As an explorer, the remarkable Jean Louis Burckhardt achieved the near impossible. After immersing himself in Arab culture and language, Burkhardt disguised himself as "Sheik Abraham" and journeyed through regions not yet known to Europeans. He became the first to enter Petra, discovered the colossal figures at Abu Simbel, and even penetrated Mecca, where he lived for many years as an Arab.
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Desert Traveller by Jean Louis Burckhardt,
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This review is from: Desert Traveller: The Life of Jean Louis Burckhardt (Paperback)
Sim reveals the life and adventures of one of the greatest modern explorers with compassion and intelligent analysis. The author's style is familiar and creates a realistic arena for allowing the reader to immerse into Burckhardt's vagaries and voyages. Excitement is developed throughout the biography with details of caravans, close alleys, mountain bandits and pashas - all too real a mere200 years ago! Sim's accurate (we believe) descriptions of the vagabonds and princes beckons the follower toward the ultimate and tragic demise of the explorer through the seemingly ignoble method of disease but not without a tour of his immense courage, strength and moral fortitude.
Having visited Petra at the hands of a sympathetic guide who beguiled his visitors into experiencing the shock and beauty of that first glimpse through the narrow channel - of which T E Lawrence writes so magically in The Seven Pillars of Wisdom, I understood immediately the momentous discovery that Burckhadt actually made after thousands of years of mystery. The author manages that particular part with aplomb and skill. For those who have not travelled to the Middle east and who think they may never, read this account of a venture into the land, mind and heart of the cradle of civilisation. This is my second reading an I know there will be more.
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