The Road from Damascus

Nonfiction, History, Middle East
Cover of the book The Road from Damascus by Scott Davis, Cune Press
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Scott Davis ISBN: 9781614570400
Publisher: Cune Press Publication: May 8, 2011
Imprint: Smashwords Edition Language: English
Author: Scott Davis
ISBN: 9781614570400
Publisher: Cune Press
Publication: May 8, 2011
Imprint: Smashwords Edition
Language: English

The Road from Damascus introduces some of the finest Syrian artists and writers (Fateh Moudarres, Walid Ikhlassy, Zouhair Dabbagh, Youssef Abdelke, and Mamoun Sakkal) who are creating a vibrant modern culture — a “next step” that surpasses the Islamic radicalism of 9-11 and builds a bridge between East and West.

It was a rough few years in the Middle East: suicide attacks, hostage-taking, hijackings. In 1985 the terror spread to Europe, and Americans were among the victims. The following year the United States responded by attacking Libya. Commentators said that Syria was next.

In Seattle, Scott C. Davis was curious. Did Middle Eastern people hate us? How true were media stereotypes which condemned Muslims, Arabs, and Syrians? Davis flew to Damascus. Two hours after arriving, he took a hotel room with a Muslim “fundamentalist” and found himself using his mountaineer’s compass to answer technical questions: Exactly how many degrees to Mecca?

Two weeks later in the shadow of a great Crusader castle, Davis and a local teenager ran from the mukhabarat and took shelter in a stone house on the cliff side. After dark they ate a meal with sisters and friends. Then the teenager played disco on a Korean boom box, and Davis gave bump dance lessons to six Muslims including two women. While the dancers shook, the cows in the room below shuffled and moaned.

A few weeks later in a dry town at the edge of the Euphrates, Davis was invited to play chess by a Kurdish soldier on leave. The night was cold, and the soldier pulled a sheepskin cape over his shoulders for warmth. As the game progressed, the soldier taunted the 241 US Marines killed in Beirut four years earlier. At checkmate Davis learned that the taunts concealed respect, sorrow, and an inescapable comradeship.

On his first night in Syria, traveling on a rickety transit bus into Damascus, Davis had been overcome with apprehension. Weeks later, returning to Damascus from hard travel on the eastern steppe, Davis welcomed this city as a safe moorage, a quiet resting place, an enduring home.

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

The Road from Damascus introduces some of the finest Syrian artists and writers (Fateh Moudarres, Walid Ikhlassy, Zouhair Dabbagh, Youssef Abdelke, and Mamoun Sakkal) who are creating a vibrant modern culture — a “next step” that surpasses the Islamic radicalism of 9-11 and builds a bridge between East and West.

It was a rough few years in the Middle East: suicide attacks, hostage-taking, hijackings. In 1985 the terror spread to Europe, and Americans were among the victims. The following year the United States responded by attacking Libya. Commentators said that Syria was next.

In Seattle, Scott C. Davis was curious. Did Middle Eastern people hate us? How true were media stereotypes which condemned Muslims, Arabs, and Syrians? Davis flew to Damascus. Two hours after arriving, he took a hotel room with a Muslim “fundamentalist” and found himself using his mountaineer’s compass to answer technical questions: Exactly how many degrees to Mecca?

Two weeks later in the shadow of a great Crusader castle, Davis and a local teenager ran from the mukhabarat and took shelter in a stone house on the cliff side. After dark they ate a meal with sisters and friends. Then the teenager played disco on a Korean boom box, and Davis gave bump dance lessons to six Muslims including two women. While the dancers shook, the cows in the room below shuffled and moaned.

A few weeks later in a dry town at the edge of the Euphrates, Davis was invited to play chess by a Kurdish soldier on leave. The night was cold, and the soldier pulled a sheepskin cape over his shoulders for warmth. As the game progressed, the soldier taunted the 241 US Marines killed in Beirut four years earlier. At checkmate Davis learned that the taunts concealed respect, sorrow, and an inescapable comradeship.

On his first night in Syria, traveling on a rickety transit bus into Damascus, Davis had been overcome with apprehension. Weeks later, returning to Damascus from hard travel on the eastern steppe, Davis welcomed this city as a safe moorage, a quiet resting place, an enduring home.

More books from Middle East

Cover of the book Série Respondendo Ateísmo E Agnosticismo (Respondendo Hume) by Scott Davis
Cover of the book The Exploits of the Incomparable Mulla Nasrudin by Scott Davis
Cover of the book The Mexican Mahjar by Scott Davis
Cover of the book Sultan 3. Selim Han by Scott Davis
Cover of the book The Everything Understanding Islam Book by Scott Davis
Cover of the book Churchill's Folly by Scott Davis
Cover of the book Preachers of Hate by Scott Davis
Cover of the book Islam by Scott Davis
Cover of the book Orthodoxy and Islam by Scott Davis
Cover of the book Six Months in Sudan by Scott Davis
Cover of the book Die weiße Revolution im Iran (1958-1978) vor dem Hintergrund der Autokratie des Muhammad Reza Pahlavi by Scott Davis
Cover of the book Averroes' Tahafut Al-Tahafut by Scott Davis
Cover of the book Essays on the Economic History of the Middle East by Scott Davis
Cover of the book The Last Mufti of Iranian Kurdistan by Scott Davis
Cover of the book الغدیر همراه جلد دو by Scott Davis
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy