Sitting in the safety and comfort of my living room while reading "Maiden Voyages" made me to feel alternately happy to be home, and then longing to pack a bag, kiss the family goodbye, and take off on an adventure of my own. Presented in chronological order, beginning with the early 1700's, each exerpt is preceded by a brief description of the author. Only more incredible than the journeys themselves are the women who undertook them. I found myself wanting to read not only the complete texts, but also the biographies of the unique women- enough to keep me safely on the couch for a long time