Corea or Cho-sen: The Land of the Morning Calm

Born and educated in Florence, Arnold Henry Savage Landor (1867-1925) abandoned his art studies in Paris in favour of adventurous expeditions across Asia, Africa, the Middle East and South America. A fellow of the Royal Geographical Society from 1892, Landor was also made a member of the Royal Institution in 1897. Dismissive of specialist equipment, he embarked on extraordinary trips that often required considerable courage and endurance. Another of his publications, Alone with the Hairy Ainu (1893), is also reissued in the Cambridge Library Collection. The present work, first published in 1895, is an absorbing account of the geography, people and culture of Korea. While Landor’s grasp of the forces of change at work in the country may be partial, the work nevertheless demonstrates a valuable understanding of Korean culture and customs not found in earlier accounts. Many fine illustrations by Landor himself increase the book’s appeal.