Although these fascinating essays by a woman who played a key role in British empire-building in Mesopotamia were written in 1916 and 1917, their republication nearly a century later is remarkably timely, as Paul Rich shows in his introduction to the volume. In many ways, Bell might seem to be writing about the Bush administration's imperial misadventure at the beginning of the 21st century, when self-proclaimed liberators, like those who preceded them, soon found that they too were occupiers facing violent resistance. We see how little those living today learned from the past and how, at least in this case, history is being reenacted?in Marx's words?as farce...

Glenn E. Perry, Indiana State University

Bell's work is an important historical document and a work that deserves attention today....Rich has offered readers an important document and provided a passionate appeal in his introduction to it.

Digest of Middle East Studies

Gertrude Bell, the British maker of Iraq, appreciated what was then Mesopotamia and the danger of military confrontation in that divided country. Her book and the introduction by Paul Rich should be a required reading for occupiers of present day Iraq and the policy makers in Washington and London.

Mohammed M. Aman, editor-in-chief, Digest of Middle East Studies

Although these fascinating essays by a woman who played a key role in British empire-building in Mesopotamia were written in 1916 and 1917, their republication nearly a century later is remarkably timely, as Paul Rich shows in his introduction to the volume. In many ways, Bell might seem to be writing about the Bush administration's imperial misadventure at the beginning of the 21st century, when self-proclaimed liberators, like those who preceded them, soon found that they too were occupiers facing violent resistance. We see how little those living today learned from the past and how, at least in this case, history is
being reenacted-in Marx's words-as farce.

Glenn E. Perry, Indiana State University