Once described as "a traveler of genius" Dame Freya Stark's vivid account of journeys in Persia, Arabia and the Near East opened up new vistas for a wide readership. Long before it was fashionable to be a solo traveler, much less a woman alone, she roamed the world. EAST IS WEST is the story of her war-time experiences in Egypt, Palestine and Syria. Stark tells her story with the freedom and independence of an intrepid traveler and with the authority of an official of the British Diplomatic Corps. "That she so triumphantly holds our attention and makes us long for more is due to her sensibilty, her courage, her honesty, and above all, to her gift that must leave all other travel writers desperate with envy." (The Listener)