An Autobiographical Excursion (1933)

[Simon]

   

"Looking Back: An Autobiographical Excursion" is a memoir written by Norman Douglas, a British writer and travel writer who lived from 1868 to 1952. The book is a collection of essays and anecdotes that reflect on Douglas's life and experiences, from his childhood in Austria to his travels around the world. The memoir is divided into two parts. The first part focuses on Douglas's early life, including his childhood in Austria, his education at Oxford University, and his travels around Europe. He also writes about his experiences as a soldier in the British Army during World War I. The second part of the book is devoted to Douglas's travels around the world, including his time in India, Africa, and the Americas. He reflects on the people he met, the cultures he encountered, and the landscapes he explored. Throughout the book, Douglas's writing is characterized by his wit, humor, and insight into the human condition. "Looking Back: An Autobiographical Excursion" is a fascinating glimpse into the life of one of the most important writers and travel writers of the early 20th century. It is a must-read for anyone interested in literature, travel, or the human experience.
The book's premise is that Douglas is picking visiting-cards at random out of a bowlful which had accumulated during his lifetime, and writing about the people who had left them – and thus about himself too. As regards himself, he was bold in what he did reveal, but his revelations are veiled in a slight aura of ambiguity which can best be removed by referring to the best and most thorough biography of Norman Douglas by Mark Holloway.

George Norman Douglas (8 December 1868 – 7 February 1952) was an Austro-Scottish novelist and travel writer, widely admired in his day. He was also an active lover of boys, which was well-known in his social and literary circles, but not outside it. The book is dedicated to Ernest Frederick Eric Wolton (1898-1958), whose lover Douglas had been when Wolton was a boy and with whom he was to remain intimate friends until death.
Douglas was a frequent visiter to, and inhabitant of the Isle of Capri (Italy) in the late 19th and early 20th century.
Additional notes with thanks to the editor of the webpage "Looking Back by Norman Douglas"

"Looking Back: An autobiographical Excursion" by Norman Douglas (1933) has been scanned and converted to retail quality ebook using ABBYYFineReader and Sigil.
My apologies for any errors of French, Italian or German, or omission of relevant accents or mis-spellings, as some passages in languages other than English took some time to render accurately. At 450 pages, and given the author's writing style, the spellcheck list in Sigil was quite extensive.