Described by the author as simply "a work of love,"
Mirror to Damascus
provides a rich and fascinating history of Damascus from the Amorites of the Bible to the revolution of 1966, and is also a charming and witty personal record of an extraordinary city. In explaining how modern Damascus is rooted in immemorial layers of culture and tradition, Colin Thubron explores the historical, artistic, social and religious inheritance of its people. Along the way, he shares unforgettable stories about the enterprising travelers of bygone days.
is a unique portrait of a city now obscured by recent upheavals, by one of the most indefatigable and popular of travel writers.