Customer Reviews

The Tragedy of The Korosko

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An excellent read! Published in 1898 this novel tells the story of a small group of western tourists on holiday in northern africa. Taken hostage by a nomadic tribe of arab muslims, these westerners are faced with the stark choice of conversion to Islam or death. A facinating commentary on the cultural divide between western Christianity and eastern Islam with an insightful dialouge around the "white man's burden" as only the English could tell it.

[This review notes a problem with the Hesperus Press Kindle edition. It is not a review of the book itself.]

Hesperus Press offers the most expensive Kindle edition of "The Tragedy of Korosko". Unfortunately, the work delivered is "Through the Magic Door", a long essay in which Conan Doyle ruminates about his favorite writers. The substitution is surely inadvertent. A review seemed like the best way to call it to the publisher's intention and in the meantime warn prospective buyers.

This is a very significant book about the general opinons of Western people about middle eastern-arabs at the end of 19th century. The tale is about how tourists on a steamer have been taken hostage by a gang of arabs, and how "the heroic" british army saved them. What is behind the tale is what has been codified by kipling: "the burden of the white man". The superior civilized Anglo saxons and their mission toward uncivilised barabarians. The depiction of natives in mild racists words is what, unfortunately, has not changed so much in western opinions (even if hidden behind layers of politically correct). Very instructive for whoever is interested in the root of racisms, as described by E. Said in "orientalism". A very funny part of the book is the contrast between the arrogant french tourist who at the begining criticizes the wise brits, but by the end is grateful and convinced. Replace brits with americans, and the book could have been written in 2001.