May 22, 2007
Leslie Blanch passes on
The author of "The Wilder Shores of Love" died May 7 at the age of 102 in the South of France, as noted in this L.A. Times obit, Lesley Blanch, 102; author and adventurer. Hat tip: Pamela Barrus.
The obit notes:
The Wilder Shores of Love, Blanch's first book, became an immediate success when it was published in 1954. In it she profiles four women who left convention behind. One, Jane Digby, became the wife of a Syrian tribesman and lived a Bedouin lifestyle.Another, Aimee Dubucq de Rivery, was kidnapped and sent to live in an Ottoman sultan's harem. Isabelle Eberhardt roamed North Africa alone, dressed as a man, and Isabel Burton traveled with her husband, Richard, who explored Africa and the Middle East.
I first read "The Wilder Shores of Love" at the undergraduate library at the University of North Caroline-Chapel Hill, while visiting to give a couple of cultural travel talks there and at neighboring Duke.
It was fascinating for me to learn especially the story of Lady Jane Digby, who was a revelation in that her behavior placed the first instances of especially hedonistic travel sex by women far before the 1960s, more like 1850 in fact. Sometimes when researching a book you almost vibrate with excitement at finding such forgotten pieces of the puzzle. It's interesting that "Wilder Shores" was a pretty big book when it came out, but its message slipped beneath the waves over time.
As I wrote in 
Romance on the Road:
The year was 1847, and the place, appropriately, was Rome. Massachusetts-born feminist writer Margaret Fuller fell in love with a Roman marchese a decade younger than herself. She became pregnant, later married him and had his son.Two years later, again in Rome, Lady Jane Digby romped with an
Italian artillery officer, an army captain and a diplomat’s son over the
course of a brief visit (Lovell 137). This oft-married, sexually adventurous Englishwoman appears to have led the way in what was likely the first
instance of casual travel sex.
Here's something from the obit that I didn't know about Blanch, the author:
(Romain) Gary's popular novel, "Lady L," in 1958 was said to be inspired by Blanch. In it, a worldly grand dame works the social circuit, telling captivating stories along the way. Sophia Loren starred in a 1965 movie version of the book.
Sounds like Lady L needs to go on my movie list.
- posted by jbelliveau at 1:26 PM in Love, Sex, Romance and Travel
