Cairo

A delightful artifact of the fascination with the Middle East that gripped the Western intelligentsia in the early 20th century, this charming 1907 work is a showcase for the lovely paintings of renowned English artist WALTER TYRWHITT (1859-1932). The paintings include scenes in the ancient cities of Cairo, Jerusalem, and Damascus. The accompanying text, by English scholar DAVID SAMUEL MARGOLIOUTH-a professor of Arabic at Oxford University-is based on original sources from the region and the works of other celebrated historians, and serves as an enchanting primer to the history of these storied cities. Hard to find in print today, this replica edition makes a wonderful gift for fans of English art and armchair travelers alike. Author David S. Margoliouth (1858-1940), a professor of Arabic at Oxford University, worked from primary Arabic texts and omitted "all anecdotes that are obviously or most probably fabulous," resulting in a clear-headed history of a highly contentious moment in time.