George Nathaniel Curzon was a man of considerable intellect and ambition, combined with a degree of energy and application which were all the more remarkable given that he suffered throughout his life from a spinal deformity which gave him continuous pain and often incapacitated him. His correspondence was prodigious and his output of books, articles and speeches extensive, while the official documents that he produced reveal his close attention to even minor aspects of his responsibilities. Some of his speeches and articles were concerned with British political affairs, and other articles and books dealt with his interest in the conservation and restoration of buildings. The majority, however, stemmed from his global travels and his time as Viceroy of India.His travel writings were notable not just as travelogues, but also for the political, commercial and economic commentaries and analysis that they contained. Sir Martin Ewans has agreed to edit a selection of these writings for Routledge in a five-volume set, bringing his personal experience as a diplomat and acknowledged expert on Central Asian affairs to this comprehensive collection of the works of Curzon that will prove an invaluable research resource for the future.