Syrians: A Travelogue (1992-1994)

Rating:
Summary: Skimpy
Review: You can read this on several levels. Most obviously, as a photo-illustrated travelogue essay on Syria that, like a National Geographic article, studiously avoids discussion of unpleasantries, like the repressive government. Yet the author provides more. He readily mentions the brutal suppression of the Muslim Brotherhood in Hama in 1982. Plus he matter of factly points out the pervasive antiSemitic thread in Syrian political discourse.

But overall, the book is quite skimpy. Scarely longer than an undergraduate's thesis. Those of you expecting an effort on a par with Hedrick Smith's 'The Russians' will be disappointed. The photos are well done and may be the best part of the book. The prose is undistinguished and forgettable.