Journey through the Island of Rügen: A Classical Journey by Arthur Strohmeier is a historically delightful, 245-page translation of a travelogue originally published by Johann Jacob Gruembke in 1803. Consisting of twelve letters, it is a description of how the islanders lived, introduces us to notable island personalities, shows us the landscape, describes the island's landmarks, and how the island was governed. Rewritten by Albert Burkhardt in 1986, from Gothic to modern German, it becomes more accessible to readers. And this author brings it to a wider audience by translating it into English. As a result, reading this book is like taking a journey to the picturesque Ruegen Island in the early nineteenth century.

Arthur Strohmeier's Journey through the Island of Rügen: A Classical Journey is particularly interesting to history buffs but it should be to general readers as well. It is one of those books that help us relate to how the island residents of Ruegen - that lived in the 1800s - went about their daily lives in such a way that we can almost smell the sea breeze, taste the food, enjoy the scenery, face nature's hazards and take part in the island's festivals and celebrations. Indeed, Gruembke's narration in his letters is so vivid and descriptive that one wonders if there is nothing crucial that he misses. Indeed, it is amazing for Strohmeier to capture the essence of the letters. After reading this book, I guess I can surely say that very little is lost in this translation.

Journey Through the Island of Rügen by Arthur Strohmeier is a translation of twelve travel letters written by Johann Jacob Grümbke about Rügen, an island situated in the Baltic Sea. A noted author, geologist, architect and historian, Grümbke was especially well known as the most famous naturalist of his time in the region. This book provides a unique and detailed documentation of life during the early 1800s on his home island, including the history, geography, farming practices, government, religion and customs of the people at that time. It is illustrated with a number of images including lithographs and water colour paintings.

Always with translations, we arrive with a merging of authors. In the case of Journey Through the Island of Rügen, the translator has made available to the English reader missives written over 200 years ago which had probably already been converted from Gothic to modern German. The translation must have been a huge challenge and it is obvious that a great deal of work has gone into making the text read smoothly. This book opens a door into a hitherto unknown world, providing detailed and interesting descriptions of life on the Island of Rügen. We are also given access to the often very poetic thoughts of the original author. I very much enjoyed reading about the farming practices and the plant life, much of which I recognised. The glossary was also particularly interesting and useful in providing an explanation for some of the rather strange terms used in the book. This is an important historical record of the island with additional notes and very helpful comments. Arthur Strohmeier should be applauded for his work.