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
From the Persian sack in 614AD to the end of the Crusaders. Hosler argues that despite horrific acts of violence, the medieval period is also one of tolerance, when the city's conquerors oft... 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
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
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
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...
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.
The moral philosopher on the self-perpetuating violence of Israel and Palestine and the psychology of conflict. This has been hailed by voices from every side.
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
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
A compelling account of the world's first empire, drawing extensively on recent discoveries in the field with the use of new archaeological techniques.
An account of the Cairo Conference, in which the map of the Middle East was redrawn, establishing the states of Iraq and Jordan and confirming a Jewish homeland in Palestine.
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
Numerous contributors discuss different aspects of seafaring in the spread of Islamic culture, from its origins to the present. Well illustrated and fascinating.
A sequence of essays about the Treaty that addressed the new Turkish state and the Middle East. At Versailles, before the rise of Ataturk, the West thought such matters had less claim on the... read more
An elucidating account of the conditions that led to, and subsequently shaped the Iraq war. This book casts a light on both CIA intrigue in the Middle East and Hussein's own political motiva... read more
The long struggle for Kurdish identity is poured into these twelve specially commissioned short stories in which the authors conjure several possible futures.