Desert Queen: Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell by Janet Wallach | Book Club

Full Title: Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia

Suggested by: Book Shop Visit Extra

Pages to read: 385
ISBN: 9781400096190 (Originally listed edition, and edition I am using)

Community Guidelines:
https://www.inquiryreviews.com/p/discussion-expectations.html

Eugene's review of the book:
https://www.inquiryreviews.com/2023/01/review-of-desert-queen-extraordinary.html

Upcoming event:
https://www.meetup.com/Inquiry-Non-Fiction-Book-Club-for-Inquiring-Minds/events/

Forthcoming Similar Events:
1 - Power - 09/16/2023 = Corruptible: Who Gets Power and How It Changes Us by Brian Klaas (https://www.meetup.com/inquiry-book-club-for-inquiring-minds/events/290196239/)
2 - Dissent - 09/23/2023 = Why Societies Need Dissent by Cass R. Sunstein (https://www.meetup.com/inquiry-book-club-for-inquiring-minds/events/290763945/)
3 - State - 10/07/2023 = The Gulag Archipelago 1918–1956 by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn https://www.meetup.com/inquiry-book-club-for-inquiring-minds/events/290196455/
4 - History - 12/02/2023 = A Short History of Myth by Karen Armstrong (https://www.meetup.com/inquiry-book-club-for-inquiring-minds/events/290196549/)

Contribute:
The club has costs. If you appeciate the event, support the club. Contribute via:

1. Zelle, PayPal, or Venmo. Contribute to eugenefrominquiry@gmail.com.
2. GoFundMe: https://gofund.me/adabd41c

While reading the book, consider the below questions:
•What is the raison d’etre of the book? For what purpose did the author write the book? Why do people read this book?
•What are some limitations of the book?
•To whom would you suggest this book?
•What is Gertrude known for?
•Why was Gertrude attracted to the desert?
•How did Gertrude gain the confidence of Arabic communities?
•How did Gertrude influence politics?
•Where did British power came from?
•What happened to the Ottoman Empire?
•What were sources of conflict between Turks and Arabs?
•Why did the British wanted to keep control of Iraq?
•What were Gertrude’s views on romance?
•Who was Cadogan to Gertrude?
•How did Gertrude family influence Gertrude?
•What were Gertrude’s thoughts on other women?
•How did Gertrude help during WW1?
•How did Iraq obtain sovereignty?
•What was Gertrude’s role in establishing Iraq’s sovereignty?
•Who was Faisal?
•How did Gertrude die?
•How did the desert communities respond to Gertrude presence?

Your questions are important and will take priority. If you have questions about the book's content or related ideas, either let me know what your questions are or raise them during the discussion.