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30th out of 387 books
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Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World
“I move throughout the world without a plan, guided by instinct, connecting through trust, and constantly watching for serendipitous opportunities.” —From the Preface
Tales of a Female Nomad is the story of Rita Golden Gelman, an ordinary woman who is living an extraordinary existence. At the age of forty-eight, on the verge of a divorce, Rita left an elegant life in L.A. t...more
Tales of a Female Nomad is the story of Rita Golden Gelman, an ordinary woman who is living an extraordinary existence. At the age of forty-eight, on the verge of a divorce, Rita left an elegant life in L.A. t...more
Paperback, 320 pages
Published
December 18th 2007
by Three Rivers Press
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This is one of those memoirs that is all about ME. I did this, and then I did that, and then I did this. And that might be okay, if not for the fact that everyone is Gelman's book is infinitely more interesting than she. It's like being stuck on a tour bus with a chatty guide who is more interested in telling you about her experiences than anything you're seeing. Meanwhile, all the sights go streaming by.
Gelman is the ultimate unreliable narrator -- she's kind of pushy, obnoxious, an...more
Gelman is the ultimate unreliable narrator -- she's kind of pushy, obnoxious, an...more
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Life as a confident independent woman has its rewards. Inspiring tales from the road and the kitchen, and makes me want to email Ms. Gelman, renew my passport, and pack a bag.
No! Absolutely NOT! I will not continue to waste my time with this woman who completely missed the point of her "nomadic life" with other cultures.
Another reviewer remarked, "This is one of those memoirs that is all about ME. I did this, and then I did that, and then I did this. And that might be okay, if not for the fact that everyone is Gelman's book is infinitely more interesting than she. It's like being stuck on a tour bus with a chatty guide who is more int...more
Another reviewer remarked, "This is one of those memoirs that is all about ME. I did this, and then I did that, and then I did this. And that might be okay, if not for the fact that everyone is Gelman's book is infinitely more interesting than she. It's like being stuck on a tour bus with a chatty guide who is more int...more
I disliked this book so much that I couldn't even finish it. Her "voice" drove me crazy. It's a memoir - but written in present tense - which drives me crazy. The processing is superficial and dull.
I hated this book. Probably because I expected to really like it. The author wasn't very likeable for me, and I didn't like her exploits. She's also not a true nomad, having a good income from her books and being able to fly back to visit her children whenever she wanted, and staying in one place for years at a time without having to wash dishes for a living.
The incident in Guatemala when her host was beating his wife creeped me out: "I can't interfere, that's her destiny". Bull...more
The incident in Guatemala when her host was beating his wife creeped me out: "I can't interfere, that's her destiny". Bull...more
At the age of forty, Rita Golden Gelman has something of an epiphany. She no longer wants to live the life of luxury that she has been - fancy dinner parties, awards ceremonies, etc. She decides it's never what she wanted in the first place. She begins to pursue a degree in anthropology, which begins to put a strain on an already not so stable marriage.
At the end of the program, she has to go live in a community for awhile, and she and her husband decide to take a two month break whi...more
At the end of the program, she has to go live in a community for awhile, and she and her husband decide to take a two month break whi...more
Ok, i admit, I have not finished reading this book yet. She is a bit long winded and slightly self centered in the fact that her focus seams to mainly be concerned with herself. I know its a book about her journeys, so that is supposed to present in the book...but i don't know...whenever she does selfless acts, it seams like its not really self-less. This is just my opinion. She really lost my will to continue on in the chapter where she talked about the Zapotec village. Her hostess was beat...more
Full disclosure - I'm much harder on non-fiction than fiction.
I appreciate the relative bravery it takes to just get rid of everything and travel the world, but it's a lot easier if you're a writer like Rita Goldman. I might just be in a place where I'm looking for a more realistic take on long term traveling, so this was disappointing in that respect. I really couldn't get over the fact that she's a children's author and is able to keep working on books as she's abroad. I'd love to...more
I appreciate the relative bravery it takes to just get rid of everything and travel the world, but it's a lot easier if you're a writer like Rita Goldman. I might just be in a place where I'm looking for a more realistic take on long term traveling, so this was disappointing in that respect. I really couldn't get over the fact that she's a children's author and is able to keep working on books as she's abroad. I'd love to...more
Four stars because I love travel writing from a female perspective. I relate to Rita a lot as she discusses her anthropology background and how this affects her approach to travel and interacting with locals. I also appreciate her sense of adventure and ability to laugh at herself. But I do agree with others that her writing is very self-indulgent and I rolled my eyes a few times. I felt the same way about Eat, Pray, Love. I wish I had the money and lack of responsibility to live and travel like...more
i really wanted to like this. i read it on a journey of my own to Australia and thought that i would revel in another independent woman's travels.
instead, the author essentially preaches that she has found a more enlightened way of living than the rest of us.
all of us can wander and be free just like rita. however, she does not point out, but we the readers have to infer, that she spent a few decades as a "kept woman" who did not need to earn a real income...more
instead, the author essentially preaches that she has found a more enlightened way of living than the rest of us.
all of us can wander and be free just like rita. however, she does not point out, but we the readers have to infer, that she spent a few decades as a "kept woman" who did not need to earn a real income...more
This book did not begin for me until Ms. Gelman arrived in the Galapagos Islands and achieved “total freedom.” From this point forward, I was intrigued with how ingenious she was about getting hosted by various government entities, and families about the globe using her children books as her calling card. Trusting in herself and her instincts and in the kindness of strangers, she takes exotic and exciting treks for a fraction of the cost it would take the average person. Being an amateur anthrop...more
At the beginning I was worried because Rita spends so little time in communities and with people and didn't seem to connect in any kind of permanent way. I mean, what kind of lessons can you learn if you visit and observe but don't build any kind of lasting relationships? It was a little like cultural one-night stands. And then there was the fact that she essentially abandoned her children. Sure they were both in college and beyond, but as she finally admits they still needed mothering. I don't ...more
I am a person who loves to travel and I've done my share of traveling -- I'm still jealous. To be able to get up and go, to leave your known world for a bit of the unknown, seems like a luxury that most of can't afford - either because of financial issues, or lack of time, or the responsibilities of real life that bind us to our homes. What I liked about this memoir was Rita's personal journey. Her first trip was to close-by Mexico and, yes, she did go to live in a village, but the Mexican cultu...more
Great stories about the author and her life abroad. Oh, let's not forget that she decided to set out and do this at the ripe age of 47. Detailed accounts of her trip piqued my travel thoughts and made me want to go to this amazing places. She has an interesting perspective on life and i enjoy how sometimes she questions them along the way. She basically travels to live in other cultures and integrate herself into their daily life.
I find the favor bank idea interesting. Here's a...more
I find the favor bank idea interesting. Here's a...more
Sigh . . . another person whose life is in upheaval decides she needs to know what the simple folk do, and goes a-traveling. The most tragicomic moment of complete un-self-awareness comes when the author reckons up what it would take to live in deep south Mexico for a year and decides it would be as little as $15,000!
Honeybun, there are women raising five kids on one third of that where you were. And they're lucky.
If this had been a male writer and about martial arts, it ...more
Honeybun, there are women raising five kids on one third of that where you were. And they're lucky.
If this had been a male writer and about martial arts, it ...more
While the concept is quite amazing and Gelman's courage is inspiring, the composition of this novel is disappointing. The fact that Gelman is a children's book writer is quite evident. This book reads like a mediocre college application essay. I enjoyed reading of places I had never before heard of and would recommend this to anyone interested in world travel. However, if you are a critical or cynical reader (as I am) you may be annoyed with her simple "revelations" and writing sty...more
Gelman, when her long term marriage comes to an end and her children have grown up, finally is able ask her fifty year old self just what is it she wants out of life. With very little hesitation, she packs a bag and goes to Mexico where she ends up living in a Zapotec village.
Golden has an anthropology degree and is interested in experiencing other cultures from the inside. From Mexico she takes her readers to Guatemala, Nicaragua, Israel, the Galapagos Islands, Indonesia, New Zealand...more
Golden has an anthropology degree and is interested in experiencing other cultures from the inside. From Mexico she takes her readers to Guatemala, Nicaragua, Israel, the Galapagos Islands, Indonesia, New Zealand...more
I read this one long before I got to Eat Pray Love. It's kind of the same book...the author's marriage dissolves and she realizes she's free to travel the way she always dreamed of. She moves into villages without speaking the language, she lives in a palace with a prince in Bali, she studies orangutans in the rainforests of Borneo. I like the idea of traveling, but not the reality of that type of travel (I know, I'm boring, I'm okay with it), so I liked reading about someone brave enough to ...more
I saw this book on an endtable at the home of two women...one of them had traveled fairly extensively - or so the masks on her walls implied. They were both in their early 30s.
After reading almost straight through this book - I - well - I was inspired. I am not sure if the writing itself is brilliant...but what she DID is encouraging for people/women who haven't ....done.
After reading almost straight through this book - I - well - I was inspired. I am not sure if the writing itself is brilliant...but what she DID is encouraging for people/women who haven't ....done.
I disliked this woman from the first page. Flaky, self-aggrandizing, selfish. "I prefer soup kitchens to charity banquets" and "all my friends were too white and too American." But I kept reading.
And I disliked her more. The kind of mother who stops mothering when her kids reach 18, living a life where they cannot possibly contact her for help or support. The kind of woman who watches a Mexican man beat his wife and thinks, "Well thats just their culture, I should...more
And I disliked her more. The kind of mother who stops mothering when her kids reach 18, living a life where they cannot possibly contact her for help or support. The kind of woman who watches a Mexican man beat his wife and thinks, "Well thats just their culture, I should...more
I loved this book. So much so, I found myself crying while finishing it this morning, and walked around the house w/ it a bit (in addition to Nikki Giovanni's Bicycles: Love Poems), so I could remember it and keep myself in its good company. Why?
Gelman is so sincere and self-effacing, while brave, creative, informal, and just plain damn likable. She has a great story. She tells it well. I'm all the richer for it. She's truly strengthened my faith in the human spirit, on an internat...more
Gelman is so sincere and self-effacing, while brave, creative, informal, and just plain damn likable. She has a great story. She tells it well. I'm all the richer for it. She's truly strengthened my faith in the human spirit, on an internat...more
I would have given this book 2 stars but found Rita's website where she is actually trying to do some good work.
I was appalled by this book. Maybe I missed something. Rita leaves her husband and her children to travel the world. And all she seems to learn is serenity. She brags about giving her books or a used car to help impoverished communities. She visits out of the way villages all over the world and seems to think these communities have some great desire to adopt her.
...more
I was appalled by this book. Maybe I missed something. Rita leaves her husband and her children to travel the world. And all she seems to learn is serenity. She brags about giving her books or a used car to help impoverished communities. She visits out of the way villages all over the world and seems to think these communities have some great desire to adopt her.
...more
This woman just dove right in. OK, first she got a Masters in Anthropology to get a taste but then she dove right in. She completely immersed herself in the cultures. Lived in a remote Mexican village with the villagers. Went into the Indonesian forests and learned the language, no easy feat. Gave up her cushy LA lifestyle and never looked back.
Tonia
added it
Highly, highly recommended. It's one woman's journey to discover what is beautiful and right with the world after going through a divorce. Gorgeously written you feel like you are there with her as she migrates from Mexico to Guatemala to Indonesia. I can only hope to have experiences as personal and touching as these.
This books was very amazing. I felt like I learned so much about places I didn't even realize existed. I very much identified with the wanderlust of Rita, but I also recognized how very different she is. While I want to travel and see things and experience things, I have very little interest in people and connecting with them. And while I admire her pure trust in others, I know it is something that can't be learned and I have unfortunately been reared in a society that has taught me to trust no ...more
Loved this book. Gelman proceeds under the assumption that she will go among
the continents of the world and live with the people as if she is one of them.
To her telling of her story, she accomplishes that goal. I really loved this book
because she seems so able to blend into a foreign culture and think of it as totally her own. She feels very little need to return home to Seattle. She has left a marriage and two college age children in America. In hindsight, she realizes how s...more
the continents of the world and live with the people as if she is one of them.
To her telling of her story, she accomplishes that goal. I really loved this book
because she seems so able to blend into a foreign culture and think of it as totally her own. She feels very little need to return home to Seattle. She has left a marriage and two college age children in America. In hindsight, she realizes how s...more
This was not my kind of book at all (traveloges just make me feel antsy and jealous), but after a friend recommended it I thought I would give it a try. Again, I'm glad I did. Since finishing the book a few days ago, I have been relecting on Golden Gelman's experience and the lessons she learned while living as a "nomad" for nearly 15 years. What I keep returning to is Golden Gelman's interest in meeting people and experiencing the world on their terms -- in a non-judgemental way. T...more
Lulu
rated it
Some countries written on her travelogue :
Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Israel, Galapagos Islands, Indonesia ( Bali, Yogjakarta, Borneo, Irian Jaya-the easternmost Indonesia) United States, Canada, Thailand.
The minute I read one page of this book, I was hooked!- I wanted to go on and on- If life were only to read! I might not want to put this aside until the last page.Truth to be told, I was attracted to read this book as Indonesia, my country was told there.One of her sayings ...more
Mexico, Guatemala, Nicaragua, Israel, Galapagos Islands, Indonesia ( Bali, Yogjakarta, Borneo, Irian Jaya-the easternmost Indonesia) United States, Canada, Thailand.
The minute I read one page of this book, I was hooked!- I wanted to go on and on- If life were only to read! I might not want to put this aside until the last page.Truth to be told, I was attracted to read this book as Indonesia, my country was told there.One of her sayings ...more
After reading the first couple of chapters I was afraid I wouldn't like this memoir of a well-to-do woman who chose, after the end of her marriage, to rid herself of most of her possessions to become a nomad. However, after a rocky start in Mexico Rita gets the hang of living out of a backpack and going where the wind takes her. I'm envious. Though I have no desire to go to some of the places she lives (and live in some of the primative conditions), I would love to spend a year in New Zealand...more
suzannah
rated it
Recommends it for:
anti-establishment females, those dissatisfied with a rooted life
While somewhat inspirational in content due to her travels and beautiful descriptions thereof, the general feel of the book is of a discontented middle-aged woman who is seeking elusive meaning everywhere but with God. A somewhat disappointing and fairly bigoted narrative.
| topics | posts | views | last activity | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| great read | 1 | 16 | Oct 05, 2007 09:26am |
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“When we are finished the little boy walks over to me and looks up at my chest. Then he reaches up and cups my breast in his hand. The mother comes over and does the same thing with my other breast. Yes I am the same I nod. Look. I pull up my shirt and unhook my bra. My breasts pop out and they both smile.
I think about the Zapotec village in Mexico where I was not accepted until I was wearing their clothes and the Balinese ceremonies I would never have attended in anything but a kebaya and a sarong. I smile when I realize that if I were to live here I would walk around topless. If I weren't with three westerners I would do it right now.”
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