BBC-TV personality Nicholas Crane follows in the footsteps of eight intrepid early explorers who set out to chronicle the state of the British nation. These travelers range from Gerald of Wales, who embarked on a seven-week journey around that country in 1188, to journalist H.V. Morton, who crossed the length and breadth of England by car in the 1920s. Each one—including Celia Fiennes, Daniel Defoe, and William Cobbett—left behind narratives for us to enjoy. Crane shares their passion, imagination, and curiosity.