Ruby Sisson Library

Despite its reputation for religious intolerance, the Middle East has long sheltered many distinctive and strange faiths: one regards the Greek prophets as incarnations of God, another reveres Lucifer in the form of a peacock, and yet another believes that their followers are reincarnated beings who have existed in various forms for thousands of years. These religions represent the last vestiges of the magnificent civilizations in ancient history:...

A portrait of the Middle East combines photography, maps, and the writings of noted authors to provide a detailed look at the political, cultural, historical, and religious forces that have shaped the region.