ThisisabookaboutreadersonthemoveintheageofVictorianempire.Itexaminesthelibrariesandreadinghabitsoffivereadingconstituenciesfromthelongnineteenthcentury:shipboardemigrants,Australianconvicts,Scottishsettlers,polarexplorers,andtroopsintheFirstWorldWar.Whatwastheroleofreadinginextremecircumstances?Howwerenewmeaningsmadeunderstrangeskies?Howwasreadingconnectedwithmobilecommunitiesinanageofexpansion?Uncoveringavastrangeofsourcesfromtheperiod,fromdiaries,periodicals,andliteraryculture,BillBellrevealssomeremarkableandunanticipatedinsightsintothewaythatreadingoperatedwithinandupontheBritishEmpireforoveracentury.
