Lot #207: 5 books about the Middle East (3 hardcover + 2 paperback)

1) A Thousand Splendid Suns by Khaled Hosseini. A tale of 2 generations of souls brought jarringly together by the tragic sweep of the Soviet invasion to the reign of the Taliban to post-Taliban rebuilding, the struggle to survive, raise a family and find happiness. 372 pages, printed 2007, hardcover with dust jacket. 2) In the Line of Fire, A Memoir by Pervez Musharraf. Pakistan's former President's autobiography including family life and politics. 354 pages, printed 2006, hardcover with dust jacket. 3) Islamic Imperialism, A History, by Efraim Karsh. Exploring the history of Islamic imperialism, Karsh argues that from the first Arab-Islamic Empire of the mid-seventh century to the Ottomans, the last great Muslim empire, the story of the Middle East has been the story of the rise and fall of universal empires and, no less important, of imperialist dreams. Rejecting the conventional Western interpretation of Middle Eastern history as an offshoot of global power politics, Karsh contends that the region’s experience is the culmination of long-existing indigenous trends, passions, and patterns of behavior, and that foremost among these is Islam’s millenarian imperial tradition. 284 pages, printed 2007, softcover. 4) Travels in Persia 1673-1677 by Sir John Chardin. In 1671 he went to Persia for a second time and this is his account of the people and ancient land, he attended the Shah's court, witnessed solemn audiences with foreign envoys, went to sumptuous banquets and also saw the cruelty of the drunken Shah. 287 pages, published 1988, softcover. 5) The Travels of Marco Polo. With 25 illustrations in full colour. 356 pages, bought in 1984, hardcover. All super interesting reading and all in great condition. Pickup category timeslot {A}