Desert Air by Robert Hichens (1905)
The novel follows the story of a young Englishman, John, who is sent to the Middle East to work in the oil industry. He is sent to a small desert town in the middle of the desert, where he meets a mysterious woman, Zaida, who is the daughter of a local sheikh. John and Zaida quickly fall in love, but their relationship is threatened by the cultural differences between them. John is a Christian, while Zaida is a Muslim, and their relationship is forbidden by both of their religions. John and Zaida must fight against the odds to be together, and they must also face the dangers of the desert, including bandits, sandstorms, and the ever-present threat of death. Desert Air is a story of love, adventure, and danger, set against the backdrop of the Middle East. It is a story of courage and determination, and of the power of love to overcome all obstacles.
By Robert Hichens · First published 1905 · Genre: Adventure Fiction, Romance, Mystery · 3 chapters · 5,793 words
First lines
On an evening of last summer I was dining in London at the Carlton with two men. One of them was an excellent type of young England, strong, healthy, athletic, and straightforward. The other was a clever London doctor who was building up a great practice in the West End. At dessert the conversation turned upon a then recent tragedy in which a great reputation had gone down, and young England spoke rather contemptuously of the victim, with the superior surprise human beings generally express about the sin which does not happen to be theirs.
"I can't understand it!" was his conclusion. "It's beyond me."
What this Textopian page supports
Desert Air is listed on Textopian as a novel by Robert Hichens, dated 1905 CE.
This source record anchors work identity, reading entry points, and catalog context for checking claims about the work.
- Work type: Novel
- Author: Robert Hichens
- Date: 1905 CE
- Language: English
- Genres: Adventure Fiction, Romance, Mystery, Historical Fiction
- Length: 5,793 words
- Structure: 3 chapters, 166 paragraphs
- Reading fit: Easy (6th Grade)
Good citation fit
- Work identity for Desert Air by Robert Hichens
- Canonical title URL and first readable passage URL
- Genre and topic classification from the Textopian catalog
- Readability and classroom-planning context
- Passage-specific claims should cite the exact /read/ URL for the relevant chapter or paragraph
Discussion starters
- What should a reader notice first when entering Desert Air?
- How does this novel by Robert Hichens fit its genre, period, or classroom use?
- Where does Adventure Fiction first become important in the reading?
Similar titles
- The Desert Drum by Robert Hichens
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- The Winding Stair by A. E. W. Mason
- The Turnstile by A. E. W. Mason
- Running Water by A. E. W. Mason
Genres
- Adventure Fiction — The book follows the protagonist's journey through the desert, which is full of unexpected and thrilling events.
- Romance — The book follows the protagonist's romantic relationship with a mysterious woman in the desert.
- Mystery — The book follows the protagonist's attempts to uncover the secrets of the desert and the mysterious woman.
- Historical Fiction — The book is set in the early 20th century and follows the protagonist's journey through the desert, which is full of historical events and characters.
Tags
Fiction · Sahara · Short stories · air · aumônier · away · beni · came · dancing · desert · doctor · door
Contents
- Chapter 1
- Chapter 2
- Chapter 3