- Hardcover: 256 pages
- Publisher: Constable (25 Mar 1998)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0094769605
- ISBN-13: 978-0094769601
- Product Dimensions: 23.4 x 15.6 x 3.2 cm
- Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (1 customer review)
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Amazon Bestsellers Rank:
1,062,188 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
- #15 in Books > Travel & Holiday > Countries & Regions > Middle East > Yemen
- #35 in Books > Travel & Holiday > Countries & Regions > Africa > Ethiopia & Djibouti
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More About the Author
Product Description
Product Description
A journey along the centuries-old trade route from the Ethiopian highlands to the ancient cities of Yemen.
From the Back Cover
Lured by idyllic memories of ancient cities, spectacular mountains and, most of all, dreamy afternoons spent chewing the psychactive leaves of the qat tree, Kevin Rushby set out to travel the old Qat Road from the highlands of Ethiopia to Yemen. It was to prove a fascinating and dangerous journey, peopled with an extraordinary array of characters – criminals, Islamic scholars, an exorcist, and the mysterious Quadric, the travelling companion from hell.
'Eating the Flowers of Paradise' combines classic travel with an explanation of the rich and varied cultures surrounding the drug qat. Legal in the UK but banned in the US, experts variously claim it to be as mild as tea or as addictive as cocaine. In the Yeman it is central to the life of the country, and Rushby explores as he goes our attitudes towards substance abuse and addiction.
" 'Eating the Flowers of Paradise' is an account of extraordinary journeyings in a corner of the earth which remarkably enough has eluded investigation by explorers until this time. It abounds with fascinating and exciting fresh material presented in a style comparable to the accepted classics of travel in Arabia and the Middle East"
NORMAN LEWIS
"If you never chew a leaf in your life, this rollicking tale of high adventure should give you a hint of how it feels."
INDEPENDENT ON SUNDAY
"Pure joy from beginning to end"
Wonderlust
"Rushby is a fearless and sociable traveller . . . There are many amusing episodes and good jokes in this engaging book. "
THE TABLET
"Rushby is at his best evoking the sheer joy of travel . . .There is an innate modesty to his writing, which is enlivened by a dash of erudition in all the right places, a good knowledge of Islam, and vividly unusual travelling companions"
LITERARY REVIEW
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Don't buy this book if you want something that you can dip into every now and again, as once you've started this you won't be able to put it down.
I was a bit wary of the subtitle 'A journey through the drug fields of Ethiopia and Yemen' but found that the variety of attitudes towards the drug 'qat' were all examined and the book looks at both the joy of using qat and the issue of addiction .
At the same time Rushby describes his journey, talking of previous explorers and their experiences, Islam, the history of Arabia and the Middle East (but never in a dry way), and the places and people he encounters (which constantly amazed me), all written in a light-hearted and easy manner.
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