Baghdad without a Map and Other Misadventures in Arabia

Horwitz has the touch, the ability to astutely capture the ludicrous essence of an experience while filling in all the pertinent socio-historic details. He chews qat with the Yemenis, plays soccer with the Sudanese Dinka refugees and listens to an endless refrain of "You are the perfume of Iraq, oh Saddam" in Baghdad. Horwitz' eye and wit are equally sharp, and his book is an exceptionally good read.

A journalist chronicles his travels throughout the Middle East, discussing Cairo's seedy nightclubs, paid assassins in Libya, a mourner at the Ayatollah's funeral, and more. Reprint. 25,000 first printing. NYT.