governor-General she is constantly being given lavish presents of fabulous jewellery etc, which have to be handed over the the East Indian Company, I much admire the stoicism with which she accepts this, in her place I'd be tempted to hang onto some of those gorgeous jewells and let the company go hang. Readers of the Flashman novels will recognise some familiar characters in this book, particularly an appearance by the woman who afterwards became lola Montez. There are some hilarious incidents described, as when they think someone's been carried off by a leopard, when they all go rushing to see they find he's just having anightmare. The letters are full of wonderful descriptions, fascinating characters, lots of humour and plenty of dramatic incidents. The most absorbing collection of letters I've ever read.