A Journey Around My RoomWhat do you do when you find yourself imprisoned in your room for 6 weeks? Xavier de Maistre, a 27-year-old Frenchman found himself in this uneasy situation when he was arrested in Turin after a duel, in the Spring of 1790. But with only a butler and a dog for company, Xavier de Maistre managed to fill his time by embarking on a journey around his bedroom, later writing an account of what he had seen. Whether venturing from his bed to his sofa, or even to his mirror, he wears his "traveling outfit”--his favorite pink and blue pajamas. Out of his forced reclusion comes a captivating fantasy--a novel take on travel literature that would inspire many later writers, including Marcel Proust. This edition also contains de Maistre’s A Nocturnal Expedition around My Room. Xavier de Maistre was a military man, who supplemented his army career with short works of fiction. |
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A.N. Wilson abandon able agreeable Alain de Botton Alps armchair Aspasia beast beautiful chapter charming Colm Tóibín consolation D.H. Lawrence dare dark dear death delightful discoveries door Doris Lessing dream dressing gown E.T.A. Hoffmann embark enchanted enjoy eternity everything existence eyes face fate fatherland favour feel forty-two days friends gaze Germaine Greer Gilbert Adair give hand happiness head heart heaven Hesperus Press hope ideas imagination Joannetti journey ladies leave Libby Purves live longer look lover Maistre's Martin Jarvis meditations melancholy memory mind mirror Mme de Hautcastel nature never night Nocturnal Expedition noise painting Peter Ackroyd philosopher pleasure portrait reader realise reflections reply Rosine sight sleep slipper soul space star sublime suddenly tell thing thought thousand Tim Parks travelling Turin turn unhappy whole window woman word write Xavier de Maistre