As he searches for information about the life of an Indian slave in twelfth-century Egypt, the author, a Hindu, comes face to face with the Muslim world and culture of modern Egypt, in a narrative that juxtaposes ancient history and modern travelogue.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Unique Style:
Dr. Ghosh is a social anthropologist by training, and a gentle one at that. He is also a gifted writer and a masterful storyteller. At least that is the impression I have formed from reading this book. The book is part travelogue, part history and part anthropology. These three themes have been interwoven carefully, much like the layers of a leavened bread. And then there are gems of insights, somewhat like raisins mixed in the bread. The effect is somewhat soulful, and leaves you wonderstruck, not... more info
Man in the Middle-East:
If National Geographic stories reconstructing a stone-age human from its fossilized remains dug out of the ashes of a volcano (such as in physical anthropology) fail to engage your fascination, chances are that this story will seem more academic to you than the home work assignment to watch History Channel. I am one such history-averse person and the book was too slow to start. However, I finished it with a renewed respect for social anthropology and its relevance to the world we live in. The way a story of... more info
Did I read the same book?:
I found this book extremely dry and slow moving. All the other reviews focus on the master-slave relationship. I kept waiting for this part of the plot to get moving, and it was 200 pages before it even happened. "The Hungry Tide" is a far better work by this author.
Wonderful book and one that I had read before , but once was not enough:
I had read this book few years ago , but recently I had a conversation with a freind about it. I just thought I would like to have a copy and read it again.
A book that I will recomend .
