The Spirit of the East: An Anthology of Prose and Verse Inspired by the People, Places and Legends of the East

Sir Richard Burton, recounting a journey in the mid-nineteenth century, wrote of the fascination that the East, and in particular the desert, had for Western visitors: ‘Hence it is that both sexes, and every age, the most material as well as the most imaginative of minds, the tame citizen, the most peaceful student, the spoiled child of civilization, all feel their hearts dilate, and their pulses beat strong as they look down from their dromedaries upon the glorious desert. Where do we hear of a traveller being disappointed by it?’ This fascination has become, over the centuries, one of the most powerful forces in Western literature. From the first journeys of discovery from Europe after the twilight of the Middle Ages, the legends and myths of the East, as well as its history and heritage, have occupied both explorers and writers. The Spirit of the East is an anthology of such writing. It includes extracts from travel writers, many long out of print, as well as a selection of works inspired by the East, written by people who have never set foot there — so great is its magnetism. Romantic poetry, letters home, acute and witty observations, fiction and true-life adventures, here is a comprehensive collection of literature from eight centuries inspired by a single, seemingly inexhaustible source. Gerald de Gaury was born in London in 1897. During the First World War he was wounded four times and was awarded the Military Cross. He was the Political Agent in Kuwait, 1956-59; special emissary to King Ibn Saud 1959-40; and charge d’affaires to the Iraq Regent, 1941. He was on the staff of the British Ministry of State in Cairo and, later, a member of the U.K. delegation to the Conference of Allies. He is the author of several biographies and books about travel including Arabian Journey and Travelling Gent, The Life of Alexander Kinglake. H. V. F. Winstone was born in London and educated in Essex. He won a scholarship to the University of London but interrupted his studies to serve in the Royal Navy during the Second World War. He began a career in journalism in 1948 and has contributed to newspapers and magazines throughout the world. With Zahra Freeth he is the co-author of Kuwait: Prospect and Reality and Explorers of Arabia, and he is the author of the acclaimed biographies of the explorers, Captain Shakespear and Gertrude Bell.