The Turkish Embassy Letters

Long before the Grand Tour became fashionable, Lady Mary Wortley Montagu was sending electrifying letters home from Constantinople in the 1710s. These witty, unflinching dispatches from the Ottoman Empire shattered European misconceptions and introduced smallpox inoculation to the West. Virago's edition captures her razor-sharp observations on harems, hammams, and the surprising freedoms of Turkish women. Perfect for armchair travellers, history lovers, and anyone who appreciates a brilliant woman refusing to be silenced by convention.