As Beirut exploded with the bombs and violence of a ruthless civil war in the ’80s, a nine-year-old Salma Abdelnour and her family fled Lebanon to start a new life in the States. Ever since then— even as she built a thriving career as a food and travel writer in New York City—Salma has had a hunch that Beirut was still her home.  She kept dreaming of moving back—and finally decided to do it.But could she resume her life in Beirut, so many years after her family moved away? Could she, or anyone for that matter, ever really go home again? Jasmine and Fire is Salma’s poignant and humorous journey of try-ing to resettle in Beirut and fumbling through the new realities of life in one of the world’s most complex, legendary, ever-vibrant, ever- troubled cities. What’s more, in a year of roiling changes around the Middle East and the rise of the Arab Spring, Salma found herself in the midst of the turmoil, experiencing it all up close. As she comes to grips with all the changes in her life—a love left behind in New York and new relationships blossoming in Beirut—Salma takes comfort in some of Lebanon’s enduring traditions, particularly its extraordinary food culture. Through the sights, sounds, and flavors of a city full of beauty, tragedy, despair, and hope, Salma slowly begins to reconnect with the place she’s longed for her entire life.

Although smaller than the state of Connecticut, Lebanon offers extraordinary diversity. Here some of the oldest human settlements in the world at the Phoenician ports of Tyre, Sidon, and Byblos sit alongside modern Beirut, popular for its cuisine, eclectic nightlife, and mosaic of peoples. In Lebanon's second city, Tripoli, busy medieval souks are watched over by a vast Crusader castle. Outside the city, snow-capped mountains and the lush Qadisha Valley with its snaking river and waterfalls provide entertainment for skiers and hikers, while the Mediterranean Sea draws sun and watersports enthusiasts. Bradt's Lebanon provides detailed cultural and practical information to this increasingly popular destination. It also provides in-depth historical and religious background enabling visitors to travel with awareness and sensitivity.

"Kissess from a Distance" chronicles a Lebanese immigrant experience - based on a cache of more than 200 letters discovered after the death of the author's mother.The tale begins with the kidnapping of the author's grandmother from a remote convent in 1895. It chronicles her subsequent unhappy marriage and her husband's tragic attempt to find success in America. Their particular story plays out against the struggle and suffering of the lebanese people through years of oppressive Ottoman rule and the ravages of World War I.Employing traditional lebanese proverbs and folk tales, "Kisses from a Distance" weaves the author's extensive research and visits to Lebanon into a compelling narrative.

Go for an early morning walk along the Corniche – Beirut’s seaside promenade – and watch as the Mediterranean Sea laps against the rocks while the summits of Mount Lebanon dominate the horizon to the east. Enjoy a strong black coffee here before hitting Hamra to experience Beirut’s bustling commercial side or the old Central District to admire the elegantly restored Ottoman and French-colonial buildings – a demonstration of Beirut’s determination to become the ‘Paris of the East’ once again. Footprintfocus Beirut features practical advice on getting to and around this up-and-coming city, along with fascinating insights into Beirut’s culture and history. ·         Essentials section with practical advice on getting there and around.·         Highlights maps of the region so you know what not to miss.·         Comprehensive, up-to-date listings of where to eat, drink and sleep.·         Detailed street maps for Beirut and key destinations.·         Slim enough to fit in your pocket. Loaded with advice and information on how to get around, this concise Footprintfocus guide will help you get the most out of Beirut without weighing you down. The content of Footprintfocus Beirut guide has been extracted from Footprint’s Lebanon Handbook. 

A nineteenth-century Syrian Christian who was raised in Lebanon, Habeeb Risk Allah Effendi was a traveler, émigré and doctor whose charming, anecdotal traveler's tales take us throughout his troubled native land and on to Egypt, Malta, France and England. From pirates, belles and balls to the status of women and the role of health care in society, Effendi's position as outsider lends his observations of his own and other cultures a unique perspective.

Beginning on a blustery April morning at Cleopatra’s Needle on the Thames Embankment in London, Anne Mustoe set out on another of her phenomenal lone cycle rides – this time to the Needle's original site at Heliopolis in Egypt. She set herself the challenge of journeying wherever possible near to water - via the Seine and the Rhone, then alongside the Burgundy canal, the Po and the Venetian Lagoon - inspiring her to think of her mode of transport as a set of 'waterwheels'. Leaving Europe, Ms Mustoe entered a very different terrain: the dusty and at times chaotic world of the ancient near east. Countries such as Turkey, Syria and Lebanon and, not least, Egypt itself, the site of the final waterway – the evocative Nile. Her incident-packed journey made this the best and worst of rides and Ms Mustoe's eloquent but no-nonsense prose is immediately accessible, giving the reader a clear picture of this remarkable excursion. Woven in with fascinating and educational information regarding the history and culture of every point en route are also accounts of outrageous misfortune. Undaunted by roads and bridges washed away by freak floods; robbery in the backwater of Bari; an old knee injury flaring up and, worst of all, running out of whisky in a Muslim land, this pioneering ex-headmistress-on-a-bike soldiered on in true British spirit to reach her destination. The book is a delight for aspirant and seasoned travellers alike. Told with the exquisite detail that has become Ms Mustoe's hallmark, this unusual journey is recounted with keen observation, a relish of the open road and a rare, understated humour.

Includes extensive historical, political and cultural information; up-to-date advice on the best places to stay and eat on any budget; what to do and see, from skiing to exploring archaeological sites; helpful advice on getting around, including visas and border crossings; and a concise Arabic language chapter.

Current events in the Middle East have revived interest in the extraordinary life and accomplishments of Gertrude Bell, "the female Lawrence of Arabia." A skilled archeologist, historian, and linguist, Bell wrote captivating, perceptive accounts of her Eastern travels. This intriguing narrative — accompanied by 160 photos — traces her 1905 sojourn in Lebanon, Syria, and Palestine.

Discover Syria&Lebanon Smile your thanks when the elderly caretaker of a Damascus house opens the door just for youTest-drive your Arabic as you fly through the Syrian desert in a 1960s Dodge taxiWhat conflict? Find your peace hiking amid waterfalls, hermitages and monasteries in Lebanon's gorgeous Qadisha ValleyLather up with olive oil soap from Aleppo's famous souq - and learn how to pick one fit for a queen In This Guide: Three authors, 140 days of on-the-road research, one international conflict, countless invitations to teaAsk the archaeologist: all your questions on Syria's stunning ruins answered by a specialistGet the local lowdown: special color chapter featuring travel tips from Syrians and Lebanese