The book presents a fascinating insight into life in Egypt in 1860. Lucie Duff Gordon was a remarkable woman suffering from tuberculosis. For a number of years, she has had to move to a warmer climate for her health, so she chooses Egypt. Those times, the relations between Egypt and the British Empire were becoming tense. And the locals were not loyal to the English tourists, making huge demands. Lucie Duff Gordon managed to become a member of the community. She surrounded herself with some wonderful people, who stayed loyal for the rest of her life, and started to learn the language. Although she wasn't particularly wealthy, she was still generous to those who needed her aid. This wonderful account of her travels and an unusual view on Egypt, its life, and culture in the middle of the Victorian era.