The volume contains typed transcripts of letters written by Isabella du Pont Sharp (1882-1946) to her sister, Margaretta du Pont Carpenter (1884-1973) while the Sharp family, friends, and children's nurses traveled around the world. The letters were collected, transcribed and printed for the use of family members by her son, Hugh R. Sharp Jr. (1909-1990).

The itinerary of the tour, the foreign portion of which was arranged by Thomas Cook & Son, was typical of upper class American tourism of the period. The Sharps traveled west across the United States, stopping at the Grand Canyon, Santa Barbara and San Francisco before embarking for an stay in the Hawaiian Islands. From there they proceeded to Japan, where they visted Tokyo, Kyoto, and Kamakura and climbed Mount Fuji. Their extended stay in Japan was punctuated by a side trip to Korea and Beijing. Leaving Japan, they traveled to Hong Kong, the Philippines, Singapore and Burma, followed by an extended tour of India and Ceylon. From Ceylon, they sailed for Egypt and a trip up the Nile to Aswan, then crossed to Nice and on to Rome, Florence, Venice, Paris and London.

The letters contain very short descriptions of standard tourist sights, such as the Grand Canyon, the Taj Mahal, the Kamakura Buddha, Mount Fuji, surfing in Hawaii and Raffles Hotel in Singapore, and of the accommodations on the trains, ocean liners, river steamers and carriages dedicated to the international tourist trade. However, the bulk of the text is given over to family and domestic matters, including the activities and health of the children, meals and dress, and shopping for souvenirs, particularly indigenous handicrafts and clothing.