Ida Laura Pfeiffer, born in 1797 in Vienna, was an Austrian explorer, travel writer and ethnographer. Her journals recounted travels through Southeast Asia, The Americas, the Middle East and Africa and were translated into seven languages. Despite her accomplishments and her membership in the geographical societies of both Berlin and Paris, she was not granted membership in the Royal Geographic Society in London, which forbade the election of women until 1913. Ida was the daughter of a wealthy merchant. She grew up with 5 brothers and was used to wearing boys' clothing. She enjoyed sports and exercise, which was encouraged by her father, and received the same education as her siblings.However, following the death of her father in 1806 her mother, who disapproved of her unconventional upbringing, insisted that she wear dresses and take piano lessons. On May, 1820, at the insistence of her mother, she married Dr Mark Antón Pfeiffer, a lawyer connected with the Austrian government, who was 24 years older than her. Their marriage was unhappy. Her husband lost his job which led their family into poverty. Ida gave drawing and music lessons to help with their financial situation. Her mother’s death provided a small inheritance which she used to pay for tutoring for her two sons. Once they moved on with their own lives she began planning to fulfill her childhood dream of travelling and became one of the most intrepid travelers of the 19th century. From 1842 until her death, she journeyed to far-off continents and dangerous regions, providing entertainment and knowledge to countless readers through her books. She was beloved by the public and respected by scientists and geographers, and became the first woman to be admitted as an honorary member to the geographical societies of Berlin and Paris. Pfeiffer's friends were so impressed with her tales of adventure that they urged her to find a publisher for her extensive diaries. Released in 1844 as Die Reise einer Wienerin in das Heilige Land (Travels of a Viennese Lady in the Holy Land), her book became a bestseller, and Pfeiffer was convinced that she had finally found her niche. In 1845, she made a journey to Scandinavia and Iceland, which quickly resulted in the publication of another popular volume. Pfeiffer organized her diaries and in 1850 published a three-volume account of her travels entitled Eine Frauenfahrt um die Welt (A Lady's Journey Around the World). Her work again proved to be a resounding success with the reading public. Ida Pfeiffer continued her travels until the end of her days. She died in Vienna in 1858. After her death, her son Oscar edited and published her last book, about her ill-fated trip to Madagascar.