Arabia of the Bedouins

Arabia of the Bedouins

by Marcel Kurpershoek

This remarkable record of Marcel Kurpershoek’s expedition and encounters in the Saudi Arabian desert in the late 1980s details his search for the living chronicle of Saudi Arabia—the oral poetry of the Bedouins. In the vast desert, Kurpershoek discovered poets who composed verses celebrating bravery and feats of arms, especially those of the poet ad-Dindan—proof of the authenticity of the pre-Islamic tradition in Arabian oral poetry. Part travelogue, and part book of poems, this book offers valuable insight into contemporary and traditional Saudi society.

About the Author

Marcel Kurpershoek studied Arabic at Leiden and at Cairo University. In 1974 he joined the Dutch foreign service and was posted to Egypt, Syria and in 1986 to Saudi Arabia. He is the author of several travelogues and books on Bedouin poetry, The Poetry of ad-Dindan (1994) and Bedouin Poets of the Dawasir (1999).

Language: English
ISBN: 9780863568091
2005, paperback, 360 pages, 13.5 x 21 cm