Heirs to forgotten kingdoms : journeys into the disappearing religions of the Middle East

Resource Information

The work Heirs to forgotten kingdoms : journeys into the disappearing religions of the Middle East represents a distinct intellectual or artistic creation found in San Francisco Public Library. This resource is a combination of several types including: Work, Audio, Nonmusical, Sounds, Music.

Label

Heirs to forgotten kingdoms : journeys into the disappearing religions of the Middle East

Title remainder

journeys into the disappearing religions of the Middle East

Statement of responsibility

Gerard Russell

Creator

• Russell, Gerard

Contributor

• Page, Michael
• hoopla digital

Author

• Russell, Gerard

Narrator

• Page, Michael

Subject

• Kalasha (Afghanistan people)
• Mandaeans
• Middle East -- Religion
• Religious minorities -- Middle East
• Samaritans
• Copts
• Zoroastrians
• Yezidis
• Druzes

Language

eng

Summary

Despite its reputation for religious intolerance, the Middle East has long sheltered many distinctive and strange faiths. These religions represent the last vestiges of the magnificent civilizations in ancient history: Persia, Babylon, and Egypt in the time of the pharaohs. Their followers have learned how to survive foreign attacks and the perils of assimilation. But today, with the Middle East in turmoil, they face greater challenges than ever before. In "Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms", former diplomat Gerard Russell ventures to the distant, nearly impassable regions where these mysterious religions still cling to survival. He lives alongside the Mandaeans and Ezidis of Iraq, the Zoroastrians of Iran, the Copts of Egypt, and others. He learns their histories, participates in their rituals, and comes to understand the threats to their communities. Historically a tolerant faith, since the early twentieth century, Islam has witnessed the rise of militant, extremist sects. This development poses existential threats to these minority faiths. And as more and more of their youth flee to the West in search of greater freedoms and job prospects, these religions face the dire possibility of extinction

Accompanying matter

technical information on music

Cataloging source

Midwest

Dewey number

200.956

Form of composition

not applicable

Format of music

not applicable

Literary text for sound recordings

other

PerformerNote

Read by Michael Page

Target audience

adult

Transposition and arrangement

not applicable