{"product_id":"157168","title":"Words from the Middle East ","description":"\u003ccenter\u003e\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:center\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/tmgdisk01.cafe24.com\/images\/vs\/4172\/sv\/WQt5m549e7mv2m340Cn4KJ.png?v=1764858918\" style=\"max-width:100%;max-height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"width:95%\"\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:center;font-size:30px;font-weight:bolder;line-height:1.6em\"\u003e Words from the Middle East \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"border-bottom:1px;border-bottom-style:dotted;border-color:;padding-bottom:20px\"\u003e\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable align=\"center\" width=\"100%\"\u003e\u003ctbody style=\"border:0px\"\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd align=\"center\" style=\"line-height:1.2em;text-align:center;font-size:18px;color:black;font-weight:bold;padding-bottom:20px;\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"text-align:center\"\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/image.yes24.com\/goods\/160238087\/XL\" style=\"max-width:100%;height:auto\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/tbody\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"width:95%;{split_style6}padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:20px\"\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:left;font-size:16px;font-weight:bold;padding-bottom:20px\"\u003e Description \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:left;word-break:break-all;font-size:14px;line-height:1.6em;\"\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ch5\u003e \u003cb\u003eBook Introduction\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e \u003cb\u003eOn the road where gods and humans, desert and civilization intersect\u003cbr\u003e A Time of Reason from the Middle East\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e A humanistic journey unfolds in a desert where time seems to have stopped, heading to the land where human thought began.\u003cbr\u003e This book is a humanities travelogue that follows the eight Middle Eastern countries—Iran, Oman, the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon, and Turkey—where the dawn of civilization and modern conflict coexist, capturing the landscapes where history, culture, faith, and daily life intersect. \u003cbr\u003eAuthor Baek Jeong-sun worked at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in the United Arab Emirates for four years and traveled throughout the Middle East in her spare time.\u003cbr\u003e As the saying goes, \"travel is like reading on foot,\" he accumulated learning and reflection through his travels, and looked at unfamiliar civilizations and people through the eyes of an engineer and explorer.\u003cbr\u003e Amidst the desert wind and city lights, the stone walls of temples and the bustle of the marketplace, he listened to the questions the Middle East poses to us, recording a three-dimensional image of the place where the origins and present of civilization, faith and daily life intersect.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e This book is not just a travelogue.\u003cbr\u003e This is a cultural report on eight Middle Eastern countries written while walking through the Middle East, a place previously known only as a \"land of conflict in the news,\" and a record of contemplation containing warm insights into humanity and civilization.\u003cbr\u003e Through this book, we can encounter the true face of the Middle East, where \"history written in the language of God\" and \"stories created by human life\" intersect. \u003cbr\u003eWe can also hear the warm story of the origins of humanity that we have forgotten and the people who still live and breathe within it.\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cul\u003e\u003cli\u003e You can preview some of the book's contents.\u003cbr\u003e \u003cspan\u003ePreview\u003c\/span\u003e\n\n\u003c\/li\u003e\u003c\/ul\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ch5\u003e \u003cb\u003eindex\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e prolog\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 1: Iran: The Land Beyond the Persian Gulf\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Shiraz: Wearing slippers to Shiraz\u003cbr\u003e Persepolis: The Heroic Age of Persia\u003cbr\u003e Islamic Culture: Sunni vs. Shia Sects\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 2 Oman - Sinbad's Homeland, the Land of Wind and Stone\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Muscat: A Traveler's Paradise Found Among Waters and Canyons\u003cbr\u003e Musandam: The Story of How I Almost Went to Jail While Watching Dolphins\u003cbr\u003e Islamic Culture: Arabs, Islam, and the Middle East\u003cbr\u003e Camp Peek: Until the Azan Sounds Like a Lullaby\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 3: The United Arab Emirates: A Country Where Tradition and Innovation Coexist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Abu Dhabi: City of Light and Sand\u003cbr\u003e Dubai: Desert, Imagination, and Dreams of the Sea\u003cbr\u003e Islamic Culture: The Prophet Muhammad, the Founder of Islam\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePart 4: Egypt: The Gift of the Nile, a Nation Sincere about Resurrection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Cairo: Egyptian civilization began in 3000 BC\u003cbr\u003e Luxor: The Racecourse of Egypt\u003cbr\u003e Aswan: Ramses II's Abu Simbel Temple\u003cbr\u003e Islamic Culture: Enjoy a Tolerant Ramadan, Ramadan Kareem\u003cbr\u003e Camp Peek: In the Desert, Everyone Turns into an All-Athlete\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 5: Israel: The Heartbeat of Three Religions\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Jerusalem: Asking for Directions in Salt on the Way to the Holy Land\u003cbr\u003e Masada: The Last Voice in the Wind\u003cbr\u003e Islamic Culture: Jews and Arabs Share Their Ancestors\u003cbr\u003e Camp Peek: Ruwaislog: Small Happinesses Outside Camp\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 6 Jordan_Red Flower of the Middle East\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Amman: From Amman to the Dead Sea\u003cbr\u003e Petra: The Rose City Founded by the Nabataeans\u003cbr\u003e Wadi Rum: Becoming a White Man in the Red Desert\u003cbr\u003e Islamic Culture: Lamb and Pork\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 7: Lebanon: A Country That Sings Even in Ruins\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Beirut: Once the Paris of the Middle East \u003cbr\u003eByblos: The Roofless Phoenician Museum\u003cbr\u003e Islamic Culture: Desert Survival Kit: Three Elements of an Oasis\u003cbr\u003e Camp Peek: After work, head to a nearby restaurant or bar!\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 8: Turkey_Is this Europe or Asia?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Ephesus: A Little Rome in Turkey\u003cbr\u003e Pamukkale: Hot Springs on a White Hill\u003cbr\u003e Istanbul: Where East Meets West\u003cbr\u003e Islamic Culture: Same Words, Different Meanings, and Imams\u003cbr\u003e A Peek Inside Camp: Rizwan, a Barber from Pakistan\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e References\u003cbr\u003e Photo source\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ch5\u003e \u003cb\u003eDetailed image\u003c\/b\u003e \u003c\/h5\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003cimg src=\"https:\/\/image.yes24.com\/momo\/TopCate5945\/MidCate009\/594480180.jpg\" border=\"0\" alt=\"Detailed Image 1\"\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ch5\u003e \u003cb\u003eInto the book\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e When we think of 'arrogance', the first symbol that comes to mind is definitely Sinbad.\u003cbr\u003e The hometown of the adventurer in “Arabian Nights” is Oman.\u003cbr\u003e Oman, located on a key sea route connecting East Africa and India, is a Middle Eastern country that has prospered through maritime trade as a maritime cultural sphere.\u003cbr\u003e So this land naturally became the stage where the legend of Sinbad was born. \u003cbr\u003eSinbad was the incarnation of an Omani sailor who sailed the Indian Ocean in a traditional wooden boat called a dhow.\u003cbr\u003e It is not a legend, but the life of Omani, who lived with the sea, is the story of Sinbad.\u003cbr\u003e This adventure story goes beyond fiction and finds its roots in actual history.\u003cbr\u003e The setting for Sinbad was Baghdad and the Indian Ocean during the 8th and 9th centuries, when the Islamic Abbasid Dynasty flourished.\u003cbr\u003e Traces of the seafaring culture of the time remain even in the name.\u003cbr\u003e Sindh refers to the present-day Sindh region of Pakistan, and Bad means wind.\u003cbr\u003e In other words, Sindbad means 'the man of the wind blowing from the Sindh region'.\u003cbr\u003e The seven voyages in The Arabian Nights were not superficial adventure stories, but rather the journeys of imaginary heroes and a condensed story of the experiences and maritime history of actual sailors who sailed the Indian Ocean.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e --- p.44\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Arab, Islamic, and Middle Eastern are not simply overlapping concepts. \u003cbr\u003eThese intersect on four axes: language, religion, geography, and history, creating a complex and three-dimensional identity.\u003cbr\u003e Because of this complexity, we as outsiders often confuse the boundaries of concepts.\u003cbr\u003e Moreover, just as the term 'Middle East' itself originated from an artificial division of the West, the modern Middle Eastern countries were also artificially established within the interests of Western powers after the dissolution of the Ottoman Empire.\u003cbr\u003e Because the historical and ethnic context was not sufficiently reflected in this process, the region continues to experience political instability and conflict today.\u003cbr\u003e Therefore, efforts to understand the Middle East must not stop at superficial geographical divisions. \u003cbr\u003eWe must examine the imperialist history and cultural context together, and the first step to correctly understanding Islam begins with recognizing this history and culture and accepting unfamiliar cultures with a perspective of 'difference' rather than 'similarity.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e --- p.80\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e At first glance, it may seem like an ordinary Korean restaurant, but Okryugwan is a symbolic space in North Korea where foreigners and high-ranking officials are entertained.\u003cbr\u003e North Korean restaurants abroad are not just simple businesses.\u003cbr\u003e It serves as a kind of cultural diplomacy hub for managing the regime's image and earning foreign currency, and sometimes also serves as a political window managed behind the scenes by diplomats and intelligence agencies.\u003cbr\u003e North Korea has used this method to promote its regime, secure loyalist funds, and expand its overseas network.\u003cbr\u003e The fact that such a place opened a branch in Abu Dhabi also meant that North Korean-style 'cultural diplomacy' had permeated the area. \u003cbr\u003e(…) “Then give it to the Daedong River~.” Just a few minutes ago, people who had said “all the beer is the same” looked at each other with embarrassed faces and burst into laughter.\u003cbr\u003e In that laughter, my guard disappeared for a moment.\u003cbr\u003e It felt as if the barrier between North and South Korea had collapsed, and I was sitting in an ordinary Korean restaurant.\u003cbr\u003e But how long will the boundaries broken down by a glass of beer last?\u003cbr\u003e For this moment, it seemed as if the barrier between North and South had disappeared, but the moment I stepped out the door, reality would rise up again like a cold wall.\u003cbr\u003e At that moment, this thought crossed my mind.\u003cbr\u003e Division may be an illusion created by humans.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e --- p.104~107\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Dubai's obsession with excellence isn't just an economic strategy.\u003cbr\u003e Behind it lies an instinctive desire that has been repeated throughout human civilization.\u003cbr\u003e The Tower of Babel, which tried to reach the sky. \u003cbr\u003eThe pyramids that dreamed of eternity, the Tower of Babel with its Gothic cathedrals rising toward God, and the skyscrapers and artificial islands of Dubai are all modern versions of this ancient desire, built with modern technology and capital.\u003cbr\u003e (…) Dubai’s excess is not mere vanity.\u003cbr\u003e It is the way civilization proves itself and at the same time the latest version of humanity's repeated desires.\u003cbr\u003e Will Dubai's \"world-class\" end up being too much, or will it become a model for a new civilization?\u003cbr\u003e --- pp. 122-123\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Why would they build such massive tombs? It's hard to explain why they were simply a means to flaunt the pharaoh's power.\u003cbr\u003e The pyramid was a symbol that encapsulated the ancient people's beliefs and worldview about life beyond death, a meaning that went beyond a tomb. \u003cbr\u003eThis was possible because of the firm belief that death was not the end but the beginning of eternity, and the conviction that the Pharaoh's existence was a bridge to God.\u003cbr\u003e There was another practical reason.\u003cbr\u003e We think of the pyramids as being built by slaves who were whipped like in the movies, but the reality was different.\u003cbr\u003e During the summer, when the Nile flooded and farming was impossible, the government commissioned massive construction projects to provide jobs for farmers.\u003cbr\u003e This was not just a funeral construction project, but also a national project for the national economy and the welfare of the people.\u003cbr\u003e --- p.155\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar, the holiest time of the year, when people abstain from eating and drinking during daylight hours for a month.\u003cbr\u003e Fasting is a very important religious obligation for Muslims and is one of the five pillars of Islam: confession of faith, prayer, charity, pilgrimage, and fasting. \u003cbr\u003e(…) For Muslims, Ramadan is not just about fasting on a physical level.\u003cbr\u003e It is a time of mental, social, moral and physical training.\u003cbr\u003e Through this, we learn moderation and patience, empathize with the suffering of our starving neighbors, and develop a sense of community.\u003cbr\u003e Fasting dates back to the Hegira in 622.\u003cbr\u003e The Hijra is considered a historical turning point in Islam, as it was the event in which Muhammad migrated from Mecca to Medina to preserve his faith.\u003cbr\u003e Muhammad encountered God through silent fasting, and Ramadan was thus etched into time.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e --- pp. 188-189\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Around the 7th century, when Islamic forces defeated Byzantium, Jordan became part of the Islamic world.\u003cbr\u003e After that, it was under the rule of the Ottoman Empire for nearly 400 years.\u003cbr\u003e After the collapse of the Ottoman Empire following World War I, the region briefly came under British mandate before becoming independent as the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan in 1946. \u003cbr\u003eThroughout modern history, Jordan has always been at the center of Middle Eastern conflicts.\u003cbr\u003e It took control of the West Bank and East Jerusalem in the First Middle East War of 1948, but lost the territory back to Israel in the 1967 war.\u003cbr\u003e However, in 1994, it signed a peace treaty with Israel and took on the role of mediator in the Middle East.\u003cbr\u003e However, the large number of Palestinian refugees and their descendants who have settled in Jordan remains a challenge for the country to this day.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e --- p.227\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Built in the 1st century BC, the Al-Khazneh temple is a masterpiece of exquisite fusion of Egyptian, Mesopotamian, Greek, and Roman architectural styles.\u003cbr\u003e Al-Khazneh is more than just a tomb; it is the culmination of the fusion of Mediterranean civilizations.\u003cbr\u003e It was hard to believe that such a complex civilization could blossom in the middle of a barren desert.\u003cbr\u003e What was more amazing than the buildings were the people who created them. \u003cbr\u003eThe Nabataeans: Who were they? Originally a nomadic tribe in western Arabia, they settled in the area of ​​present-day Petra around the 6th century BC and developed a dazzling civilization.\u003cbr\u003e They were true desert engineers, taming the dry land with stone and water.\u003cbr\u003e In the Sik Gorge, channels were built to collect rainwater, and dams were built here and there in the rocks to manage water.\u003cbr\u003e Thanks to this, farming became possible in the dry desert.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e --- p.239~240\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The roots of the Lebanese civil war date back to the mandate period after World War I.\u003cbr\u003e When Arab nationalists rose up in 1920 demanding independence, France suppressed them by force.\u003cbr\u003e And the 'Greater Lebanon', centered around the Christian Maronites, was established by separating it from Syria.\u003cbr\u003e The underlying intention was to make Lebanon a bridgehead for Western European culture and to instill French order. \u003cbr\u003eWithin the borders formed in this way, various sects, including Christians, Sunni Muslims, and Shiites, were artificially bound together, which later became a major cause of instability in the country.\u003cbr\u003e Even after independence in 1943, power in Lebanon remained divided along religious lines.\u003cbr\u003e The president was a member of the majority Maronite sect, and the prime minister was a Sunni Muslim.\u003cbr\u003e But this was merely an extension of the political structure designed by France.\u003cbr\u003e As time passed and the Shia population grew, calls for a redistribution of power grew louder.\u003cbr\u003e Meanwhile, Palestinian armed forces expelled from Jordan in 1970 moved in, and Israel and Arab countries intervened, leading to the outbreak of civil war in 1975.\u003cbr\u003e The current political instability is not unrelated to the legacy of France's colonial era.\u003cbr\u003e True peace is not something given from outside, but comes from within.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e --- p.259~260\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eByblos was a key maritime trade hub in ancient times.\u003cbr\u003e They imported Egyptian papyrus and sold it to Greece and other countries, and exported Lebanese cedar to Egypt.\u003cbr\u003e During this process, the Greek word 'Byblos' meaning papyrus became the name of the city, and as the Bible was written on papyrus, the word 'Bible' was later created.\u003cbr\u003e As trade became more active, merchants at the port needed a simple writing system to record their transactions.\u003cbr\u003e At that time, Egyptian hieroglyphs were so complex that they were difficult to learn and write.\u003cbr\u003e So they created the Phoenician alphabet, which consisted of only 22 consonants.\u003cbr\u003e This became the spark for a literary revolution in human history.\u003cbr\u003e The Greeks developed their writing system by adding vowels to it, and the Romans inherited it as the Latin alphabet.\u003cbr\u003e And after thousands of years, this alphabet became the writing system shared by people all over the world. \u003cbr\u003eThe alphabet, which originated in Byblos, accelerated the spread of knowledge and brought about the ‘democratization of civilization’ to mankind.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e --- p.276~277\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Hagia Sophia, meaning \"Holy Wisdom,\" is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of early Christian architecture.\u003cbr\u003e This cathedral was first built during the reign of Emperor Constantine, but was destroyed by fire twice.\u003cbr\u003e The current appearance is the third reconstruction by Emperor Justinian in 537.\u003cbr\u003e Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque stand side by side across Sultanahmet Park.\u003cbr\u003e Like good friends, sometimes like rivals, they are symbolic figures representing the Byzantine and Ottoman Empires.\u003cbr\u003e In 1453, Mehmed II of the Ottoman Empire, who conquered Byzantium, converted the Hagia Sophia, a millennium-old Byzantine heritage, into a mosque. \u003cbr\u003eThis was not just a superficial renovation of the building, but also a declaration that civilization had changed.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e --- p.310~311\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e When the Ottomans captured Constantinople in 1453, they were able to destroy the Hagia Sophia, a symbol of paganism.\u003cbr\u003e However, rather than denying the Byzantine heritage, the Ottomans embraced it into their own culture.\u003cbr\u003e Rather than rejecting the culture of the conquered land, it was a harmonious fusion of art, architecture, and scholarship that was reinterpreted.\u003cbr\u003e This attitude of inclusion became the driving force behind the rapid spread of Islamic civilization to other regions.\u003cbr\u003e That spirit of inclusion and re-creation also breathes above the blue dome of the Blue Mosque.\u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e --- p.319\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cbr\u003e\u003cdiv\u003e\u003ch5\u003e \u003cb\u003ePublisher's Review\u003c\/b\u003e\n\u003c\/h5\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e \u003cb\u003eA land where the dawn of civilization and modern conflict intersect\u003cbr\u003e The real face of the Middle East I met there\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eThe book begins in Shiraz, Iran, a city steeped in the scent of ancient Persia, and continues to the Nile in Egypt, the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the high-tech city of Dubai, the ruins of Beirut, and the markets of Istanbul, Turkey.\u003cbr\u003e Along the way, the author traces the history, religion, and culture of each city, exploring the essence of the Middle East as a land where God's will and human desire intersect.\u003cbr\u003e People often think of the Middle East as a land of endless desert and religion, a land of conflict, but the author captures the everyday life and emotions behind it.\u003cbr\u003e Locals chatting over coffee, a city where tradition and modernity coexist, and people who don't lose their sense of humor even amidst the fervor of their faith.\u003cbr\u003e Through their lives, we encounter the Middle East that the news doesn't show. \u003cbr\u003eYou can vividly experience the complex and multifaceted nature of the Middle East by directly encountering the reality and daily life of the region that once felt unfamiliar, and discovering the common emotions that flow within that diversity.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eVivid perspectives from the field\u003cbr\u003e A Journey Through Civilization Through the Eyes of a Humanist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Author Baek Jeong-sun is a rare traveler who possesses both engineering and humanistic thinking.\u003cbr\u003e Having worked at a nuclear power plant and been in charge of ICT, he understands and empathizes with the unfamiliar world of the Middle East not as an outsider, but as someone who has lived there.\u003cbr\u003e The Middle East, as seen through his realistic and thoughtful perspective, is not a 'remnant of civilization' but a living space that is still changing. \u003cbr\u003eIn a landscape where sand and wind, light and shadow intersect, he discovers the universal truth that 'humans everywhere seek their own god and meaning of life.'\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003eFrom the Silence of the Desert to the Noise of the City\u003cbr\u003e 8 Journeys Following the Traces of Civilization\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e The book is structured around cities and stories from eight countries.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 1.\u003cbr\u003e Iran_Land beyond the Persian Gulf\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e We often think of Iran as a dangerous and closed country, but the Iran we encounter in reality is a country with deep layers of history and culture.\u003cbr\u003e The author explores the Pink Mosque, a harmonious blend of flowers, water, and architecture, the Eram Gardens, a World Heritage Site, and Persepolis, a testament to the glory of the Persian Empire, demonstrating that Iran is not simply a land of religion and sanctions, but a nation built on a cultural foundation where thousands of years of civilization and art live and breathe. \u003cbr\u003eContrary to the perception that Iran was a conservative and controlled society after the Islamic Revolution, the atmosphere on the streets is much more free and flexible.\u003cbr\u003e In it, the author records how people go about their daily lives in their own ways and share warmth with one another.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 2.\u003cbr\u003e Oman, the home of Sinbad, the land of wind and stone\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Oman is a true oasis, a land of mountains, desert coastline, and valleys dotted with green trees.\u003cbr\u003e It is also a quiet country that has preserved its old appearance instead of being developed because it does not produce oil.\u003cbr\u003e If Iran shows the roots of civilization, the UAE the aspirations of the modern age, and Israel the struggles of faith and conflict, Oman represents the people who have managed to live naturally in the midst of all this. \u003cbr\u003eThe author illuminates Oman, a country filled with nature and the daily lives of traditional communities, by visiting Musandam, the limestone cliffs known as the \"Norway of Arabia,\" the sea where dolphins play, and the livestock market of Nizwa, where sheep and goats are bought and sold at dawn.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 3.\u003cbr\u003e United Arab Emirates: A country where tradition and modernity coexist\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Through Abu Dhabi and Dubai, we capture the most rapidly evolving civilization in the desert through the eyes of an observer.\u003cbr\u003e Both cities stand on the foundations of Islamic tradition, but they are also the sites where God and humanity, tradition and modernity, clash most sharply.\u003cbr\u003e Oil-starved Dubai, in a state of anxiety and desperation for survival, built artificial cities like the Burj Khalifa, the Dubai Mall, and the Palm Jumeirah, embodying the human desire to reach for the sky—the 21st-century spire. \u003cbr\u003eOn the other hand, Abu Dhabi, based on its oil wealth, built the Louvre Abu Dhabi and the Grand Mosque, showing the face of a country with dignity and vision.\u003cbr\u003e The contrast between the two cities raises questions about the desires and sustainability of modern civilization.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 4.\u003cbr\u003e Egypt: A Gift of the Nile, a Country True to Resurrection\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Egypt is viewed as the birthplace of civilization where gods and humans coexist.\u003cbr\u003e Visit the Luxor Temple and the Valley of the Kings and discover that the pharaohs' tombs were not just symbols of power, but spaces filled with human aspirations for eternity.\u003cbr\u003e In the tombs of Seti I and Ramses II, the author reads traces of a civilization where faith, art, and life intertwined.\u003cbr\u003e Looking at the stone pillars of the temple, he says, “Life is about erecting small pillars within myself,” and reflects on how human faith continues through time through Egypt.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 5.\u003cbr\u003e Where the Hearts of Three Religions Beat\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003eTraveling through a land where biblical stories and the realities of contemporary conflict overlap, the author portrays a complex world where religion, politics, faith, and everyday life coexist through the eyes of an observer.\u003cbr\u003e Under the rigorous security procedures and stares of soldiers at the King Hussein Allenby border crossing, one realizes that Israel is not just a tourist destination, but a place intertwined with thousands of years of beliefs and conflicts.\u003cbr\u003e A tour of Jerusalem, where the Jewish Wailing Wall, the Christian Church of the Holy Sepulchre, and the Islamic Dome of the Rock all coexist, documents how faith is both a source of division and a means of coexistence.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 6.\u003cbr\u003e Jordan_Red Flower of the Middle East\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Travel through Jordan and discover the Middle Eastern landscape where red deserts and human traces coexist.\u003cbr\u003e In Petra, we record traces of the Nabataean kingdom carved into the massive red cliffs, and in Wadi Rum, we record the surreal landscape created by red sand, wind, and camel caravans. \u003cbr\u003eThrough the desert leisure and robust lifestyle of the Jordanian people, the author experiences firsthand how humans coexist with nature and create their own order even in a harsh environment.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 7.\u003cbr\u003e Lebanon: A Country That Sings Even in Ruins\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e Walking the ancient traces left by mankind.\u003cbr\u003e Byblos, bordering the Mediterranean Sea, is where the Phoenician alphabet was created, which was passed on to Greece and Rome and became the basis of the alphabet we use today.\u003cbr\u003e The story of Europa, the myth from which the name Europe was born, also originated in this land.\u003cbr\u003e Even now, with the scars of war still lingering, people still drink coffee in cafes, and in such daily life, they realize that history is still in progress.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003ePart 8.\u003cbr\u003e Turkey_Is this Europe or Asia?\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e As we conclude our journey, we visit the cities of Turkey, where ancient and modern, East and West coexist. \u003cbr\u003eThe history of how gods and power have changed like clothes with each era is shown through Hagia Sophia and the Blue Mosque.\u003cbr\u003e In the process of the cathedral being transformed from a church to a mosque and then a museum, the author captures the ironic history of how a building has transformed from an object of faith to a symbol of politics, depending on the times, power, and religion.\u003cbr\u003e In the streets and markets of Istanbul and the myths of the Bosphorus Strait, we record traces of coexistence rather than clashes between Eastern and Western civilizations, the face of a city where past and present, gods and humans live and breathe together.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e What the author saw while traveling through Middle Eastern countries was not a place of conflict, but a space of coexistence where different values ​​collide and create a new order.\u003cbr\u003e Amidst the desert winds and city lights, the stone walls of temples and the bustle of the marketplace, the message the Middle East offers us is to view the world with understanding rather than fear. \u003cbr\u003eThis book will serve as a \"textbook of cultural sensitivity\" for professionals working overseas, a \"trustworthy companion\" for travelers heading to the Middle East, and a \"guide to thought\" for all readers seeking to understand an unfamiliar world. \u003cbr\u003e\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003cdiv\u003e\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"width:95%;padding-top:20px;padding-bottom:20px\"\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:left;font-size:16px;font-weight:bold;padding-bottom:20px\"\u003e GOODS SPECIFICS \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"text-align:left;font-size:14px;line-height:1.6em;\"\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"width:100%;margin-bottom:5px;line-height:1.6em;font-size:14px\"\u003e - \u003cstrong\u003eDate of issue:\u003c\/strong\u003e October 30, 2025\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"width:100%;margin-bottom:5px;line-height:1.6em;font-size:14px\"\u003e - \u003cstrong\u003ePage count, weight, size:\u003c\/strong\u003e 348 pages | 438g | 141*205*21mm\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"width:100%;margin-bottom:5px;line-height:1.6em;font-size:14px\"\u003e - \u003cstrong\u003eISBN13:\u003c\/strong\u003e 9791199385399\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003cdiv style=\"width:100%;margin-bottom:5px;line-height:1.6em;font-size:14px\"\u003e - \u003cstrong\u003eISBN10:\u003c\/strong\u003e 1199385395 \u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/div\u003e\n\n\u003ccenter\u003e\n\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\n\u003ccenter\u003e\u003ctable\u003e\u003ctr\u003e\u003ctd style=\"height:10px\"\u003e\u003c\/td\u003e\u003c\/tr\u003e\u003c\/table\u003e\u003c\/center\u003e\n\n\u003cspan\u003e\u003c\/span\u003e\n\n\u003c\/center\u003e\n\n\n\u003c\/center\u003e","brand":"LIBRAIRIE COREENNE","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":43889690411050,"sku":"157168","price":29.0,"currency_code":"EUR","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0683\/2750\/5962\/files\/b8c12cbc3bce3a7b6b655a0834a68515.jpg?v=1765263965","url":"https:\/\/librairie.coreenne.fr\/en\/products\/157168","provider":"LIBRAIRIE COREENNE","version":"1.0","type":"link"}