Amateur Emigrant

In July 1879, Robert Louis Stevenson embarked on a transformative journey from Scotland to California to reunite with his future wife. Opting for a taste of the working-class experience, he initially planned to travel in steerage, but friends persuaded him to upgrade to a slightly better class. Grateful for this decision after witnessing the dire conditions of steerage, Stevenson immersed himself among the lower classes, capturing his observations in vivid detail. His candid reflections on the voyage and the people he encountered offer a fascinating glimpse into life during that era. However, his fathers disapproval of his associations with those deemed beneath him delayed the publication of these insights for several years. Join us as we explore Stevensons remarkable journey and the social commentary woven through his experiences.