John James Audubon's Journal of 1826

John James Audubon (1785–1851) is one of America's premier wildlife artists. His monumental Birds of America, a collection of 435 life-sized prints, was published from 1826 to 1838 and is often considered the greatest picture book ever produced. Daniel Patterson is a professor of English at Central Michigan University. He is the author or editor of several books, including Early American Nature Writers: A Biographical Encyclopedia and Susan Fenimore Cooper's Essays on Nature and Landscape. Patricio J. Serrano is the director of the Applied Linguistic Career at Escuela Politécnica del Ejército in Quito, Ecuador. John R. Knott is a professor emeritus of English at the University of Michigan and the author or editor of numerous works, including Imagining Wild America.

• List of IllustrationsForewordJohn R. KnottAcknowledgmentsIntroduction: The History and Significance of Audubon's Journal of 1826Editorial Principles and ProceduresList of Abbreviations and Symbols1. Departure from Bayou Sara and New Orleans; Voyage to Liverpool2. Liverpool3. Manchester4. Return to Liverpool5. Return to Manchester and Travel to Matlock and Bakewell6. EdinburghAppendix A: A Page from Audubon's 1828 JournalAppendix B: Letters of Introduction Copied into the 1826 JournalAppendix C: Front Matter in the Manuscript of the 1826 JournalTextual NotesIndex

"Now, nearly 200 years later, Audubon is in fact "here, there and all over the Globe." And we are very lucky indeed to have a definitive transcription of the document that describes how that happened."—Anthony Doerr, Boston Globe “Thanks to [this] new edition of the personal diary he kept during the voyage [to England], for the first time we are able to enter to some degree into Audubon’s thoughts and feelings during that stressful year [of 1826]”-Robert O. Paxton, New York Review of Books"Patterson strives to be faithful to the original manuscript, preserving Audubon's original writing and style except where it would lead to misunderstanding. This fidelity allows Audubon's own voice to finally emerge and provides a fascinating look at his interests, drives, and opinions."—C.T. Brundy, Choice "Audubon's 1826 journal is one of the few surviving portions of his extensive journals, and a new, scholarly, and correct transcription is a welcome contribution and will become the standard for Audubon scholars and fans alike."—Ron Tyler, director of the Amon Carter Museum and author of Audubon's Great National Work: The Royal Octavo Edition of The Birds of America “This volume is all the more important because it deals specifically with the creation of his masterpiece, Birds of America‚ one of the most cherished books ever produced. This edition corrects many of the errors found in earlier published versions.” – Library Journal"The adventure would continue to unroll after Dec. 31, 1826, when this journal ends, but when Audubon signs off that night, he leaves us feeling that we have accompanied him in the achievement of a masterpiece."—James M. Keller, Pasatiempo