Most of Freya Stark's books pant with excitement, her adventures transcend even the remotely possible for a tiny woman alone, or nearly alone, in the most hostile settings. Yet Ionia, not really so remote a region, somehow slips into the out-basket. It is boring, the research is forced, the quotes exceed the journalism and while I've had the book on hand for many months and have made many attemps, I just can't finish it. Sorry, Freya.