Maiden Voyages

September 27, 1993
In her introduction to this collection, Morris ( Nothing to Declare ) notes that ``women move through the world differently than men.'' She offers these 51 excerpts from the writings of intrepid women as examples of what she calls ``feminist travel writing.'' The works yield a number of diverting moments, although in many cases the brevity of the pieces makes it difficult for the reader to become engaged with the writer or the place explored. In 1717, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu observes that Turkish attire so effectively conceals a woman's identity that she can move about in public with ``more liberty than we have.'' In the 1930s, Vivienne de Watteville tries to photograph an African rhino seconds before it charges her. In the Edwardian age, a journey on horseback in Iceland prompts Englishwoman Ethel Brilliana Tweedie to speak out for ``abolition of the side-saddle for the country, hunting, or rough journeys, for three reasons--1st, safety; 2nd, comfort; 3rd, health.'' During the Depression, Box-Car Bertha travels the United States, finding the hobo life to be remarkably varied but dangerous. During a stay in Shanghai, Emily Hahn acquires and then kicks an addiction to opium.

Starred review from January 1, 1994
This is a fascinating collection of more than 50 travel essays by women writers from the 18th century to the present day. Edited and with an introduction by novelist and travel writer Morris, it dispels any lingering notion that women stayed at home while men saw the world. The writers in this collection range from wealthy women who traveled for pleasure (Edith Wharton visited Morocco) to women who traveled to survive (Box-Car Bertha was a hobo in America during the 1930s). The writers traveled alone (Sarah Hobson disguised herself as a male motorcyclist in Iran), in pairs (Mildred Cable and Francesca French rode on camels through the Gobi Desert), and with their children. The travelers met hardship and danger with remarkable aplomb and returned home to tell of their adventures. This collection is educational, entertaining, and highly recommended for general collections.-- Caroline Mitchell, Washington, D.C.