Sheba: Through the Desert in Search of the Legendary Queen |
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Nicholas Clapp
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Pages: 384 (Paperback)
ISBN: 0618219269
Pub: Houghton Mifflin
Pub date: 2002
Amazon.co.uk Sales Rank: 261157
Reader Reviews:
Wonderful! (2/2 people found this helpful)
Nicholas Clapp, discoverer of lost Ubar (see The Road to Ubar) has set himself a new goal, that of discovering the real Queen of Sheba. First studying the stories of her in New York, he then traveled to Jerusalem, where she found herself added to the sacred texts of Judaism. Following her potential trails back to Ethiopia, and (most importantly) Yemen, where he discovers the depth and richness of Sabean (Sheban) culture. However, his journey is not one of simple tourism--at times he found himself in extreme danger, and this is the story of that exciting odyssey!
Now, just when you thought that the story was over, keep reading! Appendix 1 contains a list of potential names of the Queen (good), appendix 2 contains a chronology of the Sabean state (good), appendix 3 contains an analysis of legends identifying the Queen as a source of evil (excellent), and appendix 4 looks at the alchemists view of her (very good). Most appendices are of limited value, but these (especially #3), are well worth your reading-time.
I must admit that I was not terribly fond of this book at first. His story of his time in Jerusalem was rather negative, with stories of a bribe-taking Orthodox archbishop and "rat-faced" monks. However, he moved on, the story picked up, and got quite as fascinating as his previous book. I loved the details he gave of archaeological information on Yemen, and was quite enthralled by his story-telling ability.
I find myself wondering where he will go next. I highly recommend this book.
Who was the Queen of Sheba? - Read this book. (5/5 people found this helpful)
Nicholas Clapp has written an excellent and accessable book on one of the most enigmatic figures in history - or myth depending on your point of view. Reviewing the various accounts of Queen 'Bilqis' from the Bible, Koran and other literary sources, then taking the reader on a journey to France, The Holy land, Saudi Arabia, Ethiopia, and finally The Republic of Yemen in search of the hard evidence to back up his theories, the author manages to convey historical information, whilst at the same time entertaining the reader with his easy and humourous writing style. The conclusion he reaches is backed up by what he has seen and read, but he does not make the mistake of many authors in this field, that of making their hypothesis come across as absolute dogma - he appreciates that there remains so much more to discover, particularly under the sands of Yemen!
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Categories
Amazon.co.uk places this book into the following categories:
Books -> Subjects -> History -> Ancient History & Civilisation
Books -> Subjects -> History -> World History
Books -> Subjects -> History -> General
Books -> Refinements -> Language (feature_browse-bin) -> English
Books -> Refinements -> Age (feature_two_browse-bin)
Books -> Refinements -> Format (binding_browse-bin) -> Paperback
Books -> Refinements -> Condition (condition-type)