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Arabian Sands

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( 5,955 ratings, 442 reviews)
Book Hero Magic crafted this summary to help describe this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Summary
Arabian Sands by Wilfred Thesiger narrates the author's extensive journeys across the Empty Quarter of Arabia, a harsh and uncharted desert. The book reflects Thesiger's deep admiration for the Bedouin people and their way of life, providing insights into their culture and traditions. Through his vivid recounting, Thesiger captures the beauty and challenges of one of the world's most formidable landscapes.
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Format: Paperback / softback
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Book Hero Magic created this recommendation. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! IS THIS YOUR NEXT READ?

This book may appeal to you if you are fascinated by the exploration of remote and harsh deserts, particularly those of the Arabian Peninsula. It offers an intimate look at the lives of the Bedouin tribes, capturing both their challenging existence and their resilient culture, all through the detailed observations of a passionate traveller and adventurer.

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Wilfred Thesiger was born in Addis Ababa and educated at Eton and Oxford. In the spirit of TE Lawrence, Thesiger spent five years exploring the deserts of Arabia. This book narrates his stories, including two crossings of the Empty Quarter, among peoples who had never seen a European and considered it their duty to kill Christian infidels.

Book Hero Magic formatted this description to make it easier to read. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! Description

New to Black Classics

Wilfred Thesiger was born in Addis Ababa in 1910 and educated at Eton and Oxford. Though British, he was repulsed by the softness and rigidity of Western life, "the machines, the calling cards, the meticulously aligned streets, etc." In the spirit of T.E. Lawrence, Thesiger spent five years exploring and wandering the deserts of Arabia.

With vivid descriptions and colourful anecdotes, he narrates his stories, including two crossings of the Empty Quarter, among peoples who had never seen a European and considered it their duty to kill Christian infidels.

Arabian Sands captures the essence of Thesiger's travels, offering a profound insight into the desert life and cultures that were both foreign and fascinating to the Western world.

Book Hero Magic summarised reviews for this book. While it's new and still learning, it may not be perfect - your feedback is welcome! HOW HAS THIS BEEN REVIEWED?

Arabian Sands by Wilfred Thesiger is praised for its vivid narrative filled with detailed anecdotes and vibrant descriptions that capture the essence and colour of the regions it explores, making it resonate deeply with readers familiar with the landscapes.

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Book Details

INFORMATION

ISBN: 9780141442075

Publisher: Penguin Books Ltd

Format: Paperback / softback

Date Published: 25 October 2007

Country: United Kingdom

Imprint: Penguin Classics

Contributors:

  • Introduction by Rory Stewart

Audience: General / adult

DIMENSIONS

Spine width: 22.0mm

Width: 129.0mm

Height: 197.0mm

Weight: 295g

Pages: 368

About the Author

Sir Wilfred Patrick Thesiger (1910-2003) was a British travel writer born in Addis Ababa in Abyssinia (now Ethiopia). Thesiger is best known for two travel books: Arabian Sands (1959), which recounts his travels in the Empty Quarter of Arabia between 1945 and 1950 and describes the vanishing way of life of the Bedouins, and The Marsh Arabs (1964), an account of the traditional peoples who lived in the marshlands of southern Iraq. Rory Stewart served briefly in the British Army and then as a diplomat in Jakarta and Montenegro. In August 2000 he resigned from the Foreign Office and began walking from Turkey towards Vietnam. His book about the walk, The Places In Between (2004), was a critically applauded account of his experiences in Afghanistan. His second book, The Prince of the Marshes: And Other Occupational Hazards of a Year in Iraq (2006), outlines his experiences as deputy governor of the Iraqi province of Maysan and Senior Advisor in the city of Nasiriyah shortly after coalition forces entered Iraq and describes his struggles to establish a functional government in these regions. Stewart has been awarded the OBE. Stewart currently lives in Kabul, Afghanistan.

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