Journey Into the Mind's Eye: Fragments of an Autobiography (New York Review Books Classics)

A stunning tale set in England, Paris, and Moscow, chronicling Blanch's love for an older Russian man and the passionate obsession that takes her to Siberia and beyond. “My book is not altogether autobiography, nor altogether travel or history either. You will just have to invent a new category,” Lesley Blanch wrote about Journey into the Mind’s Eye , a book that remains as singularly adventurous and intoxicating now as when it first came out in 1968. Russia seized Lesley Blanch when she was still a child. A mysterious traveler—swathed in Siberian furs, bearing Fabergé eggs and icons as gifts along with Russian fairy tales and fairy tales of Russia—came to visit her parents and left her starry-eyed. Years later the same man returned to sweep her off her feet. Her love affair with the Traveller, as she calls him, transformed her life and fueled an abiding fascination with Russia and Russian culture, one that would lead her to dingy apartments reeking of cabbage soup and piroshki on the outskirts of Paris in the 1960s, and to Siberia and beyond. A stunning tale set in England, Paris, and Moscow, chronicling Blanch's love for an older Russian man and the passionate obsession that takes her to Siberia and beyond. "My book is not altogether autobiography, nor altogether travel or history either. You will just have to invent a new category," Lesley Blanch wrote about Journey into the Mind's Eye, a book that remains as singularly adventurous and intoxicating now as when it first came out in 1968. Russia seized Lesley Blanch when she was still a child. A mysterious traveler'swathed in Siberian furs, bearing Faberge eggs and icons as gifts along with Russian fairy tales and fairy tales of Russia'came to visit her parents and left her starry-eyed. Years later the same man returned to sweep her off her feet. Her love affair with the Traveller, as she calls him, transformed her life and fueled an abiding fascination with Russia and Russian culture, one that would lead her to dingy apartments reeking of cabbage soup and piroshki on the outskirts of Paris in the 1960s, and to Siberia and beyond "Russia seized the imagination of Lesley Blanch when she was still a child. A mysterious traveler, swathed in Siberian furs, bearing Faberge eggs and icons as gifts, and full of Russian fairy tales and fairy tales of Russia, came to visit her parents and left her starry-eyed. Years later the same man returned to sweep her off her feet. Her love affair with the Traveler, as she calls him here, transformed her life and fueled an abiding fascination with Russia and Russian culture, one that would lead her to dingy apartments reeking of cabbage soup and piroshkis on the outskirts of Paris in the 1960s; to Siberia and beyond--journeying deep into the romantic terrain of the mind's eye. Part travel book, part love story, Lesley Blanch's memoir is pure intoxication"--;Introduction -- Journey Into the Mind's Eye : Part One: The Traveller -- Part Two: Gallantry Bower -- Part Three: The Borrowed Life -- Part Four: Bridge of Clay -- Part Five: The Journey Begun -- Part Six: The Borrowed Love -- Part Seven: The Journey Done. "Russia seized the imagination of Lesley Blanch when she was still a child. A mysterious traveler, swathed in Siberian furs, bearing Faberge eggs and icons as gifts, and full of Russian fairy tales and fairy tales of Russia, came to visit her parents and left her starry-eyed. Years later the same man returned to sweep her off her feet. Her love affair with the Traveler, as she calls him here, transformed her life and fueled an abiding fascination with Russia and Russian culture, one that would lead her to dingy apartments reeking of cabbage soup and piroshkis on the outskirts of Paris in the 1960s; to Siberia and beyond--journeying deep into the romantic terrain of the mind's eye. Part travel book, part love story, Lesley Blanch's memoir is pure intoxication"-- Provided by publisher Russia Seized Lesley Blanch When She Was Still A Child. A Mysterious Traveler--swathed In Siberian Furs, Bearing Faberg�e Eggs And Icons As Gifts Along With Russian Fairy Tales And Fairy Tales Of Russia--came To Visit Her Parents And Left Her Starry-eyed. Years Later The Same Man Returned To Sweep Her Off Her Feet. Her Love Affair With The Traveller, As She Calls Him, Transformed Her Life And Fueled An Abiding Fascination With Russia And Russian Culture, One That Would Lead Her To Dingy Apartments Reeking Of Cabbage Soup And Piroshki On The Outskirts Of Paris In The 1960s, And To Siberia And Beyond.--amazon.com. Lesley Blanch ; Introduction By Georgia De Chamberet. "Russia seized Lesley Blanch when she was still a child. A mysterious traveler--swathed in Siberian furs, bearing Fabergé eggs and icons as gifts along with Russian fairy tales and fairy tales of Russia--came to visit her parents and left her starry-eyed. Years later the same man returned to sweep her off her feet. Her love affair with the Traveller, as she calls him, transformed her life and fueled an abiding fascination with Russia and Russian culture, one that would lead her to dingy apartments reeking of cabbage soup and piroshki on the outskirts of Paris in the 1960s, and to Siberia and beyond."--Amazon.com.