Author: Philip Mansel
Binding: Hardback
Published: JOHN MURRAY, 2010

Condition:
Book: Good
Jacket: Chipped and worn with some minor damage
Pages: Good
Markings: No markings
Condition remarks: small dents on back of binding

This sweeping historical narrative chronicles the vibrant, multicultural tapestry of the Levant, focusing on its iconic port cities. It illustrates the intricate lives and interactions of diverse communities—Greeks, Armenians, Jews, and Europeans—who shaped places like Smyrna, Alexandria, and Beirut over centuries. The work presents a poignant account of these cities' golden age, detailing their unique blend of Eastern and Western influences. Ultimately, it argues for the tragic unraveling of this cosmopolitan splendor, brought about by the rise of nationalism and geopolitical shifts that reshaped the Mediterranean world. Mansel's meticulous scholarship and evocative prose offer an authoritative and deeply engaging portrait of a lost era.