'Lukitz is good on the undercovered Middle Eastern theatre and consequences of the first world war... fascinating.' - Sunday Times 'A valuable, well-written and thoroughly researched overview of a specific moment in history and provides important insights into the life and character of a remarkable woman, who, for better or worse, helped shape the modern Middle East.' - Bulletin of the Association for the Study of Travel in Egypt and the Near East 'Lukitz's absorbing book.' - Robert Irwin, BBC History Magazine 'A timely account of Gertrude Bell's role in shaping the Middle East after the First World War.' - Trevor Mostyn, TLS 'Lukitz's study is worth reading, especially for anybody who considers reading the two volumes of Bell's published correspondence somewhat tiresome.'- Chartist Times Higher Education Supplement, 18 August 2006. 'The book is more than a learned study in the origins of the present-day plight of the Middle-East and far more than a readable biography of a remarkable individual.' - Michael Sommer. 'serious and reliable...deep in historical understanding and deeper in its research into the vast archival materials available.'- The New Republic 'In a fascinating account of Gertrude Bell's life and her involvement in Iraq, Liora Lukitz provides a first-rate scholarly study of the creation of the Iraqi state...a solid and most readable contribution to the current literature on the establishment of modern Iraq, its problems and possible solutions to them.'- Rami Ginat, Haaretz (Israel)ASIAN AFFAIRSA fascinating book, well worth reading for new insights into a personality who deserves to be better known and understood. Richard MuirHAARETZA first-rate scholarly study of the Iraqi state