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Mirror To Damascus
  • Published: 2 February 2009
  • ISBN: 9780099532293
  • Imprint: Vintage
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 368
  • RRP: $37.00
Categories:

Mirror To Damascus

Formats & editions
EBook
8 June 2011
Paperback
2 Feb 2009
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A 50th anniversary edition of Colin Thubron's celebrated first book, a portrait of Syria's capital city, with a new introduction by the author

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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 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.
  • Published: 2 February 2009
  • ISBN: 9780099532293
  • Imprint: Vintage
  • Format: Paperback
  • Pages: 368
  • RRP: $37.00
Categories:

About the author

Colin Thubron

COLIN THUBRON is a celebrated travel writer, winner of many prizes and awards. His classic travel books include: Among the Russians (1983), Behind the Wall (1987), In Siberia (1999), Shadow of the Silk Road (2006) and The Amur River (2021). He is also the author of eight acclaimed works of fiction, including A Cruel Madness (1984), winner of the PEN/Macmillan Silver Pen Award, To the Last City, long-listed for the Booker Prize (2002), and Night of Fire (2017). Passage is his ninth novel, shaped by a journey to Egypt.
portrait photo of Colin Thubron

Also by Colin Thubron

Night of Fire
Shadow of the Silk Road
The Amur River
To a Mountain in Tibet
Journey Into Cyprus
Passage
The Hills Of Adonis
See all

Praise for Mirror To Damascus

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

Mr Thubron is a man of singular enterprise, and a writer of remarkable distinction. Surely Damascus was never sacked to better purpose

Observer

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

A passionate, enchanted and highly intellectual experience, both for author and reader

Richard Church, Country Life