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the experience of reading in Britain, from 1450 to 1945...

Reading Experience Database UK Historical image of readers
 
 
 
 

Record Number: 30917


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


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



Text Being Read:

Author:

unknown

Title:

[unspecified novels]

Genre:

Fiction

Form of Text:

Print: Book

Publication Details

n/a

Provenance

Found


Source Information:

Record ID:

30917

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=30917, accessed: 18 April 2024


Additional Comments:

None

   
   
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