"She has a gift for people; she has an eye for places." - The Times The Incense Route is one of the most ancient and important highways in the world. It was once a rival to the Silk Road, at a time when faith in the mystic power of incense was at its height and its traffic - frankincense and myrrh, spices from India, gold and exotic African animal skins - was the lifeblood of the countries through which it passed. Barbara Toy set out to travel the length of this long-forgotten route at a time of particular turbulence in the region and became the first western woman to have made the journey. Beginning in Bir Ali, Can'a of ancient times, she passed through war zones in Yemen, joined a band of pilgrims as far as Mecca, forged on to Jeddah and Medina, explored the breath-taking Nabataean city of Madain Saleh and then turned north, to Midian, Aqaba, Petra, Amman and finally Damascus. Travelling the Incense Route is both a gripping account of intrepid travel and a portrait of Arabia unlike any other.

Many of the earliest books, particularly those dating back to the 1900s and before, are now extremely scarce and increasingly expensive. We are republishing these classic works in affordable, high quality, modern editions, using the original text and artwork.

The guide to The Land of Frankincense, Dhofar Oman. Frankincense is an alluring and magical product. The tree is found in Oman's southern Governorate of Dhofar and this book guides the reader to the locations associated with it and illustrates the History of Frankincense.

This book examines the relationship between the fine arts and economics —the contribution of various art forms toward economic growth and development, and the impact of economic factors on the creation of art.Xavier Greffe identifies the economic factors that can affect the emergence, flourishing, and disappearance of artistic activities. He begins with an analysis of the artistic markets where the players cannot be measured by standard economic yardsticks. The cast of characters include users who are initially unaware of the kind of satisfaction they can gain from unknown works of art, producers who do not know whether their upfront costs in the commissioning of new art and design will be covered, and the artists who are more interested in letting the creative muse guide their endeavors than in creating specifically defined works on demand. The book then explores the various dynamics that influence the development of the artistic sector: a revolving compromise between heritage and creation; a continuous passage between an original work of art and the products of cultural industries; and a permanent shift between profit and nonprofit institutions.Greffe provides a way to evaluate art from an economic perspective —that explains both the creation and development of creative movement, without judging the existence of works of art only in terms of economic logic.

Broadly this book is about the Arabian desert as the locus of exploration by a long tradition of British travellers that includes T. E. Lawrence and Wilfred Thesiger; more specifically, it is about those who, since 1950, have followed in their literary footsteps. In analysing modern works covering a land greater than the sum of its geographical parts, the discussion identifies outmoded tropes that continue to impinge upon the perception of the Middle East today while recognising that the laboured binaries of “East and West”, “desert and sown”, “noble and savage” have outrun their course. Where, however, only a barren legacy of latent Orientalism may have been expected, the author finds instead a rich seam of writing that exhibits diversity of purpose and insight contributing to contemporary discussions on travel and tourism, intercultural representation, and environmental awareness. By addressing a lack of scholarly attention towards recent additions to the genre, this study illustrates for the benefit of students of travel literature, or indeed anyone interested in “Arabia”, how desert writing, under the emerging configurations of globalisation, postcolonialism, and ecocriticism, acts as a microcosm of the kinds of ethical and emotional dilemmas confronting today’s travel writers in the world’s most extreme regions.

Mountaineering on Kilimanjaro, swimming in the Amazon or crossing the Sahara - there is probably no adventure that Richard Gruber would say no to. He describes extraordinary vacation experiences in a pleasantly factual and knowledgeable manner, but also provides an insight into the culture and history of the countries he has visited. His memories focus on the highlights of his numerous trips, fascinating natural spectacles and unique encounters. Rounded off with numerous pictures, these travelogues will not only make adventurers' hearts beat faster, but will also make lovers of balconies visit their nearest travel agency.