Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan (Volume 2): Victorian Travelogue Series (Annotated)

Journeys in Persia and Kurdistan, Volume 2 (of 2) is the second volume in Isabella Lucy Bird's published memoirs recounting her continued travels through Persia and Kurdistan in the late 19th century. This volume provides Bird's vivid first-hand account of her travels through the Upper Karun region and her visits with the Nestorian Rayahs Christian community. With her unique voice as a solo female British explorer, Bird documents her observations of the landscapes, architecture, local customs, and people she encounters. She weaves together extensive details and commentary related to topics like marriage rituals, living conditions, dress, social activities, gender dynamics, and beliefs within Persian and Kurdish societies at that time. Bird offers immersive descriptions of her interactions with locals, including Nestorian Christians struggling to preserve their way of life and beliefs. Her writing style engagingly captures the essence of the region's natural beauty as well through her travelogue approach. Overall, this volume allows readers to immerse themselves in Bird's perspective on a part of the world during a period of great change in the late 1800s. It expands understanding of Persian and Kurdish culture, religion, and daily existence through the eyes of an intrepid, insightful British woman traveling alone through the region.