Following Nellie Bly Her Record-Breaking Race Around the World by Rosemary J Brown

 This is such a delightful, charming book, and I am grateful that it took me on a virtual tour in Nellie Bly's footsteps when international travel is banned from Australia.  Intrepid journalist Nellie Bly decided to try to beat the fictional Phileas Fog's whirlwind trip around the world, and succeeded.  She set off with only one useful dress and very little else, and travelled to several different places, including France, Sri Lanka, Japan and China. One of the highlights of her trip was visiting Phileas's creator Jules Verne and his wife at their home in Amiens, France. She often travelled in style, staying at some grand hotels, but she also had to put up with some awful conditions in various places. Nellie captured hearts wherever she went, especially in her beloved Japan .

Rosemary J. Brown set off to find Nellie, and she found her in a few places, but the world has changed so much with natural disasters, demolished buildings and other changes that it was hard to find spaces which had remained exactly the same. However, Nellie's spirits was with her, and she writes vivid and colourful descriptions of her travels. I especially love her description of beautiful Colombo, which really made me want to visit. She had a much easier time than Nellie on occasion, for example, she travels from London to Colombo in eleven hours; it took Nellie sixteen days!

Like Nellie, Rosemary J. Brown is concerned about violations of human rights, and her descriptions of executions in China both then and now will make your blood run cold. Nellie's fascination with them was rather macabre, though.

I would be happy to read this book again, and it made me want to read more about Nellie Bly.

I received this free ebook from NetGalley in return for an honest review.