From Publishers Weekly:
In March of 1987, Glass, who speaks some Arabic and had covered the Middle East as a TV correspondent, began what he calls a literary and spiritual ramble through the countries of the Levant. His itinerary was a leisurely, spontaneous affair: visiting historical sites, chatting with people from all walks of life, comparing his impressions with those of earlier travelers such as Richard Burton, Benjamin Disraeli, Mark Twain. Curious about the various "tribes" who live in Turkey, Syria and Lebanon, Glass found attitudes to be remarkably divergent among people about their tormented world. His nonjudgemental tolerance here extends even to the Hizballah gunmen who brought his journey to an abrupt halt in Beirut and held him hostage (he had planned to continue on to Israel and Jordan). Glass's account of two months' captivity and his escape bring to an exciting conclusion this engrossing, informative, unusual travel book. Author tour.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
From Library Journal:
As a veteran correspondent (chief of ABC News' Middle East bureau), Glass is no stranger to the complexities of the maelstrom known as the Middle East. Four months after resigning from ABC, he was kidnapped and held hostage in Beirut, until his escape 62 days later. Interestingly, the retelling of Glass's days as hostage fills only a relatively few pages; instead, this is a literate, erudite, and leisurely stroll through the Middle East Glass always wanted to report on but couldn't due to the limitations of the 30-second sound bite. This is much like Thomas Friedman's From Beirut to Jerusalem ( LJ 7/89; one of LJ' s "Best Books of 1989," 1/90, p. 52.) in its blending of personal anecdote with contemporary landscapes, but it has a more historical tone. Highly recommended.
- David P. Snider, Casa Grande P. L., Ariz.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
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