Europe Revised

by Irvin S. Cobb

This book was converted from its physical edition to the digital format by a community of volunteers. You may find it for free on the web. Purchase of the Kindle edition includes wireless delivery.

216 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 1914

About the author

(Irvin Shrewsbury Cobb)

American author, humorist, editor and columnist from Paducah, Kentucky who relocated to New York during 1904, living there for the remainder of his life.

He wrote for the New York World, Joseph Pulitzer's newspaper, as the highest paid staff reporter in the United States.

Cobb also wrote more than 60 books and 300 short stories. Some of his works were adapted for silent movies. Several of his Judge Priest short stories were adapted for two feature films during the 1930s directed by John Ford.

Reviews

[Thom Swennes · Rating 3 out of 5]

This vaguely informative and immensely satirical travel book of Europe, published in 1914 takes a look at a few European countries through American eyes. It would fit nicely between Mark Twain’s Innocence Abroad and Neither Here Nor There by Bill Bryson. I say this because all three books look at Europe through American eyes that are both comfortable and partial to the American way of life. Travel books aren’t generally my forte but I have enjoyed all three of these; especially Europe Revised. As an American expatriate, living in Europe, I can readily see the observations (made almost 95 years ago) of customs and idiosyncrasies of England, France and Germany still, by in large, hold true today. The political structures of these same countries have undergone vast changes but the people have stayed the same. My biggest regret is that the book doesn’t really live up to its title as the greatest part of Europe remains in the dark and totally unmentioned. I think that even today this book holds insight into the peoples of the aforementioned countries that is still legitimate and valid. It would, however, make a poor guide book for the present European traveler. I can highly recommend it to readers of history, social sciences and, of course, humor.

[Josephine Gibbs · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mr. Cobb's commentary on traveling in Europe as an American around the turn of the previous century gives an interesting sense of the era, and is always at least mildly amusing. But the real joy of this book is that Cobb is forever side-swiping you with startlingly funny, burst-out-laughing descriptions and observations. Beware of reading this (or listening on your iPod - it's on Libravox here http://librivox.org/europe-revised-by...) with other people in the room!

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is amazingly valuable for a very simple reason. It was written and published almost immediately prior to the outbreak of the first world war, and details a Europe that just a few months later would no longer exist.

[Sam · Rating 5 out of 5]

As a Kentuckian (like Irvin S. Cobb) who has visited and lived in Europe for a few years I found this book to still have some shocking accuracy. Some of his descriptions of cultures and places are still very accurate. The book is a storytelling of Irvin S. Cobb's trip through several European countries. The beginning of the book emphasising what this "guidebook" is about......not "chock-full of facts" but was more his view of events, places, cultures, people, etc. It may not be full of facts, but there is some impressing accuracy of his views.

That is not why you read this book though. You read this book for the constant comical one liners and humorous short rambles of the author. The book perfects the method of telling an interesting story that guides you, or surprises you, into laughter. Towards the end of the book when I would encounter a story the author was not too keen on I continued reading excitingly waiting for a clever twist.

I found this book to be enjoyable, humorous, and relatively informative. The last few chapters even feeling quite sentimental. A book bought in a a little bookshop in the capital of Kentucky will stay with me forever.

[Paul Beaulieu · Rating 3 out of 5]

An entertaining satire on Europe in the early 20th century; mostly farcical but with wisps of truth here and there. Some of the comic allusions will be lost on a contemporary audience, though most are still comprehensible.

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Brendan · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting book available from project gutenberg or via Librivox. Kind of like reading a Bill Bryson book, only written in the early 1910s. Worth a read (or listen).