Cleopatra's Wedding Present: Travels Through Syria

Front Cover
Univ of Wisconsin Press, 2003 - Biography & Autobiography - 245 pages

Cleopatra's Wedding Present is the rare book that captivates its reader from the first page. Like the best travel books, Robert Tewdwr Moss's memoir of his travels through Syria resonates on many levels: as a profoundly telling vivisection of Middle Eastern society, a chilling history of ethnic crimes, a picaresque adventure story, a purely entertaining travelogue, and a poignant romance.
Tewdwr Moss, a brilliant young writer who was murdered in London the day after he finished this book, left this lyrical gem as his legacy. He adeptly captures an essence of the Middle East that is foreign to most of us, but which becomes real with his astute observations of the region's culture and explosive politics. He conveys what so many westerners find both fascinating and frightening in the Middle East, making no attempt to mask circumstances that are appalling and dangerous while also exotic, beautiful, and sometimes very funny.
Mesopotamia, now present-day Syria, was part of Mark Anthony's love gift to Cleopatra. Then and now, it is a land of mystery and love.

The Wisconsin edition is only for sale in the United States and it's dependencies.

 

Contents

Syria
13
A Fellow Englishman
20
Cupids Bow
29
Sunset in Serjilla
36
Crossing the River Quaik
46
Bassel on Horseback
53
The Almonds Heart
58
The Monastery of St Moses
68
Where Elijah Anointed Elisha
137
The English Will Give You Everything
146
Their Names
151
Tofodal
158
The Perfect Smile of Kallil
167
Saladin Foiled at Masyaf
175
Abducted in Arcadia
183
Dust in the Air
194

Mohammad
73
The Island in Syria
80
Damascus
86
The Perfume of Rosewater
91
Money from Iran
102
Rising Rain
108
Almost Untouched
115
Jihad?
129
I Am for Iraq
203
Israels Secret Weapon
209
A Ring of Silver
219
So Why?
224
A Letter on Grey Paper
232
Epilogue
242
Copyright

Other editions - View all

Common terms and phrases

Popular passages

Page 9 - Fussell (1980: 1 13) declares that 'Making love in novel environments, free from the censorship and inhibitions of the familiar, is one of the headiest experiences travel promises.

About the author (2003)

Robert Tewdwr Moss (1961-1996) was a journalist of astonishing versatility. He first made his mark as Diary Editor of the books section of the London Sunday Times. He also contributed to magazines as varied as Tatler, Women's Journal, Harpers, Queen, and Africa Events.

Bibliographic information