The Illustrated Virago Book Of Women Travellers

In this new illustrated edition of The Virago of Women Travellers, three hundred years of wanderlust are captured as women travel for peril and pleasure, whether to gaze into Persian gardens or imbibe the French countryside, to challenge the fierce Sahara or climb an impossible mountain.Some of these women are observers of the world in which they wander. Others are more active as participants in the culture they are visiting. Often they are storytellers, weaving tales about the people they encounter. In some cases gender is transcended or women assumed leadership roles traditionally attributed to men.Whether it is curiosity about the world or escape from personal tragedy, these women approached their journeys with wit, intelligence, compassion and empathy for the lives of others.