Mirror To Damascus: 50th Anniversary Edition

Mirror To Damascus: 50th Anniversary Edition

by Colin Thubron (Author)

Synopsis

Described by the author as simply 'a work of love', "Mirror to Damascus" provides an enthralling and fascinating history of Damascus from the Amorites of the Bible to the revolution of 1966, as well a being a charming and witty personal record of a city well-loved. In explaining how modern Damascus is rooted in immemoriable layers of culture and tradition, Colin Thubron explores the historical, artistic, social and religious inheritance of the Damascenes in an amusing and perceptive manner, whilst interspersing the narrative with innumerable anecdotes about travellers of bygone days. "Mirror to Damascus" is a unique portrait of a city now obscured by recent upheavals, by one of the most indefatigable and popular of travel writers.

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More Information

Format: Paperback
Pages: 368
Edition: Anniversary
Publisher: Vintage
Published: 04 Dec 2008

ISBN 10: 0099532298
ISBN 13: 9780099532293
Book Overview: 'One of the oldest, most mysterious and fascinating cities in the world has found a worthy biographer: a rare event and one not to be missed' Sunday Times

Media Reviews
One of the oldest, most mysterious and fascinating cities in the world has found a worthy biographer: a rare event and one not to be missed * Sunday Times *
One of the most subtly beautiful books about a city I have ever read -- Jan Morris
Colin Thubron writes in a classical style of grave beauty, with an intense feeling for place and people * New York Times *
From the earliest legend to the latest coup, Mirror to Damascus reflects every discoverable facet of the city... a quite exceptional travel writer * Daily Telegraph *
One of the great merits of Mr Thubron's admirable book is that he balances this tribute to a place of which he is clearly very fond with the harsh facts of history... he was always moved by the best motives - curiosity and affection * The Times *
Author Bio
Colin Thubron is an acknowledged master of travel writing, and the winner of many prizes and awards. He first visited Syria in 1965 and his portrait of its capital city, Mirror to Damascus, was published to critical acclaim in 1967. He has also written about Lebanon, Cyprus and Russia. From these early experiences developed his classic travel books: Behind the Wall (winner of the Hawthornden Prize and the Thomas Cook Travel Award), The Lost Heart of Asia, In Siberia (Prix Bouvier), Shadow of the Silk Road and To a Mountain in Tibet. Colin Thubron was President of the Royal Society of Literature from 2010 to 2017.