Although T.E. Lawrence was a widely acclaimed British Arabist, the monumental work Gertrude Bell did for the Middle East has largely been forgotten. Born into an aristocratic family in North Yorkshire, Bell went on to achieve many firsts as a woman of her time. She became a renowned archeologist, linguist, cartographer, photographer, adventurer, mountaineer, and a major in the British military. Arguably, her greatest achievement was defining the borders of Iraq. Through her multiple desert expeditions, she mapped unexplored territory, and photographed archeological sites. 

The typographic publication here celebrates her travels, adventures and accomplishments that revolve mostly around the East. Bell herself was an archivist having documented each and every bit of information—whether it was archaeological or tribal in her diaries, these chronicles contain a wealth of first-hand information about the Middle East, which was vastly unknown to outsiders at that time. Writings from her original diaries provided by Newcastle University were also included to give a more personal touch. 

A timeline of all her achievements was captured on half pages that are inserted throughout the book. The Arabic version of white space using elongated lines between the letters (Kashida), served as a vertical line that followed it through. 

As Bell encounters Persia for the first time and learning Iranian, and translating Hafez’s work into English, making it more accessible to the non-Arab world, the publication branches into a freer and vibrant approach. The Middle East acted as a foil to the country she grew up in, and it was one she immediately took to and flourished in.  An Iranian and Arabic typeface was chosen to mesh well with the Latin one. 

Tip-ins containing quotes from her diary entries have served as interruptions within the book. It was also there give the viewer an impression of her character.