Ina Ferris examines the way in which the problem of 'incomplete union' generated by the formation of the United Kingdom in 1800 destabilised British public discourse in the early decades of the nineteenth century. Ferris offers the first full-length study of the chief genre to emerge out of the political problem of Union: the national tale, an intercultural and mostly female-authored fictional mode that articulated Irish grievances to English readers. Ferris draws on current theory and archival research to show how the national tale crucially intersected with other public genres such as travel narratives, critical reviews and political discourse. In this fascinating study, Ferris shows how the national tales of Morgan, Edgeworth, Maturin, and the Banim brothers dislodged key British assumptions and foundational narratives of history, family and gender in the period.

Travel Writing and Ireland, 1760-1860 examines a range of mainly British travel and travel-writing material from the period 1760 to 1860. Beginning with an analysis of the Home Tour and Ireland's function within it, the book then considers the role of the Post-Union traveller, followed by an analysis of the impressions formed by Famine writers; the book then concludes with an assessment of those who journeyed to Ireland in the immediate aftermath of Famine. Following a chronological structure, Travel Writing and Ireland, 1760-1860 offers readings of hitherto under-researched material from a significant period in Irish history.

Travel literature has been described by Jonathan Raban as "literature's red-light district". It defies peoples' beliefs, confuses expectations, crosses disciplinary boundaries and is linked to ethnography, journalism and biography. Yet for all that has managed to remain not only a visible but also an increasingly popular literary genre. This anthology makes an entertaining and insightful contribution to this engaging field. It includes extracts from well known writers, such as Thackeray, Boll and Chesterton, but also presents less familiar figures from the nineteenth and twentieth centuries. The seventy pieces collected here both offer sharp observations of the country and are equally revealing about the travelers themselves. Each extract, where possible, is prefaced by a brief biography of its author. For readers interested in the origins and historical role of travel writing in general, and how they relate to Ireland, the editor offers an illuminating introduction. This anthology presents illuminating snapshots of Ireland over two hundred years. It also provides insights into the varied perspectives of the travelers themselves, a perspective often influenced by contemporary political events such as the Great Famine, Home Rule, the Civil War and the Troubles. This anthology leaves the reader with an enduring image of Ireland's ability to fascinate and stimulate visitors through two centuries.

"The Catalogue ... has been prepared with a view to accomplish two objects. One, to offer an inventory of all the books on the shelves of the Reference Department of the Manchester Free Library: the other, to supply ... a ready Key both to the subjects of the books, and to the names of the authors." - v. 1, the compiler to the reader.