Author: Amitav Ghosh Publisher: Abu Dhabi Authority Edition Date: 1430 Number of Pages: 350 Amitav Ghosh, an Indian writer and winner of the Sahitya Akademi Award and a nominee for the British Booker Prize, travels between Egypt and Palestine. This journey began after he read, during his university studies at Oxford, about a story between a slave and a master in the 12th century. He then learned Arabic, lived in Egypt, and followed the story of these two men. Thus, his book "In an Antique Land" blends that historical narrative, dating back to the 12th century, with the author's own journey to the Arab region in the 20th century. Ghosh writes: "Amidst this whirlwind of grand schemes and historical destinies, it seems that the letter of Khalaf ibn Ishaq opened a door in a vast network of excavations where real life continues uninterrupted. Perhaps Khalaf was well aware of the events happening in the distant north: the city he lived in, Aden, was one of the main channels for trade flow between the Mediterranean Sea and the Indian Ocean, and Khalaf and his fellow merchants had a vast network of relationships... and they were keen to stay informed of all developments."