The Air-Conditioned Nightmare

The Air-Conditioned Nightmare by Henry Miller

Henry Miller grew up in New York and fled to Europe. Shortly before World War II, he returned to America and wrote this book about his journeys in the country. His tone is extremely negative, and comes across as an "apostate" from the country. He hates America and criticizes just about everything he sees. His positive views are on things like France and the Baha'i faith. 

The journey was made in 1940, shortly before the US entered World War II. The most interesting parts are the side notes about the country in the time. Hitler was rising, but it was not clear what the end result would be or whether the US would become involved. The prices at the time were ridiculously low compared today. Big tourist attractions still attracted tourists doing the tourist things. In some ways it does not seem different from many more modern road trip travelogues. 

The Algerine Captive

The Algerine Captive: or the Life and Adventures of Doctor Updike Underhill: Six Years a Prisoner among the Algerines by Royall Tyler

A boy struggles with what to do with his life. He comes from an American family of some means, so he is sent off to college. He takes well to his studies, but runs into social problems. Even after learning medicine, he still runs into issues with the people and finds talking nonsense can be just as impressive as knowledge. He ends up being challenged in a duel, which he narrowly escapes by following appropriate protocol. (You are supposed to show you have character, but not actually kill somebody.) He encounters slaves in the south and later finds himself working a ship involved in the slave trade. As a doctor, he beseaches the crew to treat the Africans better, but it is to no avail. Later, he finds himself captured in Algiers and he becomes a slave. He details his treatment as well as the Islamic culture. He is able to practice medicine, however, people are reluctant to be treated by an infidel. They try to convert him to no avail.

This is one of the earliest American novels. It is also an early anti-slavery novel. It portrays the evils of African slavery. Then it flips things to show the evil that Americans experience when they are enslaved themselves. This makes it more relatable. The novel itself is easy to read and relatable to modern audiences, even though it is close to two and a half centuries old. The first part about academic training and usefulness (or lack thereof) is also a bright spot.