Caravan

I love, love, love the Mrs Pollifax series, so although I don’t normally read a mere novel (not being snobbish; I just love a mystery), I love Dorothy Gilman’s writing so much that I knew I should try her novels, starting with Caravan on the advice of a friend. Oh, my! What an engrossing adventure story. Gilman tells Caressa’s story with just the right balance of humor and gravity.And she really knows how to move a story along without skipping important facts without getting bogged down in minutiae.I won’t give spoiler details, but I will say that things I anticipated happening didn’t unfold the way I expected. Brilliant!

Caravan is one of Dorothy Gilman's best books, and that is saying a lot for such an elegant and prolific writer. I have read her books several times over the years and am doing so again now.

Gilman, who’s the author of the Mrs.Pollifax series, has also penned several wonderful stories that I love 💕 dearly. Their heroines are often interesting, complex, and people I’d love to know. This one is about someone who ends up looking easily (erroneously) classified as British well-to-do (silver spoon) Her story is far from common however, as it involves growing up in a carnival, marrying young and not wisely and trudging as a captive through the deserts of the near east. How she survives and what she gains make for a wonderful tale.

This author truly pulled me in to be a part of her great adventure thru Africa and beyond. I would absolutely recommend this story to all who read, and like to be entertained.

I have been long been a fan of Dorothy Gilman . I have read all of the delightful Mrs Pollifax novels again and again. This book was so different from Mrs Pollifax. It reminded me of another of my favorite authors , Elizabeth Is Peters and her mysteries in the desert and in Cardio and dear Shepherd's Hotel. I loved every page. I loved her wonderful characters

A beautiful story full of fear, longing, weariness, and pure panic. A story of survival, and triumph. Truly the best of her writing. Not like the cozy Pollifax novels. More like a woman’s Lawrence of Arabia. I wish I had written it.

Caravan is an incredible book. For 11 years I had a medically fragile daughter and kept Caravan in a packed emergency bag for dashes to the Childrens Hospital 2 hours away. On many occasions, I would be at the hospital for weeks and would always re-read Caravan. The strength of the main character, her ability to "roll with the punches" was such an encouragement to me. Sections of the book spoke to me when I needed them the most. At one point Jared is near death and we are quoted "Our doubts are traitors and make us lose the good we oft might win by fearing to attempt...". My child was near death and risking the scorn of the ER doc, I called up the medical director of the hospital to demand a neurosurgeon consult. Whew, did that get action! My child had emergency surgery and lived to see another year. Dorothy Gilmans Pollifax books are great but none can touch the depth of Caravan. Thank you Dorothy!

Always a pleasure to read this author! She is one of my absolute favorites. This stand alone novel is one of her best.

Fun novel about a young woman who started as a carny magician, was given a decent education in a girls' boarding school and was married by a professor of anthropology. The story is set around the beginning fo the 20th century. The young woman goes to north Africa with her husband and gets lost. She has to find her way on her own to Egypt on her own. Her adventures are chilling but heart warming. Great read.

With this charming book I have finally completed my collection of Dorothy Gilman's work. Each and every one is a true gem.

Dieses Buch ist schon etwas anders als die sonstigen von D.Gilman .Aber durchaus interessant, wie fast alle von dieser Autorin