If you've only read Robert Louis Stevenson's adventure novels, you may be surprised to find he was also an accomplished travel writer and essayist. In this collection, first published in book form in 1882, Stevenson takes us on a series of journeys based on events in the author's own short but memorable life. "Across the Plains" is an account of crossing North America via the New York-San Francisco railway. "The Old Pacific Capitol" takes the reader to the old Mexican town of Monterrey, California. Stevenson transports us to an artists' colony in France and the wild Scottish coast of Fife; other essays look at such various topics as begging, the role of education, and the human condition. Throughout, Stevenson conveys the same sense of adventure and zest for life that makes his fiction so memorable. Across the Plains is a treat for Stevenson fans and newcomers alike.