Baghdad Dec 5 Dearest Mother. Thank you so much for your negotiations about Amurath. I've been thinking over what you say in the intervals left by 'Iraq politics which haven't, somehow, been prolonged. Instead of a chapter at the end, I think a new preface, prefixed to the old one, would be better so that one could say at the beginning that one wasn't going to change what had been written but this and that had modified the things said then. I would cut out some of the archaeology including many illustrations and plans. All the archaeological part of Ukhaidir [Ukhaydir] would go because the book has been published since, and all the archaeological part of Samarra because the German excavations have happened since. There would be a few explanatory sentences at the end of those chapters. I daresay many other illustrations could go, but I would like to keep those that are connected with archaeology where mine is the only record. So I'll telegraph "Amurath writing" and then Mr Evans had better write direct to me - when you've got this letter - and tell me when he would publish the book and whether he agrees to these suggestions. I might have written this to him if I had thought of it, but perhaps you will send this to him - it will save you trouble. I can't, you know, from here give him films or photographs. Can he do the illustrations from the old plates?
I would like to keep the old preface to Lord Cromer - it's the best thing in the book. Your affectionate daughter Gertrude