Book review: among the ruins: Syria past and present by Christian C. Sahner

Among the Ruins blends history, memoir and reportage, drawing on the author’s extensive knowledge of Syria in ancient, medieval, and modern times. The author’s status as an outsider who deeply immersed himself in Syrian life, culture, and history enables him to write from a non-partial perspective and to share his deep knowledge of Syria with other “outside” readers who seek a deeper understanding beyond news reports of the Syrian “catastrophe”, writes Catherine Hezser.