Places in Syria: A Pocket Grand Tour

by Francis Russell

In this compact guide, the erudite and highly readable Francis Russell describes nearly 60 places in Syria. Following an itinerary that allows the independent sightseer to see as many major monuments in their proper contexts as is practical in a limited time, he visits cities, towns, and desert villages; the great monastery of St. Simeon, at the heart of the series of "dead cities" of Byzantine times; Hama and its famous nourias, the great wooden wheels used to raise water from the river; and many other wonders. Russell's easy and elegant ability to share with the reader his knowledge of Syria's history, geography, and culture makes the book a well-informed read with a personal touch.

256 pages, Paperback

First published February 1, 2011

About the author

Francis Russell was an American author specializing in American history and historical figures.

Reviews

[William Razavi · Rating 3 out of 5]

Though it dates from 2011 this book is now of interest mostly as a historical artifact. The 57 places that are presented here are mostly ruins so there is some timelessness to the book, though the attitude of the author occasionally makes it feel like the book could have been written in 1911 or 1931. Also, there are some terminological errors scattered throughout.
Spoiler Alert: Some of the ruins described here have been further ruined. To say nothing of the extant structures that have been destroyed since the publication of this work.

[George · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was solidly OK. I am probably not its intended audience. This book is for the serious ruins/antiquities/relics guru -- not for the casual reader interested in learning more about Syria. This is probably actually a five-star book, just...not from me. Russell traveled extensively through Syria and provides in this book incredibly detailed notes on the ancient buildings to be found there and tips on how best to explore them. If you want to learn, generally, about "places in Syria," this is not your book. If you want to learn about "historic, Crusader-era or before places in Syria using the appropriate architectural terms in the process," then this is your book. You need to know about donjons, tells, keeps, apses, and all kinds of stuff to make use of this book. Simply, I was beneath the level of scholarship in this book. Oh, well, it was still fun to read and I do feel like I'm smarter for having read it...