In the United States, Edward Lear is best remembered for his delightful limericks and other nonsense poetry. In 1996, Maldwin and his wife Gilly set off in their sailing yacht Gang Warily through the rivers and canals of France to the Mediterranean and south Italy to reach the scenes Lear had described in paint and in words. Edward Lear (1812-1888) had many talents that this book recaptures. He was an artist, illustrator and a writer known for his nonsensical poetry and limericks, a form he popularized. He spent many years in Italy and he managed to paint the landscape, particularly the coast, in his drawings in a way that showed his admiration for the scenery and demonstrated his ability as a topographical artist. He is considered the original green tourist, advocating his way of wandering on foot with a sketchbook to capture the countryside and enjoy the people.