This abridged version of Harriet Martineau's narrative of her travels in Jacksonian America preserves her reporting on slavery and other current topics of the day, as well as her insights on women's place in society, and her observations and vignettes of famous people such as John Calhoun.

Martineau's classic American travel narrative has long been unavailable. This new abridgment of the original 1838 edition offers an unsurpassed firsthand view of Jacksonian America. Here are Martineau's penetrating condemnation of slavery and her championship of abolition and women's rights; her incisive portraits of Jackson, Clay, Calhoun, Webster, Garrison, Emerson, and the Beechers; her critical observations of American schools, asylums, colleges, and prisons; and more. Historian Daniel Feller, author of The Jacksonian Promise, introduces the narrative, identifies the major characters, and provides an index for easy use.