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Call to Adventure!
Sixteen-year-old Idris Galcia Hall was a student at a French convent school in 1922 when she answered an ad in the Riviera Weekly calling for a "Brains, Beauty and Breeches" — an offer for a young woman to join a round-the-world expedition. Be prepared, the notice advised, to "learn to work before and behind a movie camera." Hired as a secretary, the blonde, six-foot teenager renamed herself Aloha Wanderwell and became the face of the team's documentary films. She also developed into an extraordinary filmmaker in her own right, directing and appearing in 11 films, mostly during the 1920s and '30s.Traveling with the expedition of the charismatic Captain Walter Wanderwell, Aloha circled the globe three times and visited over 80 countries. Along the way, she became a Colonel in the Red Army of Siberia, a hunter of tigers in Indo-China, and a guest of the Maharajah of Gwailor. This memoir of her larger-than-life adventures will stir the hearts of all who sigh for the romance of the early days of car travel and those who savor armchair journeys to the faraway places of a vanished era.
260 pages, Kindle Edition
Published April 15, 2020
8 people want to read
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April 1, 2023
Thank you Idris Galcia Hall. You continue to lead the way for generations of female adventurers after you - you certainly inspire me to live adventurously.
An amazing memoir written by Aloha Wanderwell-Baker (she changed her name AND changed her life) in 1939. The book starts with her as a 16 year old school girl answering an ad placed in the Paris Herald by self-styled adventurer Walter Wanderwell. Mr Wanderwell was just starting out to break the world’s long-distance automobile record. Henry Ford donated a pair of Model-Ts Fords to his attempt.
The ad that Idris answered read "Brains, Beauty & Breeches… World Tour Offer For Lucky Young Woman… Wanted to join an expedition… Asia, Africa…"
This may well help you to place yourself in the social, racial and gender history of the 1920's.
Aloha uses language now inappropriate. However, her attitude is progressive and open to all vultures and people.
An amazing memoir written by Aloha Wanderwell-Baker (she changed her name AND changed her life) in 1939. The book starts with her as a 16 year old school girl answering an ad placed in the Paris Herald by self-styled adventurer Walter Wanderwell. Mr Wanderwell was just starting out to break the world’s long-distance automobile record. Henry Ford donated a pair of Model-Ts Fords to his attempt.
The ad that Idris answered read "Brains, Beauty & Breeches… World Tour Offer For Lucky Young Woman… Wanted to join an expedition… Asia, Africa…"
This may well help you to place yourself in the social, racial and gender history of the 1920's.
Aloha uses language now inappropriate. However, her attitude is progressive and open to all vultures and people.
Displaying 1 of 1 review