Trollope (1815-82) was an English novelist of the Victorian era whose best-known work is the series of novels collectively known as the Chronicles of Barsetshire. He also wrote numerous other novels on political, social and gender issues and other topical matters. In addition to his writing, Trollope had a long career within the Post Office and in 1858 undertook one of several foreign missions, this time to the West Indies. This work, first published in 1859, gives an account of his observations of life in the Caribbean and Central America.