STAR OF THE MORNING

Kirsten Ellis (Harper Press, £25)

Star of the Morning takes us back to the drawing rooms of Georgian London and the souks of Syria as Kirsten Ellis gives an account of the life of Lady Hester Stanhope. Hester quit London society to explore the Middle East at a time when Jane Austen's heroines were still trying to clamber over stiles in Somerset.

Ellis gives a well-paced and perceptive account of her loves and losses that will delight modern adventurers.

The book is Ellis's first biography. A keen traveller herself, she has written guidebooks for several places around the globe and was shortlisted by the Observer for her writing on Cuba.

Her point of view as a modern female traveller enriches our appreciation of the excitement and disappointment that Hester experienced two centuries ago. Whether at home or abroad, she felt constrained by expectations of how women should behave.

Luckily, her privileged position in society meant that she could, to some extent, live life according to her own values.

She grew up in the Prime Minister's house and became an impressive and magnanimous host. However, on meeting the Venezuelan General Francisco de Miranda, Hester begins an incredible adventure into Greece, the Ottoman Empire, Egypt, Palestine and the Syrian desert.

She ingratiates herself with the Bedouin, outwits Napoleonic spies and seeks wisdom from Jewish and Islamic mystics. Her exploration of the region is incredible, and makes for an exemplary life story.

Ellis's style might seem a little soft for tough-minded biography buffs but, for anyone looking to meet an inspiring historical personage, the life of Lady Hester Stanhope promises a satisfying introduction to the genre.