Algeria from within

"Algeria from Within" by R. V. C. (Ronald Victor Courtenay) Bodley is a travel book that looks at the country in the 1920s. The author wants to show what Algeria is really like by looking at its society, politics, and landscapes, since a tourist or outsider's view might be wrong or not go far enough. Bodley explains how the French colonists and the people who already lived there, like the Arabs and Berbers, interacted, and he celebrates Algerian culture. At the start, the author explains he wants to learn about Algeria by living there and seeing things for himself, hoping this will attract both vacationers and people who study culture. He knows it will be hard to truly understand the country because the local Muslims and the French colonists don't trust each other. Bodley thinks that most books about Algeria aren't complete or honest, so he wants to show how the country really works, not just what it looks like on the outside. This sets up a journey to discover Algeria's many different landscapes, the lives of its people, and the interesting culture to be found in this North African country.