Gorgeous colour images, as well as translations and commentary on these celebrated Persian poems. Both manuscripts date from the C15th and are exquisitely illustrated. This will be ravishing... read more
In 2015, as war raged in Syria, Lowe set off on an 11,000 kilometre journey through Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Sudan, the Gulf and finally to Iran. Full of humour, anecdote and the abun... read more
An elegant exploration of how British Prime Ministers, from Eden to Blair and beyond, have engaged in the Middle East under the misconception that they could help solve disputes because they... read more
The first translation by a woman, using Arabic and French sources, with detailed notes and commentary. Beautifully illustrated with Arab and Persian works of art as well as many drawn from p... read more
Looks at the dwindling communities of Christians still living in the birthplace of the early church. From Lebanon to Iraq, JdiG records the rituals and customs of these dispersed but endurin... read more
How Mohammed-Reza Shah's close relationship with the US and his desire for autocratic rule sowed the seeds for the collapse of the Pahlavi dynasty and helped foment the Iranian revolution of... read more
Perhaps the most high-profile political prisoner in the Arab world, Alaa has spent most of the last seven years in prison in Egypt. These essays were smuggled, compiled by friends and relati... read more
From the collection of an Italian banker whose work financed infrastructure such as railways, mines, electric power stations and shipping companies in the Near East.
By an excellent and knowledgeable cook. Reminds us of a favourite customer who not infrequently scuds by to deposit incomparable baklava - fresh, not too sweet, fragrant, and by the kilo...
Numerous contributors discuss different aspects of seafaring in the spread of Islamic culture, from its origins to the present. Well illustrated and fascinating.
This is considered to be the definitive edition of Firdausi's epic poem; its illustrations are scattered in collections and museums around the world. They are gathered together in this volum... read more
From being America's most significant ally in the region, Iran suddenly became its greatest adversary: this account, from 1941 onwards, explains how the Shah himself contrived to lose suppor... read more
The open-source investigative journalism and fact-checking network that works with an independent international collective of researchers, who recently reported on the Navalny poisoning, inc... read more
There are those who swear he was a spy, others who insist he was too scatty or essentially lazy to be one. Whatever the truth, he was an exceptional linguist (Iranian, Afghan Persian, Arabic... read more
In the C13th, the largest library in Europe contained fewer than 2000 books. Baghdad alone contained five libraries with between 200,000 and a million books.
APPEAR - Ancient Panel Paintings: Examination, Analysis, and Research - is an international collaboration between conservationists, scientists and curators around the world, set up in 2013. ... read more
A fascinating, scholarly monograph rather than a picture book, but well illustrated; draws on pre-Islamic sources and the great
Persian poets. Explores the role and symbolism of gardens in... read more