Gulliver's Travels

Three hundred years ago, a great deal of the world as we now know it was still undiscovered. A voyage in those days was not a pleasant thing, and a traveller was likely to encounter mysterious islands and strange people. Danger lurked around every corner, and friends and foes are to be found unexpectedly, and in equal measure.

When Lemuel Gulliver, a ship's surgeon, sets off on the high seas in search of adventure, things never seem to go quite according to plan. Through a series of disasters and misadventures, he finds himself cast upon strange islands whose inhabitants are of the most unusual size, and the most confusing philosophies. Yet Gulliver always seems to make it back to his home country where he recovers from one adventure shortly before setting sail once more and ending up in another one.

Gulliver's Travels has been loved by many generations of readers for almost 300 years, and the telling of the misfortunes and pleasures of its eponymous hero is one of Jonathan Swift's most enduring legacies.

About the Author

Jonathan Swift (1667-1745) was born in Dublin, Ireland. He was a clergyman, and a much-celebrated author and poet, best known for his novel,Gulliver's Travels, which was published in 1726. He is famous for using humour and wit to expose the follies of those around him, and even of himself. This is known as satire. Gulliver's Travels has been in print for almost 300 years and Lemuel Gulliver is a beloved character of English Literature, appearing in artwork, TV adaptions and Hollywood feature films.

About the Illustrator

Robert Ingpen was born in 1936 in Geelong, Australia. He studied illustration art and book design at The Royal Melbourne Institute of Technology. In 1986 he was awarded the Hans Christian Andersen Medal for his contribution to children's literature and has been honoured with Membership of the Order of Australia. A world-renowned artist and author, he has designed, illustrated and written over 100 books. This series of classic works illustrated by Robert includes Treasure Island, Peter Pan and Wendy, The Jungle Book, The Wind in the Willows and A Christmas Carol. Robert lives and works in Anglesea, near his home town of Geelong.