8vo. xvi, 347 pp., half-title, title, profusely illustrated in b/w photos in & hors text, 1 large folding map at rear, publisher’s cloth in dust wrapper, index, copy in mint condition, Darf Publisher’s, London, new impression, 1985.

Synopsis

Gertrude Bell ( 1868-1926) was one of the famous British Orientalists at the beginning of the 20th century. She served as the oriental secretary to Sir Percy Cox, British High Commissioner in Iraq during world war I, where for some time thereafter she worked with British intelligence. She was also an archaeologist and linguist of great skill, knowing both Arabic and Persian as well. This is an account of her travels in Palestine, Syria and Lebanon.