Passionate Nomad: The Life of Freya Stark

Dame Freya Stark (who died in 1993 at the age of 100) was, simply, an amazing, uppity, wild woman - WELL ahead of her time and full of the demons and insecurities that frequently propel the great among us to show their true colors. Having lived in the Middle East I was absolutely absorbed by this incredibly well-documented and tenderly written portrayal of a woman who eventually became one of the England's most favorite travelers and 'royal geographers' (and, some say, an accurate foreteller of Arab/Israeli conflict)!  Stark struck out late in life (in her 30s) on a journey of solitary trips and exploration throughout Syria, Iran, Yemen, and other corners of the region, as well as living an extremely active British propagandist's life in Egypt during WW II. That she traveled alone in places where ne'er a Western woman had trod before is at first extraordinary, but in addition, she also had the skill, want, and presence of mind to write prolifically about her experiences and adventures, not only in the form of news articles but in detailed, emotional, voluminous letters to friends and family. And thank goodness. Stark's life was, in a sense, quite bi-polar. On the one hand she yearned to marry and have children and yet had she done that she would likely never have charted maps, discovered mythical ruins, and run rogue through various British attempts at diplomacy in the Middle East. Her parents split when she was young and her mother was a force to be reckoned with (and is probably responsible for destroying Freya's one attempt at a true marriage as well as destroying Freya's younger sister). Freya, in her search for marriage was drawn to gay men in the Royal British Foreign Service (whom she steadfastly refused to believe were gay). Outside of her (self-proclaimed) failed social achievements, her travel and her writing were extraordinary.Geniesee has done a spectacular job of keeping us, as readers, balanced in our views and Freya, as our "quarry" balanced as well. She shares with the reader the frustrations of people who did not understand Stark, and we read in a number of places about what a difficult travel companion she could be. The reader is also privy to Stark's somewhat bizarre social behavior in which she shuns close friends suddenly and for very (ostensibly) strange reasons. Geniesse, in other words, has done a good job of keeping her protagonist honest for us... something that biographers can sometimes find difficult to do (the urge to glorify or demonize may overtake). This is a monument to women everywhere who find great joy (I do, obviously) in reading about the women who blaze the trails, who reach beyond society's expectations for them, who go and do and learn because they want to, damn it. It was such a pleasure reading about this grand dame.

This is a fair, rounded, and delightfully written biography ofa complex woman who was a brave, solitary British explorer in the Middle East and something of a social misfit in England. In addition to her acclaimed explorations, Stark put her experience to good use during World War II in the service of her country as a propagandist. Mrs. Geniesse bases much of her account on Stark's voluminous correspondence and on many interviews with people who knew her. In ably presenting the many facets of Stark's personality and achievements, she has also produced an extremely readable book.

Spending time with interesting women who are inaccessible to us in real life is one of the pleasures of a good book and Jane Fletcher Geniesse has just added to the list. The author gives us a detailed account of the life of a fearless wanderer, Freya Stark, whose 100 years on earth (1893-1993)were packed with adventures to rival the tales of the Arabian Nights. Freya, though hardly living up to the attributes of her Norse namesake (no goddess of love and beauty, she!), nevertheless conquered the Arab world by making full use of her strengths: drive, intelligence, and an extraordinary empathy for the peoples of the Middle East. Geniesse does not dismiss her shortcomings but offers good reasons for the bizarre behavior of her heroine. She also handles the historical background with grace and understanding. It was an extraordinary time, made even more so by an indomitable English woman, and the author is to be congratulated for presenting her with such skill.

Amily Dickinson's line "I dwell in possibility" echoed for me as I read this beautifully-crafted biography. Freya Stark saw possibilities where others apprehended obstacles; her ability to seize opportunities for adventure and to record her unusual experiences with intelligence and wit not only saved her from the conventional life of a spinster, but provided her contemporaries with fascinating information about about a part of the world they understood poorly. Her readers and listeners were mesmerized by what she had to tell them. Jane Geniesse's great achievement is that like Stark, she is able to convey a great breadth of learning and observation in a way that is entirely entertaining. This book has taught me a great deal more about Freya Stark, the Middle East and modern European history, but I seem to have no bruises to show for it! Thank you, Ms Geniesse!