--- product_id: 1706091 title: "The Valleys of the Assassins: and Other Persian Travels (Modern Library (Paperback))" brand: "freya stark" price: "25772CFA" currency: XOF in_stock: true reviews_count: 7 url: https://www.desertcart.sn/products/1706091-the-valleys-of-the-assassins-and-other-persian-travels-modern store_origin: SN region: Senegal --- # The Valleys of the Assassins: and Other Persian Travels (Modern Library (Paperback)) **Brand:** freya stark **Price:** 25772CFA **Availability:** ✅ In Stock ## Quick Answers - **What is this?** The Valleys of the Assassins: and Other Persian Travels (Modern Library (Paperback)) by freya stark - **How much does it cost?** 25772CFA with free shipping - **Is it available?** Yes, in stock and ready to ship - **Where can I buy it?** [www.desertcart.sn](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/1706091-the-valleys-of-the-assassins-and-other-persian-travels-modern) ## Best For - freya stark enthusiasts ## Why This Product - Trusted freya stark brand quality - Free international shipping included - Worldwide delivery with tracking - 15-day hassle-free returns ## Description The Valleys of the Assassins: and Other Persian Travels (Modern Library (Paperback)) ## Images ![The Valleys of the Assassins: and Other Persian Travels (Modern Library (Paperback)) - Image 1](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/71pPLzDE7yL.jpg) ## Customer Reviews ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Great Armchair Adventure... *by B***T on April 25, 2008* I first read an earlier edition of The Valleys of the Assassins: and Other Persian Travels (Modern Library Paperbacks) nearly 40 years ago while working in Tehran. At that time, it was the primary inspiration for a one-day excursion into the Alamut region with a few friends in a '66 Pontiac convertible, executed with all of the carefree abandon of Ms. Stark. I was delighted to find this reprint in 2001 [as well as The Southern Gates of Arabia: A Journey in the Hadhramaut (Modern Library Paperbacks)] as I searched for greater understanding of the people of the Middle East in the wake of September 11th, just as she had successfully done throughout her lifetime of exploration and writing about these ancient civilizations.The real enjoyment of reading about her colorful adventures comes from her insights into the region as a journalist and the origins of the people, along with her vivid descriptions of life and her dry wit. When you think of this Western woman, often traveling alone, moving throughout the Muslim world of the 1930s [one that hadn't changed in centuries] you become instantly in awe. By simply reading at random any passage that she wrote, you are turned into the traveling companion of this amazing lady and shown those people and their customs in lands that are now forever lost to us, with Stark's compelling words being the only exception. Her true gifts to the world are these wonderful sojourns into the past.Bob Magnant is the author of The Last Transition... - a fact-based novel about Iran, Iraq and the Middle East... ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Dull, Perhaps, But Groundbreaking *by M***E on October 24, 2005* I agree with much of what is said in the reviews below: Stark's travelogues aren't to be read in bed if you have any intention of keeping your eyes open for more than a dozen pages or so. Her writing is clear and concise, but not scintillating by any means. What's of interest in this book is less the style of writing and more the travels themselves. Here was a single woman in the 1930s traveling in an area of the world virtually unknown to Westerners, making the radical choices, for instance, to study the Koran and live with the locals. She was a true radical of her own time who dared to tread places that Marco Polo didn't even approach, despite his (in)famous claims to the contrary.As for the criticism of the lack of maps in the book that some of the reviewers here have brought up -- well, that may be a criticism directed at the publisher, but it shouldn't be aimed at Stark. The maps that are in the book are the ones that Stark made herself during her travels and handed over to the Royal Geographic Society, and are considered the first Western maps of the area. In my own research, I was in contact with the Society repeatedly, trying to procure additional maps of the Elburz Mountain region for background information on Vladimir Bartol's ALAMUT, an historical novel based on the most famous Valley of the Assassin resident, Hasan ibn Sabbah. Frankly, Stark's maps are some of the few that actually exist, even to this day. The area of her travels -- perhaps aside from CIA maps that we mere mortals are not privy to -- has not been mapped very well. Spend a few hours scouring antiquarian map collectors and see what you come up with. True, it would have been helpful for the publisher to add some basic "Rand McNally" type overviews of her route, but a criticism of Stark on this point is completely beside the point and neglects to recognize her true contribution to the literature. ### ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Travels with Freya Stark *by M***S on June 26, 2012* Sometimes truth is much more interesting than fiction. Who could make up a story about a woman who ventured in 1934 where few European men had dared to go, into the unmapped highlands of Persia via donkey with two native Persian men, one a devout Muslim, as guides? In The Valley of the Assassins, Freya Stark set out for Luristan, looking for historical ruins and ancient grave sites. Eventually, Miss Stark not only made important archaeological discoveries, but managed to make maps of the areas she visited that had value for both the Royal Geological Society and British Intelligence. She charmed the people she met along the way with her fearlessness and her knowledge of their language, manners and customs, just as she will charm adventurous readers with her picturesque descriptions,humor and imaginative imagery. Before you embark on dangerously exciting travels with a woman that you hardly know, you may want to read The Passionate Nomad, a biography of Freya Stark by Jane Fletcher Geniesse, ## Frequently Bought Together - The Valleys of the Assassins: and Other Persian Travels (Modern Library (Paperback)) - The Southern Gates of Arabia: A Journey in the Hadhramaut (Modern Library (Paperback)) - Passionate Nomad: The Life of Freya Stark (Modern Library (Paperback)) --- ## Why Shop on Desertcart? - 🛒 **Trusted by 1.3+ Million Shoppers** — Serving international shoppers since 2016 - 🌍 **Shop Globally** — Access 737+ million products across 21 categories - 💰 **No Hidden Fees** — All customs, duties, and taxes included in the price - 🔄 **15-Day Free Returns** — Hassle-free returns (30 days for PRO members) - 🔒 **Secure Payments** — Trusted payment options with buyer protection - ⭐ **TrustPilot Rated 4.5/5** — Based on 8,000+ happy customer reviews **Shop now:** [https://www.desertcart.sn/products/1706091-the-valleys-of-the-assassins-and-other-persian-travels-modern](https://www.desertcart.sn/products/1706091-the-valleys-of-the-assassins-and-other-persian-travels-modern) --- *Product available on Desertcart Senegal* *Store origin: SN* *Last updated: 2026-09-18*