A review by katheryn
Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell, Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia. by Janet Wallach
4.0
I first heard about Gertrude Bell as the former occupant of Red Barns, a building in Redcar (on the north-east coast of England), which is where most of my family live. When I was in the area last summer, I visited a local museum which had an exhibition on Gertrude Bell, and it was here that I bought this book.
Desert Queen is the perfect book for readers with an interest in this fascinating woman, and with only limited knowledge (if any) of her equally fascinating life. Wallach entwines her narration with excerpts from Gertrude's own letters, which really help the reader to get a sense of what she was like, as well as to get a firmer grasp on the events themselves. My only observation was that at times Wallach perhaps embellishes a touch too much in order to set the scene. For me this became noticable during some of her descriptions of Gertrude's time at Oxford, where I am currently a student. However, this doesn't detract from a highly readable and informative book on a woman who deserves to be far better known.
Desert Queen is the perfect book for readers with an interest in this fascinating woman, and with only limited knowledge (if any) of her equally fascinating life. Wallach entwines her narration with excerpts from Gertrude's own letters, which really help the reader to get a sense of what she was like, as well as to get a firmer grasp on the events themselves. My only observation was that at times Wallach perhaps embellishes a touch too much in order to set the scene. For me this became noticable during some of her descriptions of Gertrude's time at Oxford, where I am currently a student. However, this doesn't detract from a highly readable and informative book on a woman who deserves to be far better known.