Lesley Blanch, MBE, FRSL (6 June 1904 – 7 May 2007) was a British writer, historian and traveller. She is best known for The Wilder Shores of Love, about Isabel Burton (who married the Arabist and explorer Richard), Jane Digby el-Mezrab (Lady Ellenborough, the society beauty who ended up living in the Syrian desert with a Bedouin chieftain), Aimée du Buc de Rivéry (a French convent woman captured by pirates and sent to the Sultan's harem in Istanbul), and Isabelle Eberhardt (a Swiss linguist who felt most comfortable in boy's clothes and lived among the Arabs in the Sahara).[1]
Blanch attended St. Paul's Girls' School, Hammersmith from 1915 to 1921, went on to study at the Slade School of Art, and began her career as a scenery designer and book illustrator. Between 1937 and 1944 she was features editor of the UK edition of Vogue.[1]
In April 1945, she married the French novelist-diplomat Romain Gary. Life in the French diplomatic service took them to the Balkans, Turkey, North Africa, Mexico and the United States. In the United States, they associated with Aldous Huxley and with Hollywood stars such as Gary Cooper, Sophia Loren and Laurence Olivier.[2]
Gary left her for American actress Jean Seberg.[2] Lesley Blanch and Gary were divorced in 1963. Blanch continued to travel from her home in Paris, and saw old friends Nancy Mitford, Violet Trefusis, Rebecca West and the Windsors. She was a close friend of Gerald de Gaury, who gave her insights into middle eastern customs and culture.[3] The society photographer Cecil Beaton was also a lifelong friend.[1]
The best known of her 12 books is The Wilder Shores of Love (1954), about four women who all "followed the beckoning Eastern star." The book also inspired the American artist Cy Twombly, who named a painting after the novel.[4]
Blanch's love of Russia, instilled in her by a friend of her parents whom she simply called The Traveller, is recounted in Journey into the Mind's Eye, Fragments of an Autobiography (1968, reissued 2018)[5] which is part travel book, part love story. As well as awakening her to sex, he whetted her appetite with exotic tales of Siberia and Central Asia.[6] The Traveller was possibly identified as Theodore Komisarjevsky.[7]
Her trip to Iran and meeting Empress Farah Pahlavi in April 1975 resulted in a biography of the empress named "Farah, Shahbanou of Iran" on 1978.[citation needed]
Lesley Blanch considered her best book to be The Sabres of Paradise (the biography of Imam Shamyl and history of Tsarist Russian rule in early 19th century Georgia and the Caucasus).[8]
Awards and honoursedit
A Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, Lesley Blanch was appointed MBE in 2001, and in 2004 the French government awarded her the medal of Officier de l'Ordre des Arts et des Lettres.[citation needed]
Deathedit
She celebrated her 100th birthday in 2004. She died just one month shy of 103.[9]
Publicationsedit
1954: The Wilder Shores of Love London: Phoenix Press | New York: Simon & Schuster
1955: Round the World in 80 Dishes, the World Through the Kitchen Window (cookbook) London: Grub Street
1957: The Game of Hearts: Harriette Wilson and her Memoirs (edited and introduced by Lesley Blanch)
1957: Harriette Wilson's Memoirs (selected and edited by Lesley Blanch). London: Phoenix Press, 2003
1960: The Sabres of Paradise: Conquest and Vengeance in the Caucasus (a biography of Imam Shamyl and history of Tsarist Russian rule in early 19th century Georgia and the Caucasus), London: BookBlast ePublishing
1963: Under a Lilac-Bleeding Star, Travels and Travellers
1965: The Nine Tiger Man, a Tale of Low Behaviour in High Places, London: BookBlast ePublishing
1968: Journey into the Mind's Eye, Fragments of an Autobiography London: Eland Books
1974: Pavilions of the Heart, the Four Walls of Love
^Isabella Burton, Tara (8 January 2016). "The Countries We Think We See". The Paris Review. Retrieved 12 September 2016.
^Chamberet, Georgia de (24 January 2017). "Georgia de Chamberet: 'Lesley Blanch never apologised for who she was'". the Guardian. Retrieved 26 August 2020.
^Collins, Will (16 September 2017). "The Secret History of Dune". Los Angeles Review of Books. Retrieved 20 October 2017.
^. The Telegraph. 9 May 2007. Archived from the original on 19 May 2007. Retrieved 10 May 2007.
External linksedit
Official website
ILA, translation rights
Time Traveller, Guardian Online Review Profile article by Joe Boyd, 9 July 2005
Lesley Blanch Papers. James Marshal and Marie-Louise Osborn Collection, Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library, Yale University.
May 07, 2024
lesley, blanch, this, article, needs, additional, citations, verification, please, help, improve, this, article, adding, citations, reliable, sources, unsourced, material, challenged, removed, find, sources, news, newspapers, books, scholar, jstor, april, 2020. This article needs additional citations for verification Please help improve this article by adding citations to reliable sources Unsourced material may be challenged and removed Find sources Lesley Blanch news newspapers books scholar JSTOR April 2020 Learn how and when to remove this message Lesley Blanch MBE FRSL 6 June 1904 7 May 2007 was a British writer historian and traveller She is best known for The Wilder Shores of Love about Isabel Burton who married the Arabist and explorer Richard Jane Digby el Mezrab Lady Ellenborough the society beauty who ended up living in the Syrian desert with a Bedouin chieftain Aimee du Buc de Rivery a French convent woman captured by pirates and sent to the Sultan s harem in Istanbul and Isabelle Eberhardt a Swiss linguist who felt most comfortable in boy s clothes and lived among the Arabs in the Sahara 1 Contents 1 Life and career 2 Awards and honours 3 Death 4 Publications 5 References 6 External linksLife and career editBlanch attended St Paul s Girls School Hammersmith from 1915 to 1921 went on to study at the Slade School of Art and began her career as a scenery designer and book illustrator Between 1937 and 1944 she was features editor of the UK edition of Vogue 1 In April 1945 she married the French novelist diplomat Romain Gary Life in the French diplomatic service took them to the Balkans Turkey North Africa Mexico and the United States In the United States they associated with Aldous Huxley and with Hollywood stars such as Gary Cooper Sophia Loren and Laurence Olivier 2 Gary left her for American actress Jean Seberg 2 Lesley Blanch and Gary were divorced in 1963 Blanch continued to travel from her home in Paris and saw old friends Nancy Mitford Violet Trefusis Rebecca West and the Windsors She was a close friend of Gerald de Gaury who gave her insights into middle eastern customs and culture 3 The society photographer Cecil Beaton was also a lifelong friend 1 The best known of her 12 books is The Wilder Shores of Love 1954 about four women who all followed the beckoning Eastern star The book also inspired the American artist Cy Twombly who named a painting after the novel 4 Blanch s love of Russia instilled in her by a friend of her parents whom she simply called The Traveller is recounted in Journey into the Mind s Eye Fragments of an Autobiography 1968 reissued 2018 5 which is part travel book part love story As well as awakening her to sex he whetted her appetite with exotic tales of Siberia and Central Asia 6 The Traveller was possibly identified as Theodore Komisarjevsky 7 Her trip to Iran and meeting Empress Farah Pahlavi in April 1975 resulted in a biography of the empress named Farah Shahbanou of Iran on 1978 citation needed Lesley Blanch considered her best book to be The Sabres of Paradise the biography of Imam Shamyl and history of Tsarist Russian rule in early 19th century Georgia and the Caucasus 8 Awards and honours editA Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature Lesley Blanch was appointed MBE in 2001 and in 2004 the French government awarded her the medal of Officier de l Ordre des Arts et des Lettres citation needed Death editShe celebrated her 100th birthday in 2004 She died just one month shy of 103 9 Publications edit1954 The Wilder Shores of Love London Phoenix Press New York Simon amp Schuster 1955 Round the World in 80 Dishes the World Through the Kitchen Window cookbook London Grub Street 1957 The Game of Hearts Harriette Wilson and her Memoirs edited and introduced by Lesley Blanch 1957 Harriette Wilson s Memoirs selected and edited by Lesley Blanch London Phoenix Press 2003 1960 The Sabres of Paradise Conquest and Vengeance in the Caucasus a biography of Imam Shamyl and history of Tsarist Russian rule in early 19th century Georgia and the Caucasus London BookBlast ePublishing 1963 Under a Lilac Bleeding Star Travels and Travellers 1965 The Nine Tiger Man a Tale of Low Behaviour in High Places London BookBlast ePublishing 1968 Journey into the Mind s Eye Fragments of an Autobiography London Eland Books 1974 Pavilions of the Heart the Four Walls of Love 1978 Farah Shahbanou of Iran 1983 Pierre Loti Portrait of an Escapist 1989 From Wilder Shores the Tables of my Travels a collection of travel and food writings 1998 Romain un regard particulier traduit de l anglais par Jean Lambert Arles Actes Sud 2015 On the Wilder Shores of Love A Bohemian Life London ViragoReferences edit a b c Fowler Christoper The Book of Forgotten Authors 2017 pp 27 29 a b McGuinness Mark An eccentric romantic s life Lesley Blanch 1904 2007 The Sydney Morning Herald Weekend Edition 19 20 May 2007 p 53 Fox Margalit 11 May 2007 Lesley Blanch 103 a Writer Traveler and Adventure Seeker Dies The New York Times Cy Twombly www vlinder 01 dds nl NYRB Retrieved 15 July 2018 Isabella Burton Tara 8 January 2016 The Countries We Think We See The Paris Review Retrieved 12 September 2016 Chamberet Georgia de 24 January 2017 Georgia de Chamberet Lesley Blanch never apologised for who she was the Guardian Retrieved 26 August 2020 Collins Will 16 September 2017 The Secret History of Dune Los Angeles Review of Books Retrieved 20 October 2017 Obituary The Telegraph 9 May 2007 Archived from the original on 19 May 2007 Retrieved 10 May 2007 External links editOfficial website ILA translation rights Time Traveller Guardian Online Review Profile article by Joe Boyd 9 July 2005 Lesley Blanch Papers James Marshal and Marie Louise Osborn Collection Beinecke Rare Book and Manuscript Library Yale University Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Lesley Blanch amp oldid 1184714484, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
