The romance of Isabel Lady Burton : The story of her life. Volume II

A vivid memoir unfolds as a spirited Victorian woman recounts her early years beside the bustling consulate of Damascus. She describes the deliberate choice of a hill‑top house in Salahíyyeh, far enough from the barred windows of the city to feel the open desert wind and the scent of camomile on the slopes. The entryway bursts with striped tiles, fountains and citrus trees, offering a warm stage for the letters and gatherings she hosted throughout the sweltering summer months.

Beyond the garden gates, she follows the caravan routes that carry her across rugged sands to the ancient stones of Palmyra, the holy shadows of Jerusalem, and eventually to the bustling ports of Bombay and Goa. Her keen eye records the colour of Arabian dress, the murmur of market bazaars, and the quiet moments of contemplation beside the Dead Sea. Through these passages the narrative blends personal discovery with a broader portrait of a world on the edge of modernity, inviting listeners to travel alongside a woman whose curiosity never ceased.