Tales of a Female Nomad: Living at Large in the World by Rita Golden Gelman tells the tale of a divorcee who travels around the world at her own whim, relishing her freedom. She immerses herself in other cultures for extended periods of time. Rita has a passion for people.

Rita is living a charmed life at the beginning of the book. Her life is filled with parties and celebrities, but she isn't happy. After talking with a woman on an airplane, she realizes that she wants to travel, but her children aren't old enough to be on their own yet, so she settles for studying various cultures at the university.

Years later, Rita's children are grown, and her marriage is falling apart. She now has the opportunity to travel. At first it's difficult, since she is not used to being on her own, but she learns to survive and thrive. She stays with families who help her learn new languages and cook new foods. Rita develops relationships with people wherever she goes, and she is frequently asked to live in various locations as a family member.

She travels to Mexico and stays in a Zapotec Village and visits the Mayan ruins. Rita learns about politics in Guatemala and Nicaragua. She views different religious groups in Israel and studies animals in their natural habitat while staying in the Galapagos Islands. Rita visits Indonesia, where she attends burial ceremonies, visits an orangutan camp, and finds serenity. She treks through mountains and learns to cook Thai food. She discovers first-hand the difficulties of transportation, especially when it depends on weather.

As she is traveling, Rita still maintains family relationships. She frequently flies back to the United States to visit her parents and children. Rita's mother has Parkinson's disease, so Rita checks in on her on a regular basis. Her daughter, Jan, visits her often while she is in other countries, too. They always enjoy their time together as they experience celebrations and rites of passage in other cultures.

Rita's willingness to help anyone in any way possible opens a world where she mingles with princes and princesses as well as common folk. Just as she was not overwhelmed by her lifestyle at the beginning of the book with all its celebrity status, she is not overwhelmed by the royalty, either. She is more intrigued with personal relationships.

Rita learns about herself and finds a human connection everywhere she goes, even when the natives don't speak the language she does. She finds that she can communicate through song, through ceremonies, and through dress. Living the life of a nomad opens the world to Rita, and she finds it difficult to stay in any one spot for too long.