Memories and Portraits

"Memories and Portraits" by Robert Louis Stevenson is a collection of personal essays from the early 1900s where the author shares memories from his early life and paints pictures of the people and places significant to him. The book begins with Stevenson's thoughts on navigating English society as a Scot, hilariously pointing out their lack of understanding of other cultures, especially Scottish culture, and the importance of language and where you're from.. He also fondly remembers people he met, like a Scottish gardener and his university friends. Stevenson uses these stories to look back at how his early life has shaped who he is, mixing personal stories with bigger ideas about the world.