Mesopotamia

Among the figures who powerfully shaped the Middle East following World War I, perhaps the most overlooked is Gertrude Bell (1868–1926), known as the "Queen of the Desert." A tireless adventurer, mountaineer, archaeologist, polyglot, and spy, she drew borders and played a role in the British Empire's complex power games. This novel brings her intense life—with all its triumphs and shadows—to the fore, set against a backdrop rife with territorial conflicts, the bloody colonial and national interests of Britain, France, and Germany, and a thirst for oil in a region both legendary and cursed: the land of the Flood and Babel, the resting place of Alexander the Great—coveted Mesopotamia. Gertrude was also the beloved daughter of a wealthy Victorian family, yet she remained misunderstood by her peers. Alongside this enigmatic, idealistic woman—who was also passionate in love—the pages feature fascinating figures such as the tormented Lawrence of Arabia and a young Winston Churchill (Secretary of State for the Colonies following the Gallipoli disaster); together, they helped shape the destiny of territories including Syria, Palestine, Kurdistan, and what would become Iraq.