Record Number: 30916

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Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'I'm still in hospital but I've made a very rapid cure (I was pretty bad when I came) and I hope they will let me go back to Basrah in a day or two. I've been quite extraordinarily comfortable and the kindness of everyone is past belief. It really was very pleasant to find oneself here with all the trouble of looking after one's own self lifted off one's shoulders. I've done little or nothing but eat and sleep and read novels, of which I found plenty here. Oh yes and I've read all Gilbert Murray's translation of Greek plays — glorious they are — which I also found,[...].'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 21 Sep 1916 and 29 Sep 1916

Country:

Iraq (Mesopotamia)

Time

n/a

Place:

city: Bait Na'mah, near Basra
specific address: Officers Hospital

Type of Experience
(Reader):
 

silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

Type of Experience
(Listener):
 

solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown

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Reader / Listener / Reading Group:

Reader:

Gertrude Bell

Age:

Adult (18-100+)

Gender:

Female

Date of Birth:

16 Jul 1868

Socio-Economic Group:

Gentry

Occupation:

Linguist, traveller, archaeologist, information gatherer for British government, army officer and Middle East political advisor

Religion:

originally Christian (Anglican) by now declared atheist

Country of Origin:

England

Country of Experience:

Iraq (Mesopotamia)

Listeners present if any:
e.g family, servants, friends

n/a

Additional Comments:

n/a

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Text Being Read:

Author:

Gilbert Murray

Title:

[English verse translations of Greek plays]

Genre:

Classics, Drama, Poetry

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

most were published by George Allen and Unwin

Provenance

Found

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Source Information:

Record ID:

30916

Source - Manuscript:

Other

Information:

Gertude Bell Archive, Newcastle University http://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk/

Additional Information:

http://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk/letter_details.php?letter_id=196 Letter from Gertrude Bell to Hugh Bell 29 September 1916

Citation:

Gertude Bell Archive, Newcastle University http://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk/, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=30916, accessed: 03 May 2024

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Additional Comments:

At least ten of Gilbert Murray's verse translations appeared between 1900 and 1915.