THE GIRLS' ROOM!!! Women Travelers and Adventurers: Reading Suggestions

[AD64]

One of the discussions in The Girl's Room was a link to a story about a woman traveler named Frances Jennings who went out on the road alone in a cart pulled by a mule for her health. She was happy, deliciously so. I very much enjoy reading the stories of women travelers and adventurers, especially those who did so at times when it was quite unheard of for women to venture out into the world unescorted. These stories inspire and motivate me. They show the ups and downs and in betweens.  

Thus, I wanted to start a discussion where we can share titles of books and references to brave pioneering women travelers and adventurers. 

I'll start by bringing up the story of Nellie Bly who traveled around the world in less than 80 days carrying only a simple hand satchel. You can find several books about her life and this journey, as well as her competitor in the race around the world, in a few books on amazon. Just type in "Nellie Bly" and see what you find.

Best wishes for the road,

AD

 

[AD64]

Here is one of the books about Nellie Bly and Elisabeth Bizland in their "race" around the world.

https://www.amazon.com/Eighty-Days-...1495766750&sr=8-1&keywords=nellie+bly+80+days

This version is in their own words:

https://www.amazon.com/Around-World...1495766750&sr=8-2&keywords=nellie+bly+80+days

 

[rvwandering]

Here are a couple that I enjoyed: Letters of a Woman Homesteader  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0082VE9UG/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1
                                                    Letters on an Elk Hunt   https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004UJTRXI/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

 Tony read this one. I haven't yet but he said it was good: A Woman Who Went to Alaska  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004TIM3EU/ref=dp-kindle-redirect?_encoding=UTF8&btkr=1

 All of them are free for Kindles even Letters of a Woman Homesteader which just says Kindleunlimited.

 

[AD64]

Thank you! I've just downloaded them. 

Best,

AD

 

[TrainChaser]

There is an old one that may not still be available, titled Gasoline Gypsy by Peggy Thomas.  She was English, in her mid-20s, and she came to eastern Canada by ship in the early/mid-1950s with a small motorcycle (200 ccs?), a large Airedale Terrier, a typewriter, and some camping gear.  She traveled by motorcycle across Canada, took the ferry from Victoria, BC to Seattle, went south through WA, OR, and CA, and then into Mexico.  She caught a freighter from Mexico to Texas, then resumed with the motorcycle eastward through the South, down into FL, and up the East Coast.  After doing a TV interview, she caught a ship back to England.  I think it took her 1.5 -2 yrs.
WAIT!  It's back in print: http://www.gasolinegypsy.co.uk/

Same time frame, but a newer book was Last of the Saddle Tramps by Messanie Wilkins.  She started in Maine at the age of 63 (her doctor said she only had two years to live), headed south, and then west on horseback, with her dog.  She picked up another horse along the way, and finished her 7,000 mile journey by wading into the Pacific Ocean.  The doctor was wrong -- she lived eleven years longer.
https://www.amazon.com/Last-Saddle-Tramps-Thousand-Equestrian/dp/1590480430

 

[Cammalu]

One of my favorite books along those lines goes back a few hundred years. Lady Mary Wortley was born in the 1600s and was a prolific writer of letters. She had a humdinger of a life. I have a book published in 1763? that is an account of her life through her letters. A fascinating read.


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[Queen]

Love the story of Adeline and Augusta Van Buren, they were sisters who, in 1916, took off cross country on motorcycles. Quite the adventure! I read a book about them years ago, but cannot remember the title, here's a bit of the story though:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/85722/bold-van-buren-sisters-who-blazed-trail-across-america

 

[decodancer]

Ok, so not exactly a struggle considering she is in a Prevous bus but a really funny book.  Everyone I've shared it with has thanked me.  I've got it on Kindle and also audiobook.  Great way to make the miles go faster.  Its called Queen of the Road by Doreen ______.  Sorry, late for work, don't have time to look up the link but really great book.

 

[Stargazer]

What a great thread!! I have been looking for more reads and this will do it Thank you so much.

Grandma Gatewood's Walk, The Inspiring Story of the Woman Who Saved the Appalachian Trail. A 67 year old great grandmother who was the first woman to hike the entire Appalachian Trail alone as well as the first person to walk it twice and three times, in the 1950's.

 

[AD64]

One of my favorite books along those lines goes back a few hundred years.   Lady Mary Wortley was born in the 1600s and was a prolific writer of letters.  She had a humdinger of a life.  I have a book published in 1763? that is an account of her life through her letters. A fascinating read.  


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Thanks, Cammalu.

Can you give us a title or a link? Sounds wonderful. I appreciate humdinger lives .... mine and everyone elses too.

 

[AD64]

Ok, so not exactly a struggle considering she is in a Prevous bus but a really funny book.  Everyone I've shared it with has thanked me.  I've got it on Kindle and also audiobook.  Great way to make the miles go faster.  Its called Queen of the Road by Doreen ______.  Sorry, late for work, don't have time to look up the link but really great book.

Is this the book?

https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Road-S...=1495820244&sr=8-1&keywords=queen+of+the+road

 

[AD64]

Love the story of Adeline and Augusta Van Buren, they were sisters who, in 1916, took off cross country on motorcycles.  Quite the adventure!  I read a book about them years ago, but cannot remember the title, here's a bit of the story though:

http://mentalfloss.com/article/85722/bold-van-buren-sisters-who-blazed-trail-across-america

They did it to hopefully change military rules, which I admire. And they did it at a time when it was illegal for women to wear pants, and they got arrested for it. 

I am more likely to be arrested for not wearing pants than wearing them!

That said: gumption, moxie, aliveness ... love these sisters. 

Thanks for sharing Queen.

 

[AD64]

I don't know these books, or the author, yet they look very interesting. About a contemporary woman who traveled on a motorcycle.

https://www.amazon.com/Lois-Pryce/e/B001I9U6AG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1495787453&sr=1-2-ent

I'm going to try one on Kindle for the road.

 

[Cammalu]

You can read it on line. It's a collection of her letters. A bit different reading as it's 400 years old but I really enjoyed it

https://books.google.com/books?id=3...v=onepage&q=lady mary wortley montagu&f=false



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[Queen]

I don't know these books, or the author, yet they look very interesting. About a contemporary woman who traveled on a motorcycle.

https://www.amazon.com/Lois-Pryce/e/B001I9U6AG/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1495787453&sr=1-2-ent

I'm going to try one on Kindle for the road.

Lois is pretty famous in motorcycling circles, I've read her books and find them fun and adventurous, but a bit repetitive after the first couple.  The scenery changes, but the stories start sounding alike.  Just my .02

 

[decodancer]

Is this the book?

https://www.amazon.com/Queen-Road-S...=1495820244&sr=8-1&keywords=queen+of+the+road

  That' the one, thanks for the link.  Every chapter starts off with a cocktail recipe, silly but fun.  I rarely laugh out loud at a book but did several times with this one.

 

[Queen]

LOL, that does sound fun!

 

[TrainChaser]

Queen, is this the book?  Grace and Grit: Motorcycle Dispatches from Early Twentieth Century Women Adventurers, by William Murphy (2012)

https://www.amazon.com/Grace-Grit-M...95916023&sr=8-12&keywords=grace+and+grit+book

 

[Queen]

It's not, but that one looks awesome!!

 

[Queen]

I forgot about this book, so well researched and written.  Amelia was one of my inspirations growing up.

East To The Dawn:

https://www.amazon.com/East-Dawn-Life-Amelia-Earhart/dp/0201311445