Discoveries: Petra: Lost City of the Ancient World (Discoveries (Harry Abrams)) [Paperback]

Christian Auge (Author), Jean-Marie Dentzer (Author), Laurel Hirsch (Translator)

Book Description

Series: Discoveries (Harry Abrams) | Publication Date: May 1, 2000

This rich narrative history surveys the art, culture, and stunning architecture of the ancient city of Petra, whose hidden monuments are carved out of Jordan's rocky cliffs, and whose rare beauty steadily draws tourists to this remote site in the Arabian desert. 125 illustrations, 108 in full color, 5 x 7"

Product Details

• Paperback: 127 pages
• Publisher: Harry N. Abrams (May 1, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0810928965
• ISBN-13: 978-0810928961
• Product Dimensions: 6.9 x 4.8 x 0.4 inches
• Shipping Weight: 6.4 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #760,876 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

35 of 35 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect travel companion..., March 2, 2003

By 

Rook Andalus (Venice, CA, USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Discoveries: Petra: Lost City of the Ancient World (Discoveries (Harry Abrams)) (Paperback)

Even though it lacks the details of bigger books such as Udi Levy's "The Lost Civilization of Petra" (a hardback book), it doesn't mean it lacks details altogether! I found this book to be a great source of information while I was travelling since it is small and stocked full of info on Petra, the Nabateans, and more.

This book is loaded with colorful well-photographed pictures and lithographs, and lively-written text which makes reading it a breeze. I fit this book in my back pocket while in Petra and pulled it out to get details on things like the great cisterns and the waterway through the main siq. The section at the end of the book on modern plans to try and preserve Petra's vulnerable sandstone is very interesting... Electophoresis?!?! Wow!

The book wraps up everything with a chronology at the end and a list of Nabataea's kings. A very enjoyable and informative read considering its small size... Big things do come in small packages!

37 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Petra, June 15, 2000

By 

A. Monteith (Columbus, Ohio) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Discoveries: Petra: Lost City of the Ancient World (Discoveries (Harry Abrams)) (Paperback)

This book has been done in a style similar to a National Geographic magazine. It combines a history of the city and its excavations with exquisite photographs and drawings. This book was well researched and does an excellent job describing the ancient city which was carved entirely out of the cliffs which make Petra unique. I reccomend this book to anyone who has an interest in the history of the Fertile Crescent, Jordan, archaelogy, or the 7 wonders of the ancient world (This book asserts that Petra is considered to be an eighth wonder).

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Lovely glossy book but a little clunky to read, January 3, 2008

By 

Julia Flyte - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)    (VINE VOICE)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Discoveries: Petra: Lost City of the Ancient World (Discoveries (Harry Abrams)) (Paperback)

I bought this book for my parents who will be visiting Petra this year. This is a small but extensive book which packs in a lot of information about Petra: the history of the region, a guide to the city and what makes it unique. It is lavishly illustrated (in color throughout) and the pages are glossy and of high quality. It is also compact enough to pack neatly into a handbag or large pocket.

Having said that, a few critiques:
- The writing is dense and clunky. I don't know for sure if this is the case, but it reads like a poor translation from another language. I notice that the "look inside this book" facility doesn't include any of the actual text and I wonder if this is why. I found it a struggle to read this book. The content is interesting, but the way it is written makes it hard going.
- The text is also quite small in size - smaller than an average book. Not ideal for older eyes!
- Finally, the book is heavier than its small size would lead you to expect - presumably due to the high quality paper. It's still light enough to travel with, but it weighs twice as much as you would expect from such a slim volume.

In spite of these shortcomings, I'm still happy with this purchase and my parents were very pleased to receive it. It is a beautiful and high quality book and the photographs are outstanding.