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)
Timen/a
Place:city: Bait Na'mah, near Basra
specific address: Officers Hospital
(Reader):
silent aloud unknown
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
(Listener):
solitary in company unknown
single serial unknown
Reader / Listener / Reading Group:
Reader: 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: Title:[unspecified novels]
Genre:Fiction
Form of Text:Print: Book
Publication Detailsn/a
ProvenanceFound
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: 13 May 2025
Additional Comments:
None
