From The Holy Mountain
Title: From the Holy Mountain
Author: William Dalrymple
Genre(s): Travel, History
Earlier this year a new name appeared on my twitter feed,William Dalrymple. Usually retweeted by my favourite Kerryman (yes I have one). After reading a number of his tweets over the space of a few weeks I decided to follow him myself, which by the way William you have not reciprocated, however we'll let that slide. His tweets were usually about India be it history or society and drew me in from a travel and history point of view. A google search revealed his books and newspaper articles. A chance meeting with my favourite Kerryman lead to a discussion about Mr.Dalrymple's books. "Any good?" I asked. "Outstanding, says the Kerryman, probably my favourite book ever". And Kerrymen don't lie. So off I took myself to O'Mahonys Bookshop in Limerick and purchased a copy of From The Holy Mountain.
Eased into my favourite armchair I started to read and was drawn into both the ancient and modern Middle East an area familiar to me from working there but also through my TV screen. From the Holy Mountain has a sub title "A journey in the shadow of Byzantium" and ostensibly follows in the foot steps of John Moschos who made the same journey in the sixth century. But it's about more than just retracing John Mochos's steps. It's about the disappearance of Christianity in the east, it's about the relationship between three of the worlds major religions, it's about the people of the area, it's about the Islamic women who visit Christian monasteries to pray for help in conceiving. It's about the characters he meets on his way. He introduces us to Symeon the Stylite a preacher who climbed a column to get away from the pressure of pilgrims and didn't come down for 37 years or the Empress Theodora of Constantinople with the voracious libido and a penchant for young men.
In southern Turkey he deals with an ever curious police force and seeks refuge in the monastery of Mar Gabriel. In Syria he visits Homs and Aleppo, known to us recently for all the wrong reasons. The Aleppo he describes is a modern tolerant city much like the Kabul described in The Kite Runner, to see its recent destruction is saddening.
His journey through Lebanon addresses the country post civil war. We meet the various factions who all blame the war on the Maronite's and their uncompromising ways. The presence of Palestinian Christians guarantees generations born in exile in refugee camps. In Israel we read of the cleansing of the old city in Jerusalem of Muslims and Christians, the ever expanding settlements. We hear of the dismissal and disinterest of the Israeli authorities in the excavations of ancient Christian churches and artefacts. In Turkey we learn of the great city of Alexander and its continuous decline. It's ageing Greek population who have never visited Greece. The struggles of the Coptic church and the increasing Islamic fundamentalism taking root in the country.
It's an excellent read. Dalrymple finds his stride and tells his stories with humour yet remains highly informative. It's a fascinating journey through a part of the world whose religious and cultural structures have changed utterly and may well disappear for ever.
Eased into my favourite armchair I started to read and was drawn into both the ancient and modern Middle East an area familiar to me from working there but also through my TV screen. From the Holy Mountain has a sub title "A journey in the shadow of Byzantium" and ostensibly follows in the foot steps of John Moschos who made the same journey in the sixth century. But it's about more than just retracing John Mochos's steps. It's about the disappearance of Christianity in the east, it's about the relationship between three of the worlds major religions, it's about the people of the area, it's about the Islamic women who visit Christian monasteries to pray for help in conceiving. It's about the characters he meets on his way. He introduces us to Symeon the Stylite a preacher who climbed a column to get away from the pressure of pilgrims and didn't come down for 37 years or the Empress Theodora of Constantinople with the voracious libido and a penchant for young men.
In southern Turkey he deals with an ever curious police force and seeks refuge in the monastery of Mar Gabriel. In Syria he visits Homs and Aleppo, known to us recently for all the wrong reasons. The Aleppo he describes is a modern tolerant city much like the Kabul described in The Kite Runner, to see its recent destruction is saddening.
His journey through Lebanon addresses the country post civil war. We meet the various factions who all blame the war on the Maronite's and their uncompromising ways. The presence of Palestinian Christians guarantees generations born in exile in refugee camps. In Israel we read of the cleansing of the old city in Jerusalem of Muslims and Christians, the ever expanding settlements. We hear of the dismissal and disinterest of the Israeli authorities in the excavations of ancient Christian churches and artefacts. In Turkey we learn of the great city of Alexander and its continuous decline. It's ageing Greek population who have never visited Greece. The struggles of the Coptic church and the increasing Islamic fundamentalism taking root in the country.
It's an excellent read. Dalrymple finds his stride and tells his stories with humour yet remains highly informative. It's a fascinating journey through a part of the world whose religious and cultural structures have changed utterly and may well disappear for ever.
Good comment, well written
ReplyDeleteFrom the 'favourite Kerryman' - a marvelous review of a great book by someone who reads critically and mindfully. Loved the way he reveals to we Westerners the Eastern roots of the Christian faiths, which have been intellectualised and philosophised out of their roots. As a young man did an overland to Afghanistan 'To Xanadu', which is interesting and shows his curiosity.
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