From Goodreads:

Freya Stark is a woman of prodigious energy, talent and longevity. Born in Paris in 1893, she was brought up in France, Italy and England. As a young woman she traveled alone to the Arab lands. She captured those journeys in two dozen excellent volumes of biography and travel. TRAVELLER'S PRELUDE is the story of her early life.

The author's accomplishments are all the more remarkable because she received no formal schooling. She did in fact enter the University of London, but WW II intervened, and she became a nurse on the Italian front. Her travels in the Mideast followed these adventures.

Freya Stark is a unique talent. Like Isak Dinesen she has the poet's voice. Like Beryl Markham she has led a vigorous, exploring life.