Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan

Isabella Bird spent much of 1890 roaming the exotic lands of Persia and Kurdistan, traversing the coast and secluded towns and villages, keeping this vivid, descriptive, diary of local life and culture.

While much of Europe had industrialized over the century prior, the Middle East of the late 19th century had not undergone such a transformation. Isabella Bird traversed Persia – modern-day Iran – and saw sights little-changed over the centuries. She traversed the coastline on ferries, and joined caravans to cross the land, recounting the appearance and mannerisms of the locals, their marketplaces, cuisine, and worship. For the modern reader, her descriptions offer a window into a now-departed and romantic era of Eastern majesty.

An experienced travel writer, Isabella Bird spares little detail – the climate, the mannerisms of the locals, the customs and daily routines in the towns and villages. Her narrations bring Persia to life; the beauty of places such as Kermanshah counterpointed by down-to-earth, frank discussions of remaining cool in an arid climate characterized by extremes of temperature, and sampling foods unusual to the Western palette. Accompanying the text are a total of fifteen illustrations of the local peoples, architecture and scenes of everyday life.