Journal Of A Residence In Chile, During The Year 1822

by Maria Graham

Journal Of A Residence In Chile, During The Year 1822 by Maria Callcott. A prefatory note and a long introduction outline the book’s approach to Chilean history from the Spanish conquest through the independence era, emphasizing sources, gaps in records, and the author's method of gathering oral testimony and public documents. The work situates Chile and the western South American littoral from the 16th to early 19th centuries, with extended context for Peru, Buenos Aires, and the Pacific coast, and covers the evolution of governance, frontier warfare, colonial administration, and the economic and political drivers of independence, including external powers such as England and France. The excerpt blends scholarly, revisionist history with political, military, and social commentary, and includes a broad Sketch of the History of Chile that moves toward the beginnings of the Peruvian campaign, as well as references to plates and vignettes. A travelling, documentary frame follows the Preface and Introduction, setting up broader Part 2 through naval exploits and early independence episodes.

564 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1824

About the author

Maria Graham, later Maria, Lady Callcott (sometimes credited as Maria Callcott), was a British writer of travel books and children's books, and also an accomplished illustrator.

Reviews

[Kirsty McCracken · Rating 3 out of 5]

I forgot to post this at the beginning of the month so I guess it's technically Book 50 but it's going up as Book 55.

Maria Graham led a most extraordinary life. She was able to follow her husband all around the world and luckily for us she wrote about it. Sadly at the beginning of this volume she loses her husband to an unmentioned malady. However she defies what was expected of her and stays on in Chile and explores the continent with her friends - old and new. And thanks to her being a woman we get a glimpse into the daily life of women and their families in Chile at the time, something we likely wouldn't have seen had she been a man.

Also, Forgotten Books are a publishing company who take undeservedly forgotten manuscripts and writings and print them in their originally published style. Pretty damn awesome of them, hey?

3.5* for a life well lived.

[QQJJ · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this travel journal by an Englishwoman in 19th century Chile. She happened to be in Chile to write about a major earthquake and a critical time of Chilean independence, as well as descriptions of flora, fauna, geography, housing, customs, and agriculture. I appreciated this early perspective one of the first professional female travel writers.