On an Uzbekistan airways flight, Emma Sky fears for her safety; fearing the end is nigh she laments that perhaps she hasn’t left enough indication of her time on earth. I, for one, am glad she didn’t meet her maker on that plane as this book is a treasure of the highest order. In a Time of Monsters is both a book about the joy and benefit of travel, and an analysis of history and politics, teaching the reader about the history of many middle eastern countries
The sheer joy, and complete bravery Emma Sky demonstrates introduces the reader to the very human side of the Middle East, although she meets people with whom she can’t agree, she meets more people who are described and portrayed as thoroughly human. At the Greek/Macedonian border, with the refugee crisis in full flow, Emma meets Syrian men who invite her to have a cup of tea with them “even there, in the cold unknown, the Syrians tried to show me... the hospitality of home”
A vital book that everyone should read to improve our understanding of the current situation in the Middle East and to contemplate how we as individuals can create a more welcoming, peaceful world. This is a book that encourages us all to see each other as fellow humans rather than different races, religions and colours.
Emma has inspired the traveler in me to set off to beautiful Oman in the hope that on the journey I will find some of her bravery and understanding to venture deeper.
The sheer joy, and complete bravery Emma Sky demonstrates introduces the reader to the very human side of the Middle East, although she meets people with whom she can’t agree, she meets more people who are described and portrayed as thoroughly human. At the Greek/Macedonian border, with the refugee crisis in full flow, Emma meets Syrian men who invite her to have a cup of tea with them “even there, in the cold unknown, the Syrians tried to show me... the hospitality of home”
A vital book that everyone should read to improve our understanding of the current situation in the Middle East and to contemplate how we as individuals can create a more welcoming, peaceful world. This is a book that encourages us all to see each other as fellow humans rather than different races, religions and colours.
Emma has inspired the traveler in me to set off to beautiful Oman in the hope that on the journey I will find some of her bravery and understanding to venture deeper.