Retrospect of Western Travel, Volume II

Harriet Martineau was an English social theorist and Whig writer, often cited as the first female sociologist. 

Harriet Martineau's Retrospect of Western Travel originally published in two volumes in 1838 by the London printer Saunders and Otley. Clearly she was enamored with America and the idea of democracy, although she never hesitated in voicing her outrage over issues such as slavery and women's rights. It is easy to see why this narrative is considered one of the top early travel books on America: it is a fascinating glimpse into an era of progress, expansion, larger-than-life politicians, and the beginning factionalism over slavery. While earnestly moralistic in tone, even dour at times, Martineau's journalistic observations and interest in human affairs are almost as broad--and occasionally troubled--as the newly formed country itself.