DICKSON, H.R.P. The Arab of the Desert … Edited and abridged by Robert Wilson and Zahra Freeth. London, George Allen & Unwin Ltd., [1983].
Royal 8vo. Original burnt ochre boards in original pictorial dust-wrapper, map endpapers; pp. 228; numerous photographic plates, a near-fine copy; neat inscription, dated Dubai, 1985, to front initial blank.
First published in 1949, this is the first abridged edition of a Kuwait and northern central Arabia classic. Dickson forms part of that tradition of British writers and travellers - Burton, Doughty, T.E. Lawrence, Bertram Thomas, H. St. John Philby, Gertrude Bell, Freya Stark, Thesiger - who became fascinated by Arabia and the Arabs, often espousing their causes and aspirations. Himself a fluent Arabic speaker, Dickson's friendship with such as Ibn Sa'ud and his travels in the Arabian peninsular resulted in the present work. A classic of the literature, it introduces the reader to the cultural life of Arabia, with chapters on hawking, food, smoking, pearl diving, nomad life, the Haj, the Arab horse, proverbs, and much else. Dickson throughout his writing expresses his deep admiration for Sheikh Salim Al-Mubarak Al-Sabah of Kuwait.
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