Daughter of the Desert: The Remarkable Life of Gertrude Bell

From the front flap of this 518 page book: "Archaeologist, spy, Arabist, linguist, author, poet, photographer, mountaineer and nation builder, Gertrude Bell was born in 1868 into a world of privilege and plenty. The daughter of a wealthy industrialist, Gertrude turned her back on house parties and debutante balls, choosing instead to read history at Oxford, where she took a first in only two years. [This book] is her story, vividly told and impeccably researched, drawing on Gertrude's own writings, both published and unpublished. It is a compelling portrait of a woman who transcended the restrictions of her class and age and in so doing created a remarkable and enduring legacy."