Book cover of Queen of the Desert: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell

Book description

Archaeologist, spy, Arabist, linguist, author, poet, photographer, mountaineer and nation builder, Gertrude Bell was born in 1868 into a world of privilege and plenty, but she turned her back on all that for her passion for the Arab peoples, becoming the architect of the independent kingdom of Iraq and seeing…

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Why read it?

1 author picked Queen of the Desert as one of their favorite books. Why do they recommend it?

A fascinating dive into the life of a woman with a huge impact on the world today that few have people have heard of.

Gertrude Bell was an extraordinary woman, a fearless risktaker with a vision she pursued against all odds. In a time when women kept to their place, Bell forged a path of her own while managing to become accepted and lauded in a very male world. You will be amazed by what she achieved.

Forget the movie with Nicole Kidman, which was barely watchable. This is the real story.

From Leslie's list on little known people in history.

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A moving story of love, betrayal, and the enduring power of hope in the face of darkness.

German pianist Hedda Schlagel's world collapsed when her fiancé, Fritz, vanished after being sent to an enemy alien camp in the United States during the Great War. Fifteen years later, in 1932, Hedda…

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