Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of...

Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of ... | Janet Wallach | A briiliant analyst but flawed strategist

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Desert Queen: The ...

	Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of ... Janet Wallach Anchor Books, 2005 - 464 pages average customer review:based on 60 reviews view larger image
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El Khatun: The Lady of the Desert

Advisor to the Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia and probably one of the most influential women of the early twentieth century. Gertrude Bell was an amazing woman that led a life that any man would be jealous of. Janet Wallach sets out to tell the story of Ms. Bell's life and astounding adventures across Persia. This biography is definitely the most amazing and exciting that I have ever read. In fact it has encouraged me to look for more books on and by Gertrude Bell.

A briiliant analyst but flawed strategist

A well researched book and,if you are interested in understanding Miss Bell, a deep portrait of a superb mind which could be unwisely influenced by those (males) she respected.
Ms Wallach is on the side of Miss Bell but wisely acts mostly as a narrator without pushung her agenda too hard.
That Gertrude Bell knew Iraq better than anyone, including the Iraquis, is not an issue but it also can be said that she bears a huge responsibilty for future tragedies. Locked into the dream of a united Iraq she forcefully slammed together three different cultures, brought in a king who had no business there and denied the Kurds their autonomy, therefore establishing over 80 years of bloodletting and instability.Not that it might have been better in any course of action!
One wonders whether her friend, Van Ess, was better equipped to really understand Iraq practically.
But what a mind..what a woman! Her White paper on Mesopotamia should be required reading for all governments dealing with Iraq.

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gertrude bell - queen of denial

I don't have a problem with the way the book was written. I believe it was Gertrude Bell's shallow spin on the world that makes it seem a dull book to some. While she had independence and money, she was mainly bent on self-promotion, schmoozing, and pleasing daddy. She makes no mention of the million and a half Armenian citizens of Turkey slaughtered under her nose at the time. The book is worth reading for a look at the obtuse charecter of a privileged, disturbed individual with connections.

reviews: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, page 8, 9, 10, 11, 12

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