author: Alan Gold
name: Kim
average rating: 4.04
book published: 2012
rating: 5
read at: 2018/10/01
date added: 2018/10/05
shelves:
review:
If Winston Churchill and the other leaders of Western Europe had listened more closely to Gertrude Bell and T.E Lawrence during and after the First World War, the Middle East might have been a very different place today. Bell and Lawrence both understood the complexities of the region better than any other outsiders, both having spent decades travelling the Arab peninsula as archaeologists, unofficial envoys, cartographers, reporters and writers and (in Lawrence’s case) officer of the Army.
And if Gertrude Bell had not been a woman, the immediate aftermath of the war may also have been quite different as she battled the male dominant hierarchy of British army generals ignorant of the history and culture of the Arab nations.
Author Alan Gold has made his name writing about the forgotten women of history. The book is written almost as an auto-biography, cleverly constructing scenes and dialogue as a first hand account of events. As such there is no doubt quite a bit of ‘poetic license’, but that doesn’t detract from the accuracy of the overall narrative, quite the contrary.
Apart from being exceptionally intelligent, Gertrude Bell also had the distinct advantage of coming from a very well-to-do and well connected industrialist family. Her grandfather was Sir Isaac Lowthian Bell, a Liberal MP during Benjamin Disraeli’s second term as Prime Minister, and her father was Sir Hugh Bell, who with a title of 2nd Baronet was (almost) to be counted as gentry.
Money and connections enabled her to study at Oxford and she was one of the first two women to graduate with a first class honours degree in history, when she was only 19. Never married – another factor that made her achievements in those times even more extraordinary – she started travelling the world at an early age. She developed a passion for archaeology and mountaineering (Gertrudspitze in the Swiss Alps near Bern is named after her – being one of the first to ascend it).
But her first and enduring interest was in the lands of the Arabs – Persia, Palestine, Syria and Mesopotamia as it was known then – borders fluid and very different to the lines later drawn up by men in the smoky map rooms of the war planners and at “peace” conferences.
Gertrude Bell learnt the languages, befriended the kings, princes and sheiks of the region and made it her life’s work to understand what so many of her countrymen did not bother to. Some of the top brass did appreciate her contributions, but most were, of course, threatened by the mere thought of a woman of knowledge and influence.
Neither T E Lawrence nor Gertrude Bell were supporters of the Sykes-Picot agreement or the Balfour Declaration, which in hindsight both proved to be disastrous for the region. I doubt if there ever was a greater example of “divide and conquer” than the British (and French) strategy in the Middle East during and after the First World War. It was all about the oil, of course, making sure that no Arab nation would be strong enough by itself. “Solving” the “Jewish problem” was just a side effect. The world is still suffering from the consequences.
Bell of the Desert provides excellent insights into all of these events, places the various combatants and participants in context and illuminates the history. It is also a most enjoyable read (or ‘listen’ as I did). The author cannot hide his love and admiration for Ms Bell, and it is hard for the reader not to join in. There are doubtless embellishments in the narrative – events and conversations that the author could not possibly be privy to. But it works as a great yarn whilst providing fascinating insights into an extraordinary woman in extraordinary circumstances.
Highly recommended.
PS> The movie “The Queen of the Desert” is no way of getting to know and understand Gertrude Bell. It is as narrow in scope as (lead actress) Nicole Kidman’s facial expressions.
