David R. Locke, writing under his pseudonym Petroleum V. Nasby, opens Nasby in Exile with a frank admission: the book is a "purely mercantile speculation" compiled from letters originally published in the Toledo Blade. The preface sets a no-nonsense tone, stating that the ground covered has been traversed "a thousand times" by other writers. What distinguishes this account, Locke insists, is the "pair of American eyes" through which he viewed Europe. He explicitly avoids describing scenery and architecture, focusing instead on "the men and women of the countries I passed through, I was interested in their ways of living, their industries and their customs and habits." This direct, self-aware opening primes the reader for a travelogue that prioritizes social observation over picturesque description.

A Self-Aware Traveler's Frame

Locke's preface establishes a distinctive narrative stance. He acknowledges that the book was not issued "in compliance with any demand" and that no subscriber asked for the letters to be collected. This bluntness extends to his method: he traveled with five other passengers who formed a loose party, and the book records their shared experiences. The preface also reveals that Locke edited the original newspaper letters for publication, suggesting a careful shaping of the material. Readers should note how this framing colors the entire work—Locke positions himself as a pragmatic observer, not a romantic traveler. The opening thus signals that the value of the book lies not in novelty of itinerary but in the particularity of the author's viewpoint.

The American Gaze on French Sobriety

In the excerpt on Paris, Locke applies his American lens to French drinking habits. He contrasts the moderate French consumption of diluted wine with the "fiery, bowel-burning, stomach-destroying, brain-shriveling liquor" of American whisky drinkers. The passage is rich with specific detail: the Frenchman sips wine diluted "fully one-half with water" over an evening, consuming no more than a pint. Locke notes that the water of Paris is considered bad, leading to the universal use of wine as a "corrective." He even includes a comic aside about his companion Tibbitts, who keeps a bottle of cognac to mix with water, claiming he "thought too much of his mother" to drink the local water straight. This blend of ethnographic observation and wry humor is characteristic of Locke's approach throughout the book.

Tibbitts and the Party Dynamic

The recurring figure of Tibbitts serves as a foil and comic relief. In the Paris excerpt, Tibbitts's remark that American water was "more exhilarating" than French wine, and his insistence on using cognac as a water purifier, highlight the cultural clashes that Locke finds most engaging. The preface mentions that the six travelers were together "most of the time," and the excerpts suggest that their interactions provide a running commentary on European mores. Locke's observations are often filtered through the reactions of his companions, creating a layered narrative. Readers should pay attention to these secondary voices, as they add texture to Locke's own judgments and prevent the account from becoming a solitary monologue.

Structure and Scope: A Selective Tour

The book's subtitle promises "many things not of travel," and the preface confirms that Locke deliberately avoids set-piece descriptions of scenery. Instead, he focuses on industries, customs, and daily life. The excerpt on French drinking habits exemplifies this: it is less about the sights of Paris than about the social practices surrounding alcohol. Locke's method is to take a single topic—here, sobriety—and explore it through anecdote, comparison, and generalization. The book's length (over 200,000 words) and its origin as weekly newspaper columns suggest a episodic structure. Readers should expect each chapter or section to function as a self-contained essay on a particular aspect of European life, held together by Locke's consistent voice and the thread of the journey.

Locke's preface explicitly warns that he will not describe scenery, and the excerpts bear this out. First-time readers should approach Nasby in Exile as a series of social commentaries rather than a conventional travelogue. The author's American perspective is both the book's limitation and its strength: it offers a pointed, often humorous critique of European customs while revealing as much about the observer as the observed. Pay attention to the recurring character of Tibbitts and the dynamic among the traveling party, as these provide a human counterpoint to Locke's broader observations.