The Amateur Emigrant

In July 1879, Robert Louis Stevenson left Scotland to meet his future wife in her native California. Leaving by ship from Glasgow, Scotland, he determined to travel in steerage class to see how the working classes fared. At the last minute he was convinced by friends to purchase a ticket one grade above the lowest price, for which he was later thankful after seeing the conditions in steerage, but he still lived among the 'lower' classes. His comments on the experience make interesting reading. His father however was so shocked at the thought of his son associating with people 'beneath him' that the work was not published for a number of years, (Summary by annise) (2 hr 48 min)

Chapters

The Second Cabin	16:37	Read by Annise
Early Impression	18:12	Read by Annise
Steerage Scenes	16:31	Read by Annise
Steerage Types	23:52	Read by Annise
The Sick Man	20:01	Read by Annise
The Stowaways	28:55	Read by Annise
Personal Experience and Review	24:38	Read by Annise
New York	19:52	Read by Annise

Reviews

a bracing read

(5 stars)

BillR

This is an unusual work, combining the viewpoint of a traveler to the US in the late 19th century who was on the cheap, but was nonetheless well-lettered and a good storyteller. The reader does the work justice.

NO STEERAGE FOR ME

(3.5 stars)

Avid Listener

A mildly interesting look at steerage passengers who were mostly emigrants. The observing abilities of RLS are not up to the level of Hawthorne or Irving, but they were OK. Good reader.

good story