Sir Richard Francis Burton "Pilgrimage To Al-Madinah And Meccah" Slipcased Deluxe Limited Edition No. 15 of 400

Originally published in the 1850s, Personal Narrative of a Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah & Meccah is the detailed narrative that offers rich observations of Islamic customs, culture, and the Arabian Peninsula for Western readers.

THIS IS NUMBER 15 OF ONLY 400 PRODUCED.

Easton Press. Sir Richard Francis Burton "Pilgrimage To Al-Madinah And Meccah". Two volume set. Slipcased Deluxe Limited Edition of 400. This is number 15. This distinguished set features gilt stamping and marbled end-papers.

One of history's greatest adventures, featuring all the added illustrations from the 1893 Memorial Edition…

In 1853, Sir Richard Francis Burton risked his life to travel to Islam's holy Arab cities of Meccah and Medina. This landmark work brings this riveting story to vivid life in two beautiful leather-bound volumes with features including:

• Lithography by Falcon Press, Nashville, Tennessee
• Cowhide leather imported from Italy by Cortina Leathers of New York, New York.
• Custom slipcase and binding by BindTech, Nashville, Tennessee
• Custom slipcase lined with crushed velvet to protect the leather cover.
• Dimensions: 6" x 9".

Personal Narrative of A Pilgrimage to Al-Madinah and Meccah

Impelled by wanderlust and the spirit of adventure and aided by an extraordinary facility in Eastern languages, Sir Richard Burton (1821-90) was one of the great traveler-explorers of history. He was the first European to enter the capital of Somaliland and the first to discover the Great Lakes of Central Africa. He was also an Orientalist of the first rank.
But it is for his pilgrimage in 1853 to Mecca and Medina and the most sacrosanct shrines of Islam that Burton is best known — and for his celebrated book that recorded his experiences during the journey. Successfully posing as a wandering dervish, he gained admittance to the holy Kaabah and to the Tomb of the Prophet at Medina and participated in all the rituals of the Hadj (pilgrimage). He is still one of the very few non-Moslems to visit and return from Mecca.

Above all, Burton was a sharp observer — of character, customs, and physical surroundings. These pages contain a treasury of material on Arab life, beliefs, manners and morals; detailed descriptions of religious ceremonies, mosques, temples, etc.; and a variety of ethnographic, economic, and geographical information. Whether telling of the crowded caravan to Mecca, engaging in minute analysis of Bedouin character, waxing lyrical about a desert landscape, or reporting conversations with townsfolk or fellow pilgrims, Burton gives us a vivid picture of the region and its people.
Along with his thorough familiarity with the cultures and languages of the Middle East, Burton exhibited a resourcefulness and presence of mind that were to serve him well along the way. These qualities saw him through many a taut situation in a country where violence was easily kindled. And they permitted him to get to and into places a man with less enterprise would never have dreamed of going.

This book’s value to historians of culture and religion, Orientalists, and other scholars is obvious. Yet it is as a great classic of travel that it has attracted such a wide audience. Burton’s highly personal style, vigorous opinions, and his matter-of-fact humor against a backdrop of constant hazard and possible exposure have delighted tens of thousands of readers for more than a century. This reprint gives today’s readers an opportunity to enjoy this unique work.

Sir Richard Francis Burton

Sir Richard Francis Burton, KCMG, FRGS, (19 March 1821 – 20 October 1890) was a British explorer, army officer, writer and scholar. He was famed for his travels and explorations in Asia, Africa and South America, as well as his extensive knowledge of languages and cultures, speaking up to 29 different languages.

Born in Torquay, Devon, Burton joined the Bombay Army as an officer in 1842, beginning an eighteen-year military career which included a brief stint in the Crimean War. He was subsequently engaged by the Royal Geographical Society (RGS) to explore the East African coast, where Burton along with John Hanning Speke led an expedition to discover the source of the Nile and became the first European known to have seen Lake Tanganyika. He later served as the British consul in Fernando Pó, Santos, Damascus and Trieste. Burton was also a Fellow of the RGS and was awarded a knighthood in 1886.

His best-known achievements include undertaking the Hajj to Mecca in disguise, translating One Thousand and One Nights and The Perfumed Garden, and publishing the Kama Sutra in English. Although he abandoned his university studies, Burton became a prolific and erudite author and wrote numerous books and academic articles on subjects such as human behaviour, travel, falconry, fencing, sexual practices and ethnography.

Features

• Fully bound in genuine leather.
• 22kt gold deeply inlaid on the "hubbed" spine.
• Superbly printed on acid-neutral paper that lasts for generations.
• Sewn pages - not just glued like ordinary books.
• Printed end-pages and a satin-ribbon page marker.
• Printed and bound in the USA. Imported materials.
• Rigorous inspection at every stage ensures adherence to exacting standards.
• Superb craftsmanship and commitment to quality.
• Beautiful Illustrations
• Gilded Page Edges