Volume One – INTRODUCTION – contains twelve background chapters, divided between three sections that deal respectively with Sweden and the rest of the world in the 18th century (chapters One to Three), with Carl Linnaeus and his scholarly environment (chapters Four to Six) and with the technical aspects of 18th-century research in natural history (chapters Seven to Twelve). This richly illustrated volume begins with the EDITOR’S INTRODUCTION and FOREWORD, followed by articles written by leading scientific writers (G. Broberg, R. Edberg, U. Ehrensvärd, A. Ericsson, G. Eriksson, K. Grandin, V. Hansen, S. Helmfrid, C. Linnaeus, H. Smethman, P. Sörbom and S. Sörlin) in various subject fields, which are essential for an understanding of the 18th-century world.

This volume – EUROPE, ARCTIC & ASIA – contains the texts of two books, opening with ANTON ROLANDSSON MARTIN’S own account of his journeys to Spitsbergen and Norway, which contains unique descriptions of that part of the world and of the hardships of travelling in areas of extreme cold. The most extensive part of the volume is JOHAN PETER FALCK’S account of his Russian journey. He was a diligent and meticulous observer of natural history and of local cultures. The volume is amply illustrated with plates and two maps covering Falck’s journey.

This volume – EUROPE, NORTH & SOUTH AMERICA – consists of three books. The first two contain accounts of the journeys of PEHR KALM, with detailed information on the cultural and natural history of both southeastern England and, above all, the eastern regions of North America. The third book contains the unique descriptions of PEHR LÖFLING’S travels in Spain and Venezuela. DANIEL ROLANDER’S comprehensive and detailed multidisciplinary presentation, primarily of Suriname, concludes the wealth of information on the New World encompassed in this volume, which is amply illustrated with plates and maps.

This volume – EUROPE, THE MIDDLE EAST, NORTH EAST & WEST AFRICA – contains the travel accounts left by GÖRAN ROTHMAN, FREDRIK HASSELQUIST, PETER FORSSKÅL, ANDREAS BERLIN and ADAM AFZELIUS. They are unique multidisciplinary documents, extending geographically from the countries of the eastern and southern Mediterranean through the regions of Arab culture down to the equatorial regions of West Africa. The volume is illustrated with plates and maps.

This volume – SOUTHERN AFRICA, OCEANIA, ANTARCTICA & SOUTH AMERICA – contains the meticulous accounts of ANDERS SPARRMAN’S various travels around the southern hemisphere. They include vivid and multidisciplinary observations of great value for cultural and natural history. The volume is beautifully illustrated with plates and two maps.

This volume – EUROPE, SOUTHERN AFRICA, EAST, SOUTHERN & SOUTHEAST ASIA – contains CARL PETER THUNBERG’S fact-filled journals from his various sojourns in Europe but principally his detailed descriptions from South Africa, Java, Sri Lanka and Japan. They provide an entertaining text with multidisciplinary observations of great value for cultural and natural history. The volume is illustrated with plates.

This volume – EUROPE, SOUTHERN AFRICA, OCEANIA, SOUTH AMERICA, EAST-, SOUTHERN- & SOUTHEAST ASIA – contains the accounts left behind by PEHR OSBECK, OLOF TORÉN, CARL FREDRIK ADLER, CHRISTOPHER TÄRNSTRÖM and DANIEL SOLANDER. They are unique multidisciplinary documents, with a geographical range extending from Europe to South Africa, India, China, Vietnam, French Polynesia, Australia, New Zealand, New Guinea, Java, Brazil and Argentina. The volume is illustrated with plates.

The concluding VOLUME EIGHT, entitled ENCYCLOPÆDIA, contains factual information presented in reference form (text and maps) under the following three headings: BIOGRAPHIES WITH MAPS, INDEX VOLUMES ONE TO SEVEN and iLINNAEUS.ORG. The index covers approximately 5,500 indexed printed pages, resulting in around 150,000 specific search terms and a considerable number of cross-references or references to modern biological nomenclature. It is in volume eight that general facts and search facilities relating to all the volumes and www.iLinnaeus.org are to be found.