This is a fantastically researched biographical work. It is very in-depth and the research is extremely scholarly. However, my only complaint with this work is that in several places in the book, the timeline is rather fuzzy. I understand that the author is trying to explain certain points of Gertrude's life with more clarity, but it does make it a little difficult to understand when certain things are happening and within what context, i.e. her relationships with men as well as her experiences mountain climbing. The book regains its momentum when discussing the situation in the Middle East. It would have been interesting to see some discussion of the politics of modern day Iraq, as well as connections to British and American policies currently. However, it was a very scholarly work which was also a pleasure to read.