Gertrude Bell was one of Victorian England's most brilliant minds. She was among the first women to graduate from Oxford. She was a mapmaker, a polyglot, an archaeologist, and a traveler who never stopped asking questions. She died in 1926, and it is possible to find contemporary scholars who lambaste her for her role in British Mesopotamia. There are those who hold her in awe that borders on reverence. Foremost in all their bibliographies is Janet Wallach's "Desert Queen: The Extraordinary Life of Gertrude Bell: Adventurer, Adviser to Kings, Ally of Lawrence of Arabia."

Janet Wallach is a gracious and lively storyteller, and in this episode of Women's Voices, she takes us on a journey through a well-traveled life. No matter which side of history you think Gertrude Bell belongs on, Janet Wallach will make you care deeply about what she did and why she did it.

Follow this link to the program archive to learn more about Gertrude Bell from her most accomplished biographer.