Heirs To Forgotten Kingdoms (journeys Into The Disappearing Religions Of The Middle East)

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By (author) Gerard Russell; By (author) Russell Gerard

Short /annotation
“A remarkable book…. An urgently needed corrective in our age of deepening religious divisions.”-New York Review of Books


Despite its reputation for religious intolerance, the Middle East has long sheltered many distinctive and strange faiths: one regards the Greek prophets as incarnations of God, another reveres Lucifer in the form of a peacock, and yet another believes that their followers are reincarnated beings who have existed in various forms for thousands of years. These religions represent the last vestiges of the magnificent civilizations in ancient history: Persia, Babylon, 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. InHeirs 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, Islam has, since the early 20th century, witnessed the rise of militant, extremist sects. This development, along with the rippling effects of Western invasion, now pose 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. Drawing on his extensive travels and archival research, Russell provides an essential record of the past, present, and perilous future of these remarkable religions.

Review quote
Wall Street Journal “It is difficult to imagine a more timely book than Gerard Russell”s Heirs to Forgotten Kingdoms: Journeys Into the Disappearing Religions of the Middle East. Equal parts travelogue and history, Mr. Russell”s meticulously researched book takes readers into some of the region”s least-known minority communities: the Mandaeans of Iraq, the Copts of Egypt, the Zoroastrians, the Samaritans, and, yes, the Yazidis.” New York Review of Books “[A] remarkable book… The great virtue of Russell”s book is its courageous spirit of sympathy for an immense range of human experience… An urgently needed corrective in our age of deepening religious divisions.” Financial Times “A fascinating survey of threatened and vanishing minority religions across the broader Middle East, written in an even tone sprinkled with wonder.” New York Times Book Review By the Book “[A] highly topical study of Middle Eastern anomalies which is teaching me a lot, and should be read by all Western policy makers — those who do read.” Literary Review (UK) “Part vivid odyssey, part lucid history… Gerard Russell”s timely and humane depiction of [these cultures] is a compelling read.” Ali Asani, Professor of Indo-Muslim and Islamic Religion and Cultures, Director, Prince Alwaleed bin Talal Islamic Studies Program, Harvard University “An eloquent and sensitive portrayal of the Middle East”s lesser known religions, whose existence is severely threatened by the strident nationalisms and proxy wars that are currently tearing apart a region once renowned for its tolerance. Gerard Russell gives a voice to those who cannot speak for themselves, those whose traditions–handed down through many centuries–are being disregarded and indeed obliterated in a blaze of violence and hatred. He lifts the ”veil of ignorance” and reveals just what is at stake–both in the Middle East and around the world. Through extensive and meticulous research, and encompassing years of travel to distant places to meet in person those whose lives have been turned upsi