Peregrinations of a Pariah

Tristan Flora

Uitg. Virago, softcover

Social critic, author of the famous London journal, ardent socialist and feminist, Flora Tristan (1803-44) earned in her lifetime a notoriety not just for her writings on politics but for the personal revelations contained in her remarkable Peregrinations of a Pariah. Published in France in 1838, and now for the first time edited and translated into English, it is the story of her visit to Peru in 1833-34 to claim a share of her father's family fortune. In that respect the mission failed, but the journey inspired some marvellous tales: of a five-month voyage around the Cape in the Mexicain, whose charming Captain Chabrié proves
a suitor of unflinching zeal; of her uncle Don Pio, patriarch and politician; of the manners and customs of Peruvian society; of her extraordinary role as intermediary between factions involved in Peru's revolutionary struggle. Overriding even these experiences, however, is Flora's passionate account of her battle to sever her marriage and to retain custody of her children at a time when divorce in France was illegal. In publicly denouncing her husband, Flora created a scandal, but in Peregrinations personal odyssey and travelogue combine in a brilliant portrayal of a woman's journey towards independence.