Regional Guides to books on geographical discovery and exploration published by the Hakluyt Society

Regional Guides to books on geographical discovery and exploration published by the Hakluyt Society

An introduction by Ray Howgego, general editor

Now in its 180th year and with around 380 volumes under its belt, the Hakluyt Society established long ago a reputation for publications of exceptional scholarship. Unlike many other societies of its genre which started life in Victorian London, the Society succeeded in retaining its identity into the 21st century and continues to thrive through the efforts of a small but dedicated team of officers and editors. Its volumes, often drawn from forgotten manuscripts languishing deep in the archives, frequently represent the only accessible source of information on the material they describe, and it is beyond doubt that our awareness of the history of travel and exploration would be very much diminished had it not been for the efforts of the Society.

A complete list of Hakluyt Society publications can be found on this website and (up to 1995) in the book Compassing the Vaste Globe of the Earth, edited by R. C. Bridges and P. E. H. Hair. However, the brief résumés given in these resources, often amounting to just a single sentence, meant that navigating the vast wealth of information contained in these volumes was often overwhelming. In view of this, the late Dr Bernard Stonehouse suggested that, as an aid to researchers, the Society should introduce a series of study guides for free public download, each of which covering a particular geographical region. These would be written voluntarily by specialists in the field and would provide a detailed synopsis of each volume together with background information. If needed, a critical appraisal of the book in the light of modern scholarship should be included, as it must be acknowledged that some of the Society’s early translations were rapidly turned out by over-ambitious editors with insufficient regard to accuracy and style.

Dr Stonehouse’s suggestion was heartily endorsed by Council, and willing volunteers were eagerly sought. The major challenge is one of overlap, particularly with regard to voyagers who passed through multiple regions. In such circumstances, it was decided that authors should focus on the traveller’s contribution to knowledge of the region concerned. So far, six guides, covering the regions shown below, have been completed and are available here for free download. Although differing in emphasis and content, and bearing the personal stamp of the author, they have been typographically edited to ensure uniformity of layout.

There is no doubt that our authors have enjoyed writing these guides, and it is hoped that you will gain equal satisfaction from reading them. Authors for the remaining guides, who may be any members of the Society with specialist knowledge, will be warmly welcomed.

The following Regional Guides are available for download in pdf format by clicking on their titles:

South America compiled by John Hemming

The Arctic compiled by Glyn Williams (with help from William Barr and Ann Savours Shirley)

The Southern Voyages and the Antarctic compiled by Bernard Stonehouse (with additional material by Glyn Williams and Ray Howgego)

The Pacific Ocean compiled by Glyn Williams (with help from Andrew David and Alan Frost)

India compiled by Lionel Knight (with help from Roy Bridges)

Central America, Mexico & the Caribbean compiled by Stewart Redwood