Irene Green’s book is a Leonaur first edition—never before in print. Irene was born in Agra, India the child of a European father (born in India to English parents) and a Eurasian (Portuguese/Indian) mother. Although she was of mixed race, unlike her sister who was darker complexioned, she had fair skin and hair. Born in 1906, Irene quickly realised that although she considered herself part of the British Raj and was European in appearance, as an Anglo-Indian she lived between two societies and cultures—she felt she was alienated from one society and was never quite unconditionally accepted by the other. She has left posterity an essential account, from a unique perspective, of British India at its zenith. A contract to nurse in Peshawar on the North-West Frontier brought her the 1930-31 Frontier Medal and her account of this part of her life makes gripping reading. Irene Green’s story is a highly entertaining and compelling one that will be appreciated by all those interested in the last days of the Raj.

There are some fictional characters, that are familiar to practically everyone—whether they have read the books or not; King Solomon’s Mines and Alan Quatermain, The Prisoner of Zenda and Rudolf Rassendyll, The Hound of the Baskervilles with Sherlock Holmes and his faithful Doctor John Watson and The Thirty Nine Steps and Richard Hannay, to name but a few. There can be no doubt that the same applies to P. C. Wren’s novel Beau Geste, which features the memorable John Geste and his brothers.