Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah

Full of insightful anthropological observations, Burton describes his encounters with Arab cultures and customs. This exciting tale revolves around his disguising as an Afghan doctor in order to not be noticed in his religious pilgrimage. Burton was more than an explorer, though; he was a translator, soldier, cartographer, and spy. His fascinating character comes through brilliantly in this travel account as we discover the East through the eyes of an outsider. Burton's "Narrative" is as much an adventure story as it is a study in cultural anthropology-a true classic of travel writing that helped define the genre.

In "Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah," we are gifted with his personal account of his Haj. Full of insightful anthropological observations, Burton describes his encounters with Arab cultures and customs. This exciting tale revolves around his disguising as an Afghan doctor in order to not be noticed in his religious pilgrimage. Burton was more than an explorer, though; he was a translator, soldier, cartographer, and spy. His fascinating character comes through brilliantly in this travel account as we discover the East through the eyes of an outsider. Burton's "Narrative" is as much an adventure story as it is a study in cultural anthropology-a true classic of travel writing that helped define the genre.

Captain Sir Richard Francis Burton's 19th travelogue is simply fascinating. In disguise and (I'm assuming he's accurate in this) at great risk to himself, Burton made a pilgrimage to Medina and Mecca. His intimate observations of customs, daily life, and travel in a foreign land are the sort that one sees best through the fresh eyes of an outsider, but normally an outsider would be denied that vantage.