[1] It covers his pre-war experience in London, the capital city of England and the United Kingdom.
Chiang Yee's account was one of the first widely available books written by a Chinese author in English.
He was fascinated by such social conventions as afternoon tea and discussing the weather.
Comparing London with China Chiang Yee draws parallels and contrasts: The book is illustrated by the author with colour and monochrome plates in a Chinese style.
In 1940, he moved from London to Oxford due to the loss of his flat during the Blitz in World War II, and subsequently wrote The Silent Traveller in Oxford in 1944.