Editorial Reviews
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
Customer Reviews
Average Customer Review
Could not get through it., December 5, 2008
By
luv two reedI 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.
How can anyone make such a great story so boring?, August 19, 2008
By
Jamie (Olympia, Wa)
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.
It Wasn't the Best Book, But I Got Something Out of It, August 12, 2008
By
Legend of a Cowgirl (Park City, UT)
I agree with some of the reviewers that the book is rather slow. I started the book and really enjoyed the first few chapters before I misplaced it while moving. When I found it again I was beginning the section on Indonesia, but found myself not as enthused about the book. The chapters on Indonesia, Thailand and the States were too tedious to read straight through, so I would entertain myself by reading a few pages of Ms. Gelman's adventures before going to bed.
Despite the slowness, I enjoyed the book because Ms. Gelman shows that an adventure abroad doesn't have to be diving into dangerous waters, bungi jumping off of bridges, or being one of the few people to climb a high peak. She shows that the adventure lies in the natives' mundane lives and the quiet, unassuming landscape. Although she used her title as an author to create friendships, Ms. Gelman gave the impression that if you just show people that their lives are important, they will treat you kindly and will happily invite you into their lives.
Ms. Gelman also is very honest about the sacrifices that comes with living in foreign cultures, the isolation, losing connections with family, and not having many possessions.
This book chronicles a brave person who shuns commercialism and lives her life very simply. In my opinion, Ms. Gelman's life is fuller from her travels than a person's whose mansion is filled with the most expensive furniture and art.
Really enjoyed this Book, August 10, 2008
By
The Purple Bee (USA)
Especially for those who are thinking of travelling alone or following a dream, this author encourages us with her adventures.
I enjoyed his story and her guts to begin something new at an age when it's easy to get stuck!
A great curl up and read book, July 25, 2008
By
Kat Anderson (Ben Lomond, CA)
I thoroughly enjoyed this book, so much so, that I read it straight through in only a couple of days. Some of the reviewers criticize Ms. Gelman for casting her opinions about some of the culture issues, but I think she demonstrates that she clearly wrestled with this as I think most of us would if we suddenly tried to fit into a foreign (to us) culture. Personally, I was rather horrified by some of the brutality of other cultures and these are places I have no desire to visit. I enjoyed the first part of the book more than the second, because I could really identify with her motives for wanting to get out on her own and see the world and likewise, her struggles to go it alone. I do think some of the writing in the second half of the book seems a bit choppy and does not flow as well as the beginning of the book. But this could also be an editing issue. I appreciated Ms. Gelman's honesty about her motives, her feelings, her learning that her children have missed her and her struggles in getting in shape, etc. Most of us would have painted a pretty little picture and have nixed the honesty. Overall, if you are looking for a book that demonstrates it's possible for a woman to travel on her own and participate in the activities of different cultures, meet people and make new friends a long the way, this is a great book.
