"WITH LOVE FROM FREYA"

STARK, Freya. The Zodiac Arch. (London): John Murray, (1968). Octavo, original teal cloth, original dust jacket. $1000.

First edition of this diverse collection of essays on history, philosophy, the arts, and travel, inscribed on the title page by Freya Stark to her close friends, Jean and Bill Gunn: "by [printed: 'Freya Stark'] to dear Jean and Bill. With love from Freya. Geneva 1985."

This collection of essays by Middle Eastern traveler Freya Stark touches on topics ranging from poetry to history to (of course) life as a traveler. structured this collection as a series of short essays/meditations on her life. Essay titles include: "Persian Legends"; "Travels for Solitude"; "Tidiness"; and "On Travelling with a Notebook," among many others. This copy is inscribed to Jean and Bill Gunn, two of Stark's closest friends during the later years of her life. Dr. William Gunn was the founder of the European Centre for Disaster Medicine, former Director of Emergency Humanitarian Operations for the WHO, and author of nearly two dozen monographs on humanitarian relief.

Book fine, price-clipped dust jacket near-fine with crease to front flap and only slight rubbing to extremities. A lovely inscribed copy with desirable provenance.