An Arabian Journey
An Arabian Journey by Levison Wood challenged my misconceptions about the Middle East. I’ve read dozens of books on the history of the region, especially Biblical areas. I’ve also visited Israel twice, so I have some understanding of the region, but Levinson Wood helped me reinterpret the Middle East in the past decade. Wood’s journey was one of courage, determination, and sensitive respect for all people, which kept me listening. That’s right, I “read” this book on Audible, so don’t judge me (haha). An Arabian Journey would be a good book in either format.
The book was released in February of 2019, but I read it several years later. Wood’s story begins in September of 2017, in Northern Syria, and he travels through the most contested and dangerous area in the world for the next 6 months. Wood goes down into ISIS-controlled Iraq and then into Kuwait. From there, he travels on to Yemen and its ongoing civil war. Wood survives, and makes it to Saudi Arabia, then Jordan and Israel. Wood concludes his outlandish journey on the shores of the Mediterranean Sea, in Lebanon.
Along with Levison Wood’s courage, always on display, you cannot stop reading, because you feel like you are on the journey with him. He is a skilled writer and paints pictures so well that you feel the intense desert heat, the city smells, and the people he encounters become your friends or adversaries. Wood doesn’t just share names; he tells the stories of the people he meets. The people and their stories become part of you.
Finally, I loved An Arabian Journey because Wood takes the necessary time to share the history of each region and country. Further, he includes the local mythologies of each locale. The preparation Wood put into the trip paid off and probably saved his life on several occasions. Using contacts throughout the Middle East, Wood was able to secure uniquely qualified guides who not only knew the land and paved the way through dangerous encounters with warring groups, but also knew much about religious myths and histories, and had the wisdom to weave them into current affairs. If travel literature inspires you, Levison Wood’s book will not disappoint.