Freya Stark
1893–1993 · British (Paris/Italy) · Modern Era
Known for: One of the first Western women to explore the Arabian deserts—traveled through Iran, Iraq, and Yemen writing over two dozen masterpiece travel books
Stark began exploring the Middle East in her 30s, learning Arabic and Persian and traveling to places where few Westerners had gone—the Valleys of the Assassins in Iran, the Hadhramaut in Yemen, and remote southern Arabia. She was brave, charming, and indestructible.
She survived malaria, dengue, and dysentery. She served British intelligence in both World Wars. She wrote beautifully and photographed extensively. She was still traveling in her 80s, rode a donkey through Turkey at 84, and lived to 100.
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