Black Lambs and Grey Falcons: Women Travellers in the Balkans

by John B. Allcock (Editor)

During the nineteenth century the Balkan countries became the subject of a rather romantic fascination for the public at large. This has had important consequences for the way in which the region has been viewed since then, and the creation of this image has had an impact on many aspects of West European and North American responses to the Balkans, ranging from diplomatic and military involvement to the burgeoning flow of tourists. This vision of the area has been created in large measure by the writing of women travellers, such as those represented in this volume. The achievements of these women are quite remarkable: in many cases their travels were adventurous, and even dangerous, reaching into parts of the countryside which were remote and hardly known to outsiders. Not only as travellers, but also in the fields of medical and military service, scholarship and education, journalism and literature, did these women contribute in very significant ways in the expansion of women's horizons and to the attempt to gain greater freedom for women in society in general.

242 pages, Paperback

First published September 1, 1994