Reviews (1)

An ok place to start
As with most guidebooks, you can't really expect much depth in this one. I think the book errs in trying too hard to discuss political events and not enough on what the country's really like. It's not at all clear, in fact, that Mr. Ham actually ever visited the country.
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Subjects:  1. Middle East - General    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Saudi Arabia    5. Travel & holiday guides   

Reviews (3)

A beautiful must-have book for anyone who loves Damascus
This book is a must for anyone who loves Damascus and is concerned about its deterioration.It's a must for any Damascene expatriate's living room coffee table book collection for sure.The photographs are absolutely stunning and the text is interesting and engaging.One flaw, however is that I would have liked to see the photographs and the text regarding specific houses cross-referenced, (perhaps in the appendix of houses' names in the back of the book) as photographs and texts about specific houses are scattered throughout the book and you have to find all the references yourself--very annoying.Other than that, it is a wonderful book for showing off a unique aspect of our beloved city.Some of these houses are being used as sets for Syrian soap operas-- look closely and you might recognize some!

poignant beauty
This book documents a lifestyle that we can only know through writings and recollections, mostly by English expatriates and scholars.The houses themselves are gradually falling into decay, which is shameful, but which appears to be the fate of so many great architectural treasures of the past.I was charmed by the magnificence that one can sense (through the photographs), however dimmed by present squalor, and resolved that if I could, somehow, I would try to recreate the feeling; I know that's quite silly but even so it would be marvelous to have a fountain right by one's door and great trees growing inside one's living quarters.I loved the black, red, and white horizontal stripes and the mother-of-pearl-inlaid furniture, the inlaid Arab designs, the 20' ceilings and the beautiful arches.I also loved the recollections of Isabel and Richard Burton, and Jane Digby, these people were triumphantly confident and strode through life with none of the fright and nerves that we contemporary readers seem to have...and rightly so.I loved this book, and hopefully it will assist in the preservation of the great houses of Old Syria.

Will delight students of Islamic culture
Brigid Keenan's informative and highly recommended text comprising Damascus: Hidden Treasures Of The Old City, is enhanced throughout with 214 illustrations and photographs (171 in color) by Tim Beddow. This superb introduction to the architectural grandeur of Damascus incudes descriptions of individual houses and the people who built and lived in them. The amazing photographs reveal the facades, courtyards, alleyways , fountains and amazing interiors behind unassuming walls will delight students of Islamic culture, architecture, history, and lifestyles. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Architecture    2. Architecture, Islamic    3. Damascus    4. Domestic    5. History    6. International Architecture - Middle Eastern    7. Middle East - General    8. Pictorial works    9. Residential Buildings Architecture    10. Syria    11. Travel    12. Travel - World/Middle East   

Reviews (10)

A Riveting Read
I have read and enjoyed a wide variety of Lonely Planet guides during my travels.But by far ISRAEL & THE PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES is my favorite.I picked it up before a planned trip to Israel and couldn't put it down. When I finished it, I couldn't wait to get the plane to check out this legendary country for myself. And then the trip was cancelled.I was devastated.
Superficial
I am a LP fan, but after been living in Israel for almost 3 years I have to say that this guide is very superficial. It could be much better ... for example, there are restaurants that everybody know in Israel, very popular, very nice that are not mentioned in the guide. I would expect something more from LP ... sorry :(

Political opinion VS visitors guidebook
I have a number of Lonely Planet guides and this is the only one that goes out of its way to make political statements about the country. Along with that is the poorly researched information about what to see and where to stay.Read more

Subjects:  1. Guidebooks    2. Israel    3. Middle East - General    4. Middle East - Israel    5. Palestine    6. Travel    7. Travel - Foreign    8. ASIA    9. Travel & holiday guides   

Subjects:  1. Business & Economics    2. Business/Economics    3. Exports & Imports    4. International - General    5. Middle East - General    6. Travel - Foreign    7. International business    8. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY   

Reviews (1)

Baghdad City Map by ITMB
Pre-2003 Coalition invasion. Not a bad product, but obviously not updated regarding names, etc. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Maps    2. Iraq    3. Travel / road maps & atlases   

Editorial Review

In 1986, a Palestinian terrorist shot author Laura Blumenfeld’s father. More than a decade later, Blumenfeld, a reporter for Read more

Reviews (29)

Excellent insights into a very complex problem
I really enjoyed this touching narrative. The insights into a Palestinian family were great and the reader learns a lot about the best of Arab culture. We also learned about Jewish culture as well and it's strong points. Laura did something unprecendented and her story is superb.
A hopeful odyssey through the minefields of vengeance
How does one begin to describe a book that is at once a courageous odyssey of the mind and heart, an educational primer on the taking of revenge, a cornucopia of vivid personalities, an examination of the morality behind the world's responses to outrage, a journalistic investigation of a crime, a peek into familial dynamics, and a penetrating in-depth look into the soul of its author--warts, neuroses, and conflicted yearnings all on prominent display."Revenge: a story of hope" by Laura Blumenfeld (a reporter for the Washington Post), is all of these things, as well as being a riveting, emotional, occasionally hilarious page turner.The story is set in motion in 1986 when the author's father is shot by a terrorist as he walked the streets of Jerusalem.Though not seriously injured, this act wounded his daughter's sensibilities deeply.A college student at the time, she wrote a poem about the incident, addressed to the terrorist that ended with a promise for revenge:
A fascinating story
Laura Blumenfeld writes a fascinating story of her personal search for revenge after her father was shot in the head by a Palestinian terrorist in the Old City of Jerusalem. Her father, a rabbi, was a tourist. He was targeted for reasons that were unknown.
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Subjects:  1. Arab-Israeli conflict    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. General    6. Literary    7. Middle East - Israel    8. Personal narratives, American    9. Personal narratives, Jewish    10. Revenge    11. Biography: general    12. Current Events / International    13. Literature: History & Criticism   

Subjects:  1. Europe - France    2. Mexico    3. Middle East - Egypt    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Travel Guides    7. Travel / Mexico   

Editorial Review

Susan Brind Morrow's lyric prose wades the deep waters of life, death, and the meanings of words. Her narrative evokes the smell of raw, wet earth from her Finger Lakes childhood, the red rock of the Egyptian desert she travels, dead Greek words she studied "like shards of some wonderful glass," and fluid Arabic where "a name is a mirror to catch the soul of a thing, and a pun is the corner of its garment." Seeking desert solace for her siblings' deaths, Brind adventures through Egypt's Red Sea Hills and Sudan's wadis, studying the birth of language amid its natural, living origins. ... Read more

Reviews (8)

Breath of Fresh Air
It certainly is refreshing to read how a truly educated and enlightened woman can insinuate herself into what has to be some pretty stressful situations. The Names of Things is as close to poetry as prose can get. Susan Brind-Morrow takes the reader on a wild cultural carousel through Egypt and its surroundings, brought on by professional necessity. This is not the tourist's travelogue, so be prepared to confront an astounding array of societal paradoxes. An example is Brind-Morrow's perception of how Arab men treat her. Even though Arab women are treated like property, Arab men treated her with great hospitality, as though she were a man. Every page reeks of humanity, so much so that after reading it through once, I now take it down occasionally to relive a page or two at a time. Bravo!

Unique
Susan Brind Morrow has led a very interesting life. She's a graduate of Barnard College with a master's degree in classics from Columbia and for a short time was a fellow of the Creane-Rogers Foundation in Egypt and Sudan. Most of this book recounts her travels as a traveling archaeologist leading upto and around that period. Her prose is so lyrical that the book is more like reading poetry than anything else. So much so, that it's often difficult to keep a sense of where she is, who she's with, and what she's doing. The later is my only complaint, though to be honest it's not that anyone can capture in the lyrical sense what Susan Brind Morrow has in this very unique memoir.

Unique
Susan Brind Morrow has led a very interesting life. She's a graduate of Barnard College with a master's degree in classics from Columbia and for a short time was a fellow of the Creane-Rogers Foundation in Egypt and Sudan. Most of this book recounts her travels as a traveling archaeologist leading upto and around that period. Her prose is so lyrical that the book is more like reading poetry than anything else. So much so, that it's often difficult to keep a sense of where she is, who she's with, and what she's doing.The later is my only complaint, though to be honest it's not that anyone can capture in the lyrical sense what Susan Brind Morrow has in this very unique memoir. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Essays & Travelogues    2. General    3. Middle East - Egypt    4. Travel    5. Travel - General    6. Cultural studies    7. Egypt    8. Travel / General   

Editorial Review

Yossi Klein Halevi, born in America and now an Israeli citizen, embarked on a spiritual quest in order to appreciate the religious dimensions of conflicts in the Middle East. Beginning in 1998, he undertook "an attempt at religious empathy" in order "to test whether faith could be a means of healing rather than intensifying the conflicts in this land." Halevi, author of the critically acclaimed Read more

Reviews (16)

An honest, humble, inspiring adventure
I just love this guy. Starting with a simple urge to connect with his neighbors, Yossi Halevi embarks on an awkward, fascinating, dangerous journey through Israel, the West Bank and Gaza. He discovers a series of surprising characters who dream, not just of peace between Jews, Muslims and Christians, but of spiritual friendship. And the story of these fragile, budding friendships becomes an adventure of almost overwhelming power.
A study in courage
One problem with writing intelligent books on religion is that religion demands the author experience it.Halevi takes this difficult challenge and seeks common ground with Christians and Muslims.To find this common ground he is willing to push his boundaries, go beyond his fears to find a common ground.
Entrance to the Garden of Eden: A Jew's Search for Hope with Christians and Muslims in the Holy Land
This is a must for all ethnic groups to read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1953-    2. Biography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Christians    5. Comparative Religion    6. General    7. Jerusalem    8. Jews    9. Klein Halevi, Yossi,    10. Middle East - Israel    11. Palestine    12. Relations with Christians    13. Relations with Muslims    14. Religious    15. Social Science    16. Sociology    17. Sociology of Religion    18. Spiritual biography    19. Social Science / Sociology of Religion   

Reviews (7)

Average
Too long for a travel log, I lost interest after the first hundred pages. I also found the information a little biased. The author's point of view is rather narrow and many comments come across as somewhat offensive to Muslims. (I am an atheist!)

congratulating Dr. Yelda on the outstanding job toward promoting the Iranian culture
(A Persian Odyssey ),Iran Revisited, by Rami Yelda Gave as much information about Iranian history, the different dynasties, religions of our homeland, and the different places of interest during his short visit to Iran.
extraordinary grasp of todays Iran and itsrich history.
I have just finished reading a Persian Odyssey. This author explores Iran thoroughly and infuses his extensive historical knowledge to the sites he visits. I was amazed by the breath of his knowledge. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History / Middle East    3. History / Social History    4. History: World    5. Middle East - General    6. Middle East - Israel    7. Travel / Middle East / General    8. Art    9. Description and travel    10. Geography    11. Middle East - Iran    12. Social life and customs   

Reviews (3)

History of bazaar omits slavery
From 700 A.D. to 1900 A.D. the Islamic bazaar included a vigorous trade in humanity.Over 11 million Black Africans were kidnapped from their homes and pressed into slavery by the Islamic dynasties.Males slaves were castrated and sent to the fight the wars of the Islamic world.Female slaves went into harmes and household service. Fascinating
I checked this out of the library, and when I get back from Syria and Lebanon, am going to buy it.An entirely different perspective from anything I've ever seen.Even if it does omit anything about the ongoing conflicts of the region, we already know all of that.This tells us and shows us something we don't know.When I'm walking through the bazaars in Damascus and Aleppo, I will be carrying this book in my head and seeing everything differently because of it.

A superb introduction to the world of the bazaar.
I have traveled extensively in the Middle East and North Africa, and myfavorite places are the suqs, or bazaars of each city.I have actuallyvisited half of the bazaars featured in this book, and therefore I canattest to the accuracy of the information provided. This book captures thevariety, texture, and atmosphere of the bazaar.The only aspects missingare the sounds and the aromas.Of special interest and value are the mapsof each bazaar, for wandering through a suq can be an overpoweringexperience.Nowhere else have I come upon this type of information.Thephotos are well done, showing both the people and their surroundingsaccurately, but beautifully. This book makes me want to pay a return visitto a bazaar, soon. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Bazaars (Markets)    2. Cities and towns    3. Economic Systems    4. Islam - General    5. Islamic countries    6. Marketing - General    7. Markets    8. Middle East - General    9. Social life and customs    10. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/Middle East    11. Travel    12. Travel - Foreign    13. Cultural studies    14. Places & peoples: general interest    15. Retail sector    16. Travel writing   

Subjects:  1. History / Israel    2. Middle East,history of Middle East,description of Middle East,Persia,Iran,description of Iran,history of Iran,description of Persia,history of Persia,travel,journey,Edward Granville Browne,Edward Denison Ross   

Subjects:  1. Antiquities    2. Collections, Catalogs, Exhibitions    3. Description and travel    4. Egypt    5. Individual Photographers And Their Work    6. Monuments    7. Photo Essays    8. Photography    9. Pictorial works   

Reviews (2)

A humorous and revealing guide
This succinct, highly readable guide to understanding Israeli culture and dealing with Israelis in business and social contexts makes observations solidly supported by academic research on the subject. Topics range from negotiating with Israelis to hot-button issues like religion and politics. The bibliography of books and Internet sites provides additional resources for those who want to know more. A must-read for Americans seeking successful intercultural communication with Israelis, whether in the U.S. or Israel.

Useful and Informative
I had originally purchased this book to use for a school project.While the book was extremely useful for my Human Resources class, I also found the issues and topics presented in the book to be of great interest.This book is easy reading, short and to the point. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Business etiquette    2. Corporate culture    3. Customs & Traditions    4. Exports & Imports    5. Intercultural communication    6. Israel    7. Middle East - Israel    8. Negotiation in business    9. Travel    10. Travel - Foreign    11. ASIA    12. International business    13. Living & working abroad    14. TRAVEL & HOLIDAY   

Reviews (1)

My opinion
Enison Publishing has done it again.It has come out with another informative book, ?Pakistan in a Nutshell?.This book gives the reader a very easy way to comprehend into the complex History, Politics and Religion of this country, that was once part of India.A person reading this book will get a clear understanding of the make-up of the population and its many problems.It does this in a factual and precise way.Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. Middle East - General    3. Pakistan    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign    6. Asian studies   

Subjects:  1. Antiquities in art    2. Artists    3. Egypt    4. Egypt in art    5. Non-Classifiable    6. Sale Adult - Architecture    7. Sale Books   

Reviews (1)

Israels fascinating Photo History
This book tells all about jewish photographers in Palestine / Israel in the years 1890-1933. A fascinating book and a great gift! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. History    3. Jewish photographers    4. Judaism - General    5. Palestine    6. Photo Techniques    7. Photoessays & Documentaries    8. Photography    9. Photojournalism    10. Religion    11. Subjects & Themes - Travel - World/Middle East    12. Judaism    13. Other prose: from c 1900 -    14. Photographic reportage   

Subjects:  1. Europe - General    2. Middle East - General    3. Travel    4. Travel - Foreign    5. Travel Guides    6. Travel & holiday guides    7. Turkey   

Reviews (6)

Great Guide...
This is a great and detailed guide to the classic land route, covers the area and the trip in outstanding detail, but at the same time does not try to force you to stay on a certain itenerary. Highly reccomended.

Very good, if...
This book outlines an excellent journey from Istanbul to Cairo, with all the detail and information we expect from Lonely Planet. The only problem emerges if you want to take a different route than the one they've outlined. They make hardly any allowance for this possibility, and this is the book's fatal flaw. Use it as a suggestion book, as a guide; but consider buying a guide to the Middle East instead, and thus providing yourself with much more information on the places between Istanbul and Cairo, places you may want to visit even though they're "off the beaten track." For instance, with more information I chose to go South through Jordan, ferry to Egypt, and then go back North into Israel, ending in Jerusalem. This made sites such as Petra in Jordan and St. Anthony's Monastery in Egypt fit nicely on the itinerary, and for me ending in Jerusalem provided a more fitting climax. No one trip can fit everyone. Whatever your desires, consider a guidebook that presents more options. Make sure you include Istanbul, Ephesus, Damascus, Baalbek, Beirut, Petra, Jerusalem, Cairo. Strongly consider Nazareth, Haifa, Luxor, and Mt. Sinai. Have fun!

Very good, if...
This book outlines an excellent journey from Istanbul to Cairo, with all the detail and information we expect from Lonely Planet. The only problem emerges if you want to take a different route than the one they've outlined. They make hardly any allowance for this possibility, and this is the book's fatal flaw. Use it as a suggestion book, as a guide; but consider buying a guide to the Middle East instead, and thus providing yourself with much more information on the places between Istanbul and Cairo, places you may want to visit even though they're "off the beaten track."Read more

Subjects:  1. Guidebooks    2. Middle East    3. Middle East - General    4. Travel    5. Travel - Foreign   

Subjects:  1. Africa    2. Travel    3. Travel - Foreign    4. Travel Guides    5. NATURAL HISTORY, COUNTRY LIFE & PETS    6. Travel / Africa    7. Yemen