Record Number: 30920

---

Reading Experience:

Evidence:

'I left Baghdad 9 days ago and have been steaming slowly down the Tigris with the I.G.C. on his luxurious ship. I eat, sleep, read novels and talk to the General — such a rest cure could not be devised elsewhere.'

Century:

1900-1945

Date:

Between 4 Nov 1918 and 13 Nov 1918

Country:

Iraq (Mesopotamia)

Time

n/a

Place:

other location: on cruise boat on river Tigris between Baghdad and Basra

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

unknown

---

Source Information:

Record ID:

30920

Source - Manuscript:

Other

Information:

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

Additional Information:

Letter from Gertrude Bell to Florence Bell 13 November 1918 http://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk/letter_details.php?letter_id=332

Citation:

Gertude Bell Archive, Newcastle University http://www.gerty.ncl.ac.uk/, http://www.open.ac.uk/Arts/reading/UK/record_details.php?id=30920, accessed: 13 May 2025

---

Additional Comments:

None