You can not judge people from in the past to the same standards we hold today. We are products of our environments and culture. People 200 years from now will not see everything the same as we do today. Just because we live in the current year doesn’t mean we have everything figured out. I’d rather hear her true feelings (and see them through the context that they were formed ) than not hear her observations or her not telling what she really felt just to shield readers worried about people’s feelings… a hundred years in the future.

My hero!! Do a video about her trip to Hawaii!!

The book is wonderful. Her ability to describe what she is seeing, especially nature and art, is remarkable for it’s fine descriptiveness and often reads like poetry.

If you want to learn more about her story, you might want to read the manga Isabella Bird in Wonderland. Of course it embellishes her character a bit more to be likeable but I think it's an interesting and entertaining read.

Fabulous, more please!

The book is titled "Unbeaten Tracks in Japan". Not sure where you got your "Northern". It's been pointed out that in fact she originally planned to get a boat from Niigata to Hokkaido.

Impressive woman indeed, I wonder if she inspired Alexandra David-Neel and others. Thank you for your video - and I congratulate you on drinking Pastis (I could not help but notice the bottle behind you...)

She is from a different time.  She didn’t have an open mind to the difference in others

Near the end of summer 2014, I amazon’d this ‘Unbeaten Tracks’ and her 1897 ‘Korea and Her Neighbors’, both Japanese translated books. Well, as I’ve found out then, not all, but most of her books (in English) are web obtainable.

At that time, I was suddenly obsessed by her for don’t know why, I finished reading that ‘Korea’ one in roughly 20 months, read her original text along with Japanese translation, En-Ja, sentence by sentence carefully, and from time to time repeatedly.

Well, I’m after all foreign to these two languages, that’s why it took me so much time. After that, I gave up reading ‘Unbeaten Tracks,’ my obsession cooled down for don’t know why. But these days I’m more or less inclining to pick it up and read it through ... may be, unconsciously, don’t like that paid to Amazon money be wasted...?

Just remember, everything must be put in context re: the era in history. Let’s not be so quick to label people/things/events as racist. An overused catch-all word present day.

“A Lady’s Life in the Rocky Mountains” is a fascinating read.

Very interesting story.

Very interesting and informative video, but please sweeten the audio.

haha "if you're interested in reading her book for yourself, don't!" ok... I was about to. thanks for the great summary!

Interesting, but please dont apply 21st centur y attitudes to what people did in the past. Terms like 'problematic' are thrmselves problematic because they imply superiority and that your view is right. Anyone who has travelled knows that difficulties  encountered along the way will curve your attitudes. It was no different in the 19th century.

Perhaps rather than be ing excessively woke you might imagine that people in the future may be repulsed at your judgement of her views as virtue signalling.do not forget...you are a product of your time..and with its short comings..the sooner people  look at historical figures world view in context the better it will be..yes you can note where they differ from our own and why but to get too judgemental is wrong..acts of extreme cruelty aside..after all their views are exemplary of the age they live in and it is important to understand her era to see that in action...of course where someone historical displays views which are forward thinking  then that is worth looking at..all you have to do is place yourself in that persons era with the common views and predudices and imagine ..would you really be any different if you had grown up with it.
After all it is rather stupid to be interested m in historical figues but expect the same views and opinions as ouselves.