New book series reintroduces seminal works on Arabian history  

New book series reintroduces seminal works on Arabian history  
Richard Francis Burton embarked on an outlandish mission in search of the legendary gold mines of Midian, as detailed in ‘Land of Midian (Revisited).’ (Supplied)
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Updated 31 January 2025
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New book series reintroduces seminal works on Arabian history  

New book series reintroduces seminal works on Arabian history  
  • Travelogues from Burton, Doughty, Wellsted and Palgrave feature in Arabian Explorers Series  

DUBAI: Driven by romanticism, imperial ambition, and scholarly curiosity, a succession of European adventurers set sail for Arabia throughout the 19th century, laden with expectation and a desire to unravel its mysteries. For many, the goal was a deeper understanding of the region’s history, religion, geography, peoples, and wildlife, as well as the uncovering of Biblical truth. For some, natural history, ethnology, cartography, and archaeology were combined into a single expedition, resulting in the publication of multi-disciplinary personal narratives that fed the Victorian hunger for adventure, discovery, and escapism. 




William Gifford Palgrave was an intriguing figure who served variously as a soldier, interpreter, priest, missionary, spy, and diplomat. (Supplied)

Among them were Charles Montagu Doughty — the first European to enter Hegra, the Nabateans’ second city after Petra — and James Raymond Wellsted, a second lieutenant of the East India Company, who survived a hurricane off the coast of Magna and took part in a detailed study of the Gulf of Aqaba. Arguably the most famous, however, was the eccentric Englishman Richard Francis Burton, a complex figure remembered for his keen sense of adventure, overt Orientalism, and undertaking the Hajj in disguise. He also embarked on an outlandish mission in search of the legendary gold mines of Midian, an ancient region or tribal confederation mentioned in both the Qur’an and the Bible and thought to be located in north-west Arabia. 

The newly-published Arabian Explorers Series reintroduces travelogues by all three, as well as by William Gifford Palgrave, an intriguing figure who served variously as a soldier, interpreter, priest, missionary, spy, and diplomat. Published by Empty Quarter Press, the series seeks to bring the authors’ vivid depictions of Arabia to a new audience. 

“Throughout their journeys, each author recorded some of the most detailed analyses and observations of Arabia in the English language and precious details about society, cultural customs, political structures, ancient heritage sites, and the shifting power dynamics of the peninsula in this period,” says Jeff Eamon, editor-in-chief at Empty Quarter Press. “We aim to couch each text in its proper context so readers can appreciate their significant historical value (and) understand each author’s subjectivities and perspectives.” 




Charles Montagu Doughty was the first European to enter Hegra, the Nabateans’ second city after Petra. (Supplied)

The reprints include newly commissioned maps, glossaries, and forewords by leading historians, placing these complex and often provocative legacies in context. Included are new editions of Palgrave’s “Personal Narrative of a Year’s Journey Through Central and Eastern Arabia (1862-63),” first published in 1865; volume one of Burton’s “The Land of Midian (Revisited),” originally published in 1879; Wellsted’s “Travels in Arabia Volume Two,” printed in 1838; and Doughty’s “Travels in Arabia Deserta Volume One,” a monumental text first published in 1888. 

“Much of the written information that we have about 19th-century Arabia comes from these travelogues,” explains Eamon. “They have long provided precious information for scholars, students of history, and general readers interested in Arabian culture, social customs, and heritage. With Saudi Arabia’s current investment in its wealth of cultural assets and heritage sites, these publications are amazing sources of information. Doughty, for instance, is the first to document Hegra in minute detail, with detailed sketches of the Nabataean tombs, which have become a major part of Saudi Arabia’s cultural offering.” 




The four travelogues have inspired academic inquiry for over a century, but have also sparked debate, not least because of the biases inherent in their authors’ views. (Supplied)

The four travelogues have inspired academic inquiry for over a century, but have also sparked debate, not least because of the biases inherent in their authors’ views. Burton in particular, has faced accusations of Orientalism and of perpetuating stereotypical views of Arabia. His observations were often tinged with a sense of superiority and colonial arrogance, although he had great admiration for both Islam and Arab culture. 

“Burton’s views on the Arab world were complicated,” admits Dane Kennedy, a historian of the British imperial world and author of the foreword to “The Land of Midian (Revisited).” “His comments on the Bedouin could be highly critical, though he also promoted a romanticized view of them as princes of the desert. Furthermore, he was a forceful defender of the Islamic faith and Arab culture, so much so that many of his countrymen ostracized him, believing him to be a convert to Islam. 

“He was a man of many talents and vast contradictions. He was both an agent of British imperialism and a critic of it. He was a bigot and a relativist. He was, above all, a man of immense curiosity about other cultures, and he sought to satisfy that curiosity by learning some 25 languages, travelling widely across India, Arabia, Africa, Latin America, and other lands, and often acquiring an intimate knowledge of the local communities he encountered.” 




William Gifford Palgrave was the first Westerner to successfully cross the Arabian Peninsula from the Red Sea to the Arabian Gulf. (Supplied)

Palgrave, who made a foolhardy attempt to cross the Nafud desert in July without local guides and barely made it to salvation in Jubbah, also viewed the world through a Eurocentric, colonial lens. The first Westerner to successfully cross the Arabian Peninsula from the Red Sea to the Arabian Gulf (west to east), he travelled in disguise — as a Syrian physician — and filled his narrative with vivid, compelling observations of the landscapes, tribal dynamics, and cultural practices of the Arabian Peninsula. He achieved immediate acclaim upon the publication of “Personal Narrative,” thanks in part to his love of storytelling. 

“We are now more than 150 years on from Palgrave’s Arabian travels and his narrative can be read on various levels — from travelogue to adventure story,” says James Parry, a cultural heritage writer and author of the foreword to the new edition of “Personal Narrative.” “It’s worth remembering that he had a great sense of theatre and wrote his account with his audience very much in mind — it’s a very entertaining read. His descriptions of the places and tribes he visited are fascinating, even if some of his comments about local people and customs are seen as problematic today. They need to be understood as the product of their time, and his account as an historical document.” 

All four travelogues filled in much of the outside world’s knowledge of the Arabian Peninsula. Burton’s account of his journey from Cairo to Makkah, for example, gave the British public a much richer understanding of the region and its peoples. 

“Despite their flaws, it is important to recognize that each author spent years travelling in Arabia, learning the language and customs of its people long before mass transit made the peninsula easily accessible to outsiders,” says Eamon. “While some of their observations can be dismissed now, they nonetheless help paint a picture of pre-industrial Arabia.  

“History-telling is fickle,” he adds. “It carries with it the same baggage that weighs down any human experience. The Arabian Explorers Series is just this: a collection of human experiences, however flawed, that contribute to the broader mosaic that is the history of Arabia.” 


What We Are Reading Today: Lost Realms by Thomas Williams

What We Are Reading Today: Lost Realms by Thomas Williams
Updated 23 March 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: Lost Realms by Thomas Williams

What We Are Reading Today: Lost Realms by Thomas Williams

In “Lost Realms,” Thomas Williams focuses on nine kingdoms representing every corner of the island of Britain.

From the Scottish Highlands to the Cornish coastline, from the Welsh borders to the Thames Estuary, Williams uncovers the forgotten life and untimely demise of realms that hover in the twilight between history and fable. 

This is a book about those lands and peoples who fell by the wayside: the lost realms of early medieval Britain.


What We Are Reading Today: Names for Light

What We Are Reading Today: Names for Light
Updated 23 March 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: Names for Light

What We Are Reading Today: Names for Light
  • While her family’s stories move into the present, her own story ― that of a writer seeking to understand who she is―moves into the past, until both converge at the end of the book

Author: Thirii Myo Kyaw Myint

“Names for Light” traverses time and memory to weigh three generations of a family’s history against a painful inheritance of postcolonial violence and racism.
In spare, lyric paragraphs framed by white space, Thirii Myo Kyaw Myint explores home, belonging, and identity by revisiting the cities in which her parents and grandparents lived. As she makes inquiries into their stories, she intertwines oral narratives with the official and mythic histories of Myanmar, according to a review on goodreads.com.
While her family’s stories move into the present, her own story ― that of a writer seeking to understand who she is―moves into the past, until both converge at the end of the book.

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Gilded Age Cookbook’

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Updated 23 March 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘The Gilded Age Cookbook’

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  • The book features some menus of the time, showcasing what one could get for $1. Spoiler alert; it was a lot

Author: Becky Diamond

Food historian Becky Diamond’s “The Gilded Age Cookbook: Recipes and Stories from America’s Golden Era,” published in 2022, is an invitation to step into the lavish dining rooms of late 19th-century America — particularly between 1868-1900 — a time when grand opulence and excess defined both social life and cuisine.

The book, which is part-history, part-recipe collection, captures the grandeur of a period that saw the rise of grand hotels, extravagant banquets and a growing fascination with French-inspired fine dining in the US.

Each recipe — ranging from elegant terrapin stew to delicate oyster patties — is accompanied by historical context, allowing readers the chance to imagine, not only how the food was prepared, but why it was significant. Some seem easy enough by today’s standards.

Through anecdotes of extravagant multi-course feasts and the social norms surrounding them, Diamond paints a vivid picture of a time that valued culinary spectacle as much as social status.

The inclusion of detailed notes on dining etiquette, such as the correct way to serve a souffle or the intricacies of formal table settings, adds layers of authenticity to the reading experience.

The book features some menus of the time, showcasing what one could get for $1. Spoiler alert; it was a lot.

It also highlights how many of the glittering Gilded Age mansions of New York and Newport were built by the railroads — which made food transport much easier and, as a result, allowed people the ability to enjoy more foods and more elaborate meals.

Ultimately, “The Gilded Age Cookbook” is a feast for both the mind and the palate, offering historical spoonfuls alongside a delightful — if slightly questionable — selection of recipes to try.

 


What We Are Reading Today: Literature’s Refuge

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Updated 22 March 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: Literature’s Refuge

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  • Stroebel argues that two complementary forces emerged as a template for the Eastern Mediterranean’s cultural landscape

Author: William Stroebel

In 1923, the Greco-Turkish Population Exchange uprooted and swapped nearly 2 million Christians and Muslims, “pacifying” the so-called Near East through ethnic partition and refugeehood.
This imposition of borders not only uprooted peoples from their place in the world; it also displaced many of their stories from a place in world literature. In “Literature’s Refuge,” William Stroebel recovers and weaves together work by fugitive writers, oral storytellers, readers, copyists, editors, and translators dispersed by this massive “unmixing” of populations and the broader border logic that it set in motion.
Stroebel argues that two complementary forces emerged as a template for the Eastern Mediterranean’s cultural landscape: the modern border, which reshuffled people through a system of filters and checkpoints; and modern philology, which similarly reshuffled their words and works.

 


What We Are Reading Today: ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’

What We Are Reading Today: ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’
Updated 21 March 2025
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What We Are Reading Today: ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’

What We Are Reading Today: ‘How to Win Friends and Influence People’
  • The book blends psychology with actionable tips, demystifying what drives human behavior

Author: Dale Carnegie

Dale Carnegie’s “How to Win Friends and Influence People,” first published in 1936, is still a staple of the self-help genre.

Its advice on building relationships and navigating social dynamics has not lost relevance. The central idea? Ditch the self-focused mindset and prioritize empathy — Carnegie insists real influence starts with authenticity and mutual respect.

The book breaks down his philosophy into straightforward rules: Don’t criticize people, give honest praise, and get others excited about their goals.

He also stresses the value of listening deeply, famously noting that you will make more friends by showing curiosity about others than by trying to impress them.

Packed with stories — from boardroom deals to casual chats — Carnegie shows how humility and emotional intelligence can turn conflicts into collaborations.

What makes Carnegie’s approach work is its simplicity. He avoids slick manipulation tricks, arguing instead for small, sincere gestures.

Sure, advice such as smiling more or using someone’s name might sound obvious, but these acts of kindness lay the groundwork for trust.

The book blends psychology with actionable tips, demystifying what drives human behavior.

Some critics call parts of his formula outdated, but Carnegie’s focus on understanding others hits home now more than ever.

His ideas have shaped everyone from Warren Buffett to today’s startup founders, proving that connecting with people never goes out of style.

For modern readers, the book does two things: It calls out our habit of treating relationships like transactions, then hands us the tools to fix it. In a world glued to screens, Carnegie’s push for genuine, in-person communication feels almost revolutionary.

“How to Win Friends and Influence People” is not just about climbing the ladder — it is about doing it without losing yourself.

As Carnegie wrote, “Success is getting what you want. Happiness is wanting what you get.” Nearly 90 years later, that balance still defines his message.