Mirrors of the unseen : journeys in Iran / Jason Elliot.

Includes index.

This is literary travel writing at its best: brimming with history, anecdote and provocative analysis. The distillation of three years of travel and research,Mirrors of the Unseen is not only an exploration of the immensely rich heritage of Persian culture, but also a unique and timely portrait of contemporary Iran. In it we are introduced to the hair-raising streets of Tehran, and ponder the sublime architecture of Isfahan; we travel on horseback through the forests of the north (as the guest of Princess Firouz), across the bleak landscapes of Kurdistan, and re-trace Robert Byron's steps to the sites of the nation's most fabled monuments. Mirrors of the Unseenis also a passionate enquiry into the nature of Persian and Islamic art, challenging conventional definitions of 'abstract' art and yielding astonishing insights into its geometrical and symbolic sophistication. Profound, illuminating and characteristically charming, Mirrors of the Unseendispels all stereotypical views of a much-misrepresented country, and offers precious insight into a land from which we are likely to hear much more in the near future. Praise for An Unexpected Light: 'An astonishing debut: one of the most remarkable travel books this decade' William Dalrymple 'I am sure this book will soon be among the classics of travel' Dorris Lessing 'Everything a travel book should be - truly memorable' Eric Newby A tour de force of travel and memory: vividly evocative, courageous and self-award' Colin Thubron.