From Vermont to Damascus : $b Returning by way of Beyrout, Smyrna, Ephesus, Athens, Constantinople, Budapest, Vienna, Paris, Scotland, and England

A restless Vermonter trades bitter winters for sun‑lit ports, joining a small band of scholars, physicians, and curious travelers on a grand 1895 expedition through Italy, Egypt, and the Holy Land. The book gathers his daily letters into a lively chronicle, offering vivid portraits of orange groves, Nile barges, and ancient stone sanctuaries while noting the practicalities of passports, currency exchanges, and travel gear. Readers feel the excitement of boarding the steamship Normannia and setting foot on foreign soil through clear, personable prose.

The journey then sweeps through Greece, Constantinople, and a circuit of European capitals—Budapest, Vienna, Paris, Scotland, and England—each described with an eye for local color and architecture. Interspersed illustrations of market scenes, veiled women, and historic monuments lend a visual richness to the memoir. Beyond its storytelling charm, the volume doubles as a handy guide, offering advice on clothing, water filtration, and budgeting for the intrepid wanderer.