The Virago Book of Women Travellers

A very competent chronology of women's travel writing is presented by Virago. Typically of books such as these some excepts hold the attention better than others as there is something for everyone or anyone interested in the diverse but seemingly niche travel writings of women through the ages.

First published in 1994 and edited by Mary Morris I was a little slow to take in comments she made in her Introduction. On rereading, after finishing the last except proper, she at one point writes “Women, I feel, move through the world differently than men. The constraint's and perils, the perceptions and complex emotions women journey with are different than men. The fear of rape for example....” “....or just crossing the street at night, most dramatically effects the way they move around the world.” Further examples were given and with that the editor has a point. The more I thought about what I had read the more I realised that many of the excerpts did indeed include the writer letting the reader know their fears in certain situations. My lack of thoughtfulness on this subject on my read through of this compendium does me no favours.

The Introduction also made comment that this was a collection that looked to show past and recent examples of feminist literature. I had to admit that as a male reader I also felt bereft of understanding this when reading through but gained an understanding when reading the Intro after.

I did find myself more attracted to the later day writers than the early years, I have to admit, but I am unable to give a reason why. Maybe there was less writing on their surrounds and more sophisticated commentary on their happenings? I don't know and I feel ham-fisted trying to explain it. An example is that is an excerpt from Annie Dillard's book A stone to Talk that blew me away with the brilliance of the prose and observation. A few earlier writers just plodded along but that is probably unfair on my part. Just maybe I should have taken more notice of that introduction.


Be that as it may, as inarticulate as my musings are, this is a good book for those who may have an interest in women's travel writing over the ages. Recommended to those with that interest.