Cleopatra's Wedding Present: Travels Through Syria (Duckbacks)

How do you get through this without crying at the end at the fate of this poor chap.
The book is a little raw because he never got to finish it but it will stand as a classic on this wonderful city.
It's banned in Syria - that should encourage you to buy it.
He likes cats a lot too which is nice.

Dire - definitely one to avoid. (1/7 people found this helpful)

This is one of the worst travel books I have ever tried to read. In fact, I only managed to get to chapter 8 before I decided life was just too short. I then sped-read the book in an effort to find something worth knowing - to little avail. Instead of learning a great deal about the country, we are treated to non-stop drivel about the man's sexual adventures interspersed with the odd interesting fact. Don't waste your money.

A languorous, yet exciting trip to a complicated land (14/14 people found this helpful)

This absolutely remarkable story brings to life the sights, sounds and smells - in all their beauty and ugliness – of Syria. The book recounts the journey of one gay man has he spends several months traveling around this complex and exotic country, which was actually part of Mark Anthony's love gift to Cleopatra. Robert Tewdwr Moss was tragically murdered in London just after this manuscript was completed, so he never got to realize the fruits of his labors. This is such a pity because Moss was an extremely talented writer, who had a wonderful capacity to totally reinvent travel writing. This memoir works in many ways – as a profound treatise on the Middle Eastern Society; a chilling history of ethnic crimes - particularly the Armenian genocide - a picaresque adventure story, a compelling travelogue, and a touching and affecting tale of sexual self-discovery.

Moss certainly captures the essence of the Middle East – from its indescribable poverty, and its government corruption to its chaos and the unconditional hospitality and uncomplicated generosity that is offered by many of the local people. The story begins with a description of the "hot winds," "the blinding heat," the "fine brown dust" from the dust storms, the "chaos of the streets and the air "clotted with diesel fumes hanging like a cloak around us." As the story progresses and Robert leaves the city of Aleppo to travel to Damascus, he infuses the narrative with descriptions of this suffocating yet exotic world: the dirty collapsing towns that have had a "great past and no present" full of "the old merchants you see here – sly, and leathery, survivors."

Moss had a gift for describing the intricate details of everyday life, from the clothes to the exotic foods, to the markets and bazaars, and of course, the Arab frankness towards sexual transactions, which "are regarded in a purely practical light." The text recounts Moss's trips to various ancient sites, and there are some gorgeous descriptions of the ancient towns of Palmyra, Bosra, and Lattakia (Have a map of Syria handy so that you can trace his journey). There's also an excellent introduction by Lecretia Stewart that fills in the blanks about Robert's life and work and talks, quite frankly about his horrific murder and about his somewhat closeted sexuality. Cleopatra's Wedding Present is profound and beautiful, and is without a doubt, one of the best travelogues of the Middle East that I have ever read. Robert Tewdwr Moss was a real talent, and as this story shows, his loss was just terrible.

A book for Robert's friends to treasure... (6/7 people found this helpful)

I agree with the comments of the previous review of 24th August (which was the fifth anniversary of Robert's murder). For all of us who were lucky enough to know Robert, this book brings back treasured memories of his love of life and sense of humour.

The book is a wonderfully evocative guide to Syria, but also a highly personal and moving account (as well as having plenty of funny moments!).

Beautiful and evocative (5/5 people found this helpful)

I read this a few years ago and was delighted to see that is has been reprinted. It is a wonderful read, brimming with Middle-Eastern exoticism and eroticism. The quality of the writing makes the author's untimely death an even greater tragedy and the book is a fitting testament to a man who was not afraid to embrace life.

Cleopatra's Wedding Present: Travels Through Syria (Duckbacks)

Robert Tewdwr Moss

Reader Reviews:

Poor Robert (4/4 people found this helpful)

Dire - definitely one to avoid. (1/7 people found this helpful)

A languorous, yet exciting trip to a complicated land (14/14 people found this helpful)

A book for Robert's friends to treasure... (6/7 people found this helpful)

Beautiful and evocative (5/5 people found this helpful)

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