Fresh out of Oxford at the height of the Roaring Twenties, the young Englishman Robert Byron was already making waves as a bold young travel writer with a keen eye for art and a sharp wit when, in 1927, he embarked on a journey to the isolated monastic community of Mount Athos. With the world around him rapidly changing, this timeless Holy Mountain, a place steeped in centuries of tradition, called to him "like a star to the wise men."

The Station chronicles Byron's explorations of this unique peninsula, where twenty monasteries cling to the rugged slopes above the Aegean Sea and time seems to stand still. He delves into the intricacies of Eastern Orthodox monastic life, with its elaborate rituals, exquisite Byzantine art, and complex political history. Byron recounts his journey and reflections with verve and erudition, and he never shies away from offering bold opinions, whether in debating theology with monks, critiquing architectural styles, or contemplating the decline of the Byzantine Empire.

Byron's book is a pioneering travelogue that would set the bar for literary travel writing for every twentieth-century writer working in his wake. It is a vibrant and insightful portrait of a world rarely seen by outsiders. Byron's irreverent humor and intellectual curiosity illuminate every page, making this a captivating read for anyone interested in history, religion, or art generally, the Byzantine world in particular, or above all, the enduring fascination of cultured travel in the analog era.

Our new edition features an introduction by our editorial team, clean and modern modern typesetting, and a conveniently accessible paperback format suitable for both library shelves and travelers' carry-on luggage.

In 1836, the young Scottish naval officer John Wood embarked on a mission up the Indus River and into Afghanistan in search of the source of the Oxus River, one of the largest waterways of Central Asia and an important strategic feature in the nineteenth century's Great Game between the British and Russian empires. Steeped in the legacies of Alexander the Great, Babur, and Marco Polo, he would document his journey with not only a professional commitment to detail, but also a vivid personal curiosity and a clear moral sensibility. He illuminates both the physical territory that he traverses and the people whom he meets—from generous villagers to petty potentates, as well as a rogues' gallery of bandits, slave traders, and even a drunken and dueling Frenchman.

Our new edition of Wood’s lively account of exploration features an original introduction by our publishing team, modern typesetting in a classic style, and comfortable margins suitable for note-taking.