My Life's Travels and Adventures - An Eighteenth-Century Oculist in the Ottoman Empire and the European Hinterland

Regina Salomea Pilsztynowa, an eighteenth-century Polish doctor, played multiple roles and carved out a successful niche in the multicultural, multiethnic, and varied religious environment of Europes eastern periphery. Her memoir, My Lifes Travels and Adventures, provides a view into eighteenth-century social, professional, and gender interactions and offers insights into historical, ethnographic, and religious aspects of the era. This edition makes the memoir available in English for the first time.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 306 pages
Publication date: 30 June 2021
Publisher: Iter Press

In her captivating and unfinished masterpiece, My Lifes Travels and Adventures, the eighteenth-century Polish doctor Regina Salomea Pilsztynowa takes on an array of remarkable roles, showcasing her extraordinary versatility and resilience. From a young bride to a devoted wife, a nurturing mother, a passionate lover, an intrepid adventurer, a slave trader, a talented writer, and a self-taught physician, Pilsztynowa fearlessly embraced a diverse range of experiences that shaped her remarkable journey.

Navigating the multicultural, multiethnic, and diverse religious landscape of Europes eastern periphery, Pilsztynowa carved out a successful and fulfilling niche for herself. Despite the limited expectations for women in professional fields at the time, she emerged as a highly sought-after and respected practitioner of the medical arts. Her expertise and knowledge gained her the admiration of Turkish pashas, Hungarian princes, and even Sultan Mustafa III.

My Lifes Travels and Adventures, a captivating blend of memoir, autobiography, and travelogue, offers a unique window into eighteenth-century social, professional, and gender dynamics. Through vivid and captivating vignettes, Pilsztynowa paints a rich tapestry of love, travel, and popular superstitions that shed light on the historical, ethnographic, and religious context of the era. This edition, making the entirety of Pilsztynowa's personal and idiosyncratic memoir available in English for the first time, allows readers to delve into the depths of her extraordinary life and experiences.

Weight: 458g
Dimension: 153 x 229 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781649590046