Journey by DK Publishing Staff

Journey by DK Publishing Staff ISBN-13: 9781465464149 Hardcover: 440 pages Publisher: DK Released: Oct. 3, 2017

Source: ebook review copy from the publisher through NetGalley.

Book Description from NetGalley:
An illustrated account of human movement, travel, exploration, and scientific discovery—from the first trade networks in ancient Sumer to the epic Voyager missions.

Human journeys arise from all manner of impulses, from migration and the search for food, to pilgrimages, trade, scientific curiosity, or simply the quest for adventure. Journey traces each through lively accounts, alongside the biographies of conquerors, explorers, and travelers; stories of technological innovation; literary journals; and works of art. Themed spreads and feature panels capture the romance of travel with evocative accounts, archive images, historic maps, and artifacts, while catalog spreads add glamour and nostalgia, showcasing objects and documents associated with the rise of travel, such as postcards and passports. A textured cover with a picture-perfect image and shiny finishes make it ideal for gift-giving.

Produced in association with the Smithsonian Institution.


My Review:
Journey is an illustrated book reviewing the history of travel. The book started with ancient civilizations (Minoan, Egypt, Polynesian, Persian, Greek, Asian, Roman, etc.) and discussed the reach of their trading and the technology they used (like the type of boat and how accurate their maps or traveler's tales were).

Then we moved chronologically through history to learn about famous explorers, well-known journeys, and accounts of various travels. We learned about the rise of new technologies (like trains, bicycles, or airplanes), how they changed over time, and how they changed society. We also learned motives for travel (usually trade related), about popular trips like the Grand Tour or popular destinations like spas, and about things that developed to support travel (like highways and hotels). We learned about when a technology--like flight--first came about, but also why and when it became widespread or popular.

There were pictures of things like reconstructed ancient boats, various models of cars or airplanes, travel posters, famous explorers, historical maps and maps of the route taken by the explorers, paintings of various events, and more. At the back of the book, there were brief biographies of famous explorers and travelers. After that were listings of various trips (like to the Wall of China or along the Livingston trail) and the sights you might see. Overall, I greatly enjoyed this interesting and informative book and would recommend it.


If you've read this book, what do you think about it? I'd be honored if you wrote your own opinion of the book in the comments.