A Woman in Arabia

June 1, 2015
This tantalizing collection of excerpts from letters, diaries, and other assorted publications provides a fascinating glimpse into the life of Gertrude Lowthian Bell (1868–1926), one of England’s most famous adventurers. Biographer Howell (Gertrude Bell: Queen of the Desert, Shaper of Nations) grounds the selections with a family chronology and a narrative introduction of Bell’s unconventional Victorian life. Bell’s own words, especially when presented in
generously sized selections, showcase a personality and intellect that glittered like the sun-drenched Arabian sands. An Arabist and linguist, she developed a facility for six languages, including Arabic and Persian—skills that allowed her to write fine translations of Persian poetry. But mostly Bell was an adventurer, and readers will accompany her on some of her most daring exploits: climbing the Swiss Alps, journeying through the Syrian desert, and digging for archeological treasure in Iraq. She documented and mapped her travels for the British Foreign Office—information that became crucial with the outbreak of WWI in 1914—and worked at the Arab Intelligence Bureau in Cairo with T.E. Lawrence, aiming to rebuild the Arab world with repercussions that would reach far into the next century. This is a nifty little volume that illuminates a remarkable life. Maps.