Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World | 
|  | | | Title: | Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World | | Author: | Rita Golden Gelman | | Publisher: | Three Rivers Press | | Type: | Book / Paperback | | Publication Date: | 28 May, 2002 | | ISBN / ISBN-13: | 0609809547 / 9780609809549 | | List Price: | $14.95 | | You Save: | $4.78 | | Amazon Price: | $10.17 | |
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| Editorial Review / Publisher's Information:
Product Description
“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. to follow her dream of connecting with people in cultures all over the world. In 1986 she sold her possessions and became a nomad, living in a Zapotec village in Mexico, sleeping with sea lions on the Galapagos Islands, and residing everywhere from thatched huts to regal palaces. She has observed orangutans in the rain forest of Borneo, visited trance healers and dens of black magic, and cooked with women on fires all over the world. Rita’s example encourages us all to dust off our dreams and rediscover the joy, the exuberance, and the hidden spirit that so many of us bury when we become adults.
Amazon.com Review
When Rita Golden Gelman traveled to Mexico during a two-month separation from her husband, she hoped to satisfy an old craving for adventure and, in the process, rejuvenate herself and her marriage. Little did she know it was the beginning of a new life, not just as a divorcée, but as a nomad of the world. Since 1986, Gelman has had no permanent address and no possessions except those she can carry. She travels without a plan, guided by instinct, serendipitous opportunities, and a remarkable ability to connect with people. At first her family and friends accused her of running away, but Gelman knew she had embarked on a journey of self-discovery and a way of life that is inspiring and enviable. We know Gelman is not your typical middle-aged housewife from LA when, on that first trip to Mexico, she randomly picks a Zapotec village and decides to live there for a month, knowing nothing about the culture or the language. When she arrives, the villagers run away from her, terrified. By the time she leaves, there are hugs and tears. From there she travels to Guatemala and Nicaragua, Israel and the Galapagos Islands. But the heart of the book--and her 15-year journey--is Indonesia, where she lives for eight years. It is Bali that forever changes how she looks at the world, facilitated by her friendship with an aging prince. Tu Aji not only invites her to live with his family but decides that the education of Rita will be his final duty in life. Wherever she goes, Gelman has an uncanny ability to slip into other ways of life and become part of a community. And she is a person for whom doors open widely--her seatmate on the plane to Bali scrawls the prince's name on a piece of paper, she talks her way into a sojourn at Camp Leakey in Borneo where orangutans are studied, and an entire village in a remote part of Irian Jaya prays for the clouds to clear so her plane can land--and they do! Gelmen's secret is her passion for people. That being the case, the book is short on descriptions of place, but long on the rarer inside view of the peoples and customs of those places. This in itself is treat enough, but Gelman's animated and intimate story comes with a kicker--it's never too late to fulfill those dreams. --Lesley Reed
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Customer Reviews:
• Could Not Get Through It. 05 December, 2008
I was so excited to read another travel book, but this one has highly disappointed me. I have put it down in disgust a few times only to attempt to give it another shot later- only to be disgusted again!
I see I am not alone in my feelings; Rita is too self absorbed and I learned nothing I had hoped from a woman who traveled for 15 years. The sentences and thoughts are choppy, the characters underdeveloped, there is too much name dropping to even keep track, too much "I'm so special and have so many friends-everybody loves me-yadda yadda."
Rita probably enlisted no help in writing this book obviously because she feels so highly of herself. She should of had a ghost writer. The entire time she is just patting herself on the back. Instead of giving a reader the opportunity to armchair travel, she is rubbing her lifestyle and "serendipitous" moments in their faces.
I can describe this book in one word: sickening.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A26DY4T97T5A25
• How Can Anyone Make Such A Great Story So Boring? 19 August, 2008
I was terribly disappointed in this book. Although the story should have been fascinating I really just didn't care.
The use of the present tense ("The next morning I arrive early. Already the lobby of the hotel meeting place is deserted. I introduce myself to to the coordinator of the trip...") is something that works fine in conversation, but when used in prose, especially when glossing over details, sweeping through time and scenes so fast, does not express feelings or emotion. Even when describing colorful scenery it comes off a little flat. And for that reason this book felt like it had little heart. It was clear this was a deeply meaningful experience for the writer, but I felt so removed from it I really didn't care what happened next.
Large events are glossed over, characters are left undeveloped, I never felt fully involved or invested in what was going on. It was somewhat interesting, but at the same time, not very moving.
I can see how Gelman might have been a great writer of children's books (where the writing is pure story, all about what happens next ) But this book, which should have been engrossing, left me cold.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1CNI1I1MNZY7Y
• No Apathy About This Book! 08 December, 2008
I think any book that engenders the kind of passion found in these reviews -- where readers loved it or hated it, thought Rita was "courageous" or "narcissistic" -- is worth reading to form your own opinion.
Personally, I loved the book. It was a fast, fun, inspiring read. I didn't always agree with Rita's perspective, but I don't read books to find authors that echo my own perspectives. I read to challenge my opinions and emotions. I felt I always knew where Rita was coming from -- and her genuineness kept me turning pages. She has a clear, entertaining voice.
I did buy copies for friends and have loaned my own hard cover out a few times. I highly recommend "Tales" to anyone interested in a good travel memoir. It's helped inspire my own writing at www.PeacePATHFoundation.org.
Kelly Hayes-Raitt
- Reviewed by customer ID: A1BSJ4ILEWLL66
• Inspiring And Motivating 17 December, 2008
Because of this book, I finally found the courage to live the lifestyle that I had only dreamed about. This book is what finally got me to leave my job that I was very unhappy with to move abroad. I got a job teaching overseas and had the most amazing adventures. It was the best decision I ever made. Before I left, I exchanged a couple of emails with the author and even had dinner with her when she came through my town on a book tour. She is a delightful woman - intelligent, funny and very 'normal' for someone with such an alternative lifestyle. She is a wonderful writer. I couldn't put the book down. I would highly recommend this book to anyone with any interest in travel or living abroad - and even if you aren't this sort of person, it might just stir a little bit of wanderlust in you as well.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A2HOV24MPQM2DR
• Disappointing And Limited 05 January, 2009
Rita says at the beginning that she is a person who makes excuses for herself and for others. You get that in this book. I admit I quit reading while she was in Guatamala but I was so frustrated. There are so many possibilities for her self that she stiffles. I had been looking forward to this book.
- Reviewed by customer ID: A30RJI1W8J0E2C
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