Dreamers of the Day: A NovelA schoolteacher still reeling from the tragedies of the Great War and the influenza epidemic travels to the Middle East in this memorable and passionate novel “Marvelous . . . a stirring story of personal awakening set against the background of a crucial moment in modern history.”—The Washington Post Agnes Shanklin, a forty-year-old schoolteacher from Ohio, has come into a modest inheritance that allows her to take the trip of a lifetime to Egypt and the Holy Land. Arriving at the Semiramis Hotel just as the 1921 Cairo Peace Conference convenes, she is freed for the first time from her mother’s withering influence and finds herself being wooed by a handsome, mysterious German. At the same time, Agnes—with her plainspoken American opinions—is drawn into the company of Winston Churchill, T. E. Lawrence, and Lady Gertrude Bell, who will, in the space of a few days, redraw the world map to create the modern Middle East. As they change history, Agnes too will find her own life transformed forever. With prose as graceful and effortless as a seductive float down the Nile, Mary Doria Russell illuminates the long, rich history of the Middle East with a story that brilliantly elucidates today’s headlines. |
Contents
Section 1 | 3 |
Section 2 | 35 |
Section 3 | 51 |
Section 4 | 67 |
Section 5 | 117 |
Section 6 | 156 |
Section 7 | 161 |
Section 8 | 211 |
Section 9 | 227 |
Section 10 | 235 |
Section 11 | 251 |
Section 12 | 271 |
Section 13 | 273 |
Other editions - View all
Common terms and phrases
Agnes American Arab arms asked began believe better British Cairo called carried Churchill Cleveland Colonel Lawrence course don't door dress East Egypt Egyptian eyes face feel felt followed French give hand head hear heard hoped idea imagine interested It's Italy Karl keep knew ladies land later leave Lillie lived looked Middle Mildred mind Miss Bell Miss Shanklin morning mother moved Mumma never night offered once passed perhaps person pulled raised remarked remember Rosie seemed side simply smiled someone sort stone stood stopped surprise tell thing Thompson thought tion told took trying turned voice waiting walk watched Wilson Winston woman women young