IN Travels of a Victorian Photographer, Francis Frith has featured extracts from the writings of Hardy, Dickens and others, selected and introduced by Roger Hudson. It's published by The Folio Society at £24.95

In the Victorian age, a whole new breed of traveller emerged, enjoying new found prosperity, and a new mobility afforded by the railways. Touring holidays and seaside breaks became, if not accessible to all, then certainly much more widespread pursuits. This created a whole new demand for pictorial souvenirs of Britain's scenic spots.

Francis Frith, successful entrepreneur and adventurer, pioneered the picture postcard to serve this new market, and set about documenting Britain's highways, byways, lochs and lakes, seasides, harbours and cliffs, cathedrals and stately homes, from Land's End to John O'Groats

Travels of a Victorian Photographer brings together more than 100 of Frith's postcards, accompanied by travelogues and reminiscences and extracts from well-known works by contemporary writers including Dickens, Hardy, Henry James and Beatrix Potter. The book conjures up a vivid picture of Victorian Britain, showing how some of Britain's landscapes have remained unaffected by time, while others have changed beyond recognition.

Frith was born in Chesterfield, Derbyshire, in 1822. He went first into wholesale grocery and then into printing, making enough money to retire at the age of 34. He then went travelling to Egypt and the Holy Land, where he photographed the Pyramids and the Old and New Testament sites, developing the negatives in tombs, temples and caves. In 1859 he set up his photography business in Reigate. By 1886, 2000 shops stocked Frith photographs. Frith died in Cannes in 1898.

Folio titles are not available from bookshops, but can be ordered direct from The Folio Society on 020 7400 4200.