Name: Heirs to forgotten kingdoms
ISBN: 9780465030569

Gerard Russell

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: Persia, Babylon, Egypt in the time of the Pharaohs. Their followers have learned how to survive foreign attacks and the perils of assimilation. But today, with the Middle East in turmoil, they face greater challenges than ever before.

journeys into the disappearing religions of the Middle East

Heirs to forgotten kingdoms

"Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms" is a fascinating book that takes a look at multiple different small, and some downright obscure, religions, and the communities that have lived by those beliefs for millennia.

The book covers groups you might have heard of before: Yazidis, the Druze, and the Coptic Christians of Egypt. It also introduces the downright obscure communities of the modern Zoroastrian communities, the Samaritans (of prefix "Good" fame), 

 of Iraq, and the Kalashas of northern Pakistan. 

In many ways a travelogue, the authors takes the reader with him as he travels to each of these communities and describes his personal observations. Along the way, the author gives all the necessary historical, political, and religious context of how these religions and communities came to become their current forms.

But perhaps the most engaging aspects of of the book are the intimate portraits of the individuals from these communities that help us understand these people's beliefs and mindset. Through them, you catch a glimpse of how these small communities view themselves, how they try to keep upholding the ancient edicts of their faith, and how they choose to adapt to the ever-changing outside world.

Julien Chien

"Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms" is a fascinating book that takes a look at multiple different small, and some downright obscure, religions, and the communities that have lived by those beliefs for millennia.

The book covers groups you might have heard of before: Yazidis, the Druze, and the Coptic Christians of Egypt. It also introduces the downright obscure communities of the modern Zoroastrian communities, the Samaritans (of prefix "Good" fame), Mandaeans of Iraq, and the Kalashas of northern Pakistan. 

In many ways a travelogue, the authors takes the reader with him as he travels to each of these communities and describes his personal observations. Along the way, the author gives all the necessary historical, political, and religious context of how these religions and communities came to become their current forms.

But perhaps the most engaging aspects of of the book are the intimate portraits of the individuals from these communities that help us understand these people's beliefs and mindset. Through them, you catch a glimpse of how these small communities view themselves, how they try to keep upholding the ancient edicts of their faith, and how they choose to adapt to the ever-changing outside world.

Maurice FitzGerald

Title promises more than the book delivers. No so forgotten or strange. Wonder if the author was a spy. Genial enough account of his travels. I am getting bored with western culture. Be china has interesting stuff in it history.

Heirs to forgotten kingdoms journeys into the disappearing religions of the Middle East

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