Product Description

With rich anecdotal detail and enjoyable witty style, this is an autobiography of a distinguished diplomat that provides new insights into the background of Middle Eastern diplomacy in the twentieth century. "Saddam seized me by the shoulders and marched me by his side in a sort of embrace, saying, 'Can't you British understand that there is nothing in the world I detest more than a Russian Communist - except an Iraqi one? Get that through to your stupid Government.'" That was late 1969 as Iraq was tilting towards Moscow during the Cold War. The occasion was the author's first audience with Saddam. In his long and distinguished career in the Arab world, Glencairn Balfour Paul witnessed momentous changes in the region. "Bagpipes in Babylon" describes the colourful experiences of his working life including his acquaintance with Wilfred Thesiger, his friendship in Beirut with Kim Philby, and his close relations with King Hussein of Jordan. Following retirement, he embarked on a second career in academia and his travels continued. "Bagpipes in Babylon' is a rich and entertaining account of a lifetime in the Arab world, and beyond.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #464592 in Books
• Published on: 2005-12-20
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Hardcover
• 320 pages

Review
"'His account of Britain's complicated final years in the Middle East is elegantly written and gives a balanced picture which should commend it to experts and amateurs alike.' Peter Tripp in British Journal of Middle East Studies 'Balfour-Paul's elegant style and his eye for apt quotation brings to life a vanished age.' Wm. Roger Louis in Times Literary Supplement 'A valuable and original work in a lively and often witty style.' Yousif Choueiri in Journal of Islamic Studies 'Perceptive and elegantly written - particularly worth reading in the light of the Gulf War.' Keith Robins in International Affairs"

About the Author
Glencairn Balfour Paul was District Commissioner in the Sudan and Ambassador in Iraq, Jordan and Tunisia. On retirement, he became a Research Fellow at Exeter University and is author of The End of Empire in the Middle East, the Middle East section of the Oxford History of the British Empire, and a collection of his poetry, A Kind of Kindness.

Customer Reviews

Cracking Read!
This book is one of the best I have read in years! You can barely believe some of the tales Glencairn recounts.

Truely inspiring. A must read!!!