Embassy to Constantinople : The Travels of Lady Mary Wortley Montagu

Rating:
Summary: Inspirational
Review: Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was one of those few women of her era who has left a testament to her experiences and life. This book is perfect for anyone remotely interested in early women adventurers and/or the life of an Englishwoman in Constantinople in the early 18th century. Lady M, after observing the traditional practice of inoculating children against smallpox pioneered the practice back in England with her own children. Eventually Lady M separated from her husband and pursued her much younger italian lover to his homeland.

Truly a woman out of step with the prevailing view of women in her times, and this book is a real gem. It consists mainly of letters written to her family and friends.