Gertrude Bell, as noted in the new introduction by Rosemary O'Brien, was an extraordinary Englishwoman who ended up being the "first and only woman administrator to be taken into the British imperial service as Oriental Secretary" (p. This re-publication of Gertrude Bell's 1907 book, originally entitled simply and economically Syria, chronicles her seemingly meandering journey through the desert and countryside of Palestine, Jordan and Syria in the winter of 1906. Published on H-Gender-MidEast (October, 2002)Ĭhronicle of a Long Journey: Gertrude Bell in Syria Reviewed by Ellen Fleischmann (Department of History, University of Dayton) The Desert and the Sown: The Syrian Adventures of the Female Lawrence of Arabia. The book also served as the basis for the 2016 Werner Herzog film Queen of the Desert, starring Nicole Kidman, James Franco, and Robert Pattinson. An inspiring portrait of a woman who overcame the barriers of her generation, as well as a piece of history that offers insight into current events in the Middle East, The Desert and the Sown is fascinating reading for travelers, explorers, and citizens of the world. But it's Bell's impressions and conversations with contacts and confidantes of varied cultures that will hold you captive. One hundred sixty extraordinary photos illustrate camel caravans ruins of castles and monasteries local markets and bazaars Damascus with its gardens, domes, and minarets and more.
With an eye for vivid detail, "the female Lawrence of Arabia" offers intriguing images from her often dangerous "wild travel" through regions never seen by another foreign woman. A magnificent account of personal discovery and political history, this intriguing narrative traces Bell's 1905 sojourn through Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine. The Desert and the Sown is considered to be one of her masterpieces. A skilled archeologist, historian, and linguist, Bell traveled the world and wrote compelling, perceptive accounts of her daring journeys. One of the first women to graduate from Oxford, she traveled to Persia and became passionately drawn to the Arab people, the language, and their architecture. Born to transcend the social constraints of Victorian England, Gertrude Bell left the comforts of her privileged life for the unconventional - but thrilling - world of the Middle East.
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