Bird (1831-1904) recounts her rugged passage through the Himalayas by horseback and her four-month sojourn amid "the pleasantest of people." Bird's evocative accounts of Tibetan ceremonies, decorations, costumes, and music, along with her vivid descriptions of palaces, temples, and monasteries, offer rare glimpses of a vanished world. 21 black-and-white illustrations. Unabridged republication of the edition originally published by Fleming H. Revell Company, New York, 1894.
A Lady's Life in the Rocky Mountains by Isabella L. Bird Eloquent descriptions by a middle-aged Englishwoman — traveling alone in the Colorado Rockies during 1873 — of flora and fauna, isolated settlers, vigilance committees, lynchings, and other fascinating subjects.
Magic and Mystery in Tibet by Madame Alexandra David-Neel A practicing Buddhist and Oriental linguist recounts supernatural events she witnessed in Tibet during the 1920s. Intelligent and witty, she describes the fantastic effects of meditation and shamanic magic — levitation, telepathy, more. 32 photographs.
Memoirs of an Arabian Princess from Zanzibar by Emily Ruete, Sayyida Prin. of Zanzibar This 19th-century autobiography offers a rare inside look at the society surrounding a sultan's palace. A real-life princess in exile recalls her vanished world of harems, slave trading, and court intrigues.
Unbeaten Tracks in Japan by Isabella L. Bird The intrepid explorer recounts her 1878 excursion into the back country of the Far East. Bird describes the vicissitudes of her journey — the difficulties as well as the excitement and rewards.