Alexandra David - Neel

Alexandra David-Néel was born on October 24, 1868. Despite her English surname, she was French. Her father, who was fifty-six years old at the time of her birth, was a radical journalist living in exile in Belgium. He managed to return to France with permission so that his child could be born on French soil and obtain French citizenship. Alexandra's childhood was not happy... She was driven by two great passions: exploration and study. From a very early age, she was drawn to mysticism and studied Eastern religions and philosophies. An indefatigable traveler, intellectual, opera singer, and even a director at the casino in Tunis for a time, this multifaceted and independent personality lived a truly eventful and fascinating life that few—men or women—can boast of experiencing even briefly. She traveled to the most remote parts of Asia. She passed away in 1969 at the age of 101.