For anyone who would like to know more about Yemen, here follows a short list of books available on the country. They can be ordered through the publisher, not through al-Nakhla.
Yemen - Travels in Dictionary Land
Tim Mackintosh-Smith Publisher: John Murray Publishers www.johnmurray.co.uk first published: 1997 paperback edition: 2007
Most travel literature about Yemen is old and/or out of print. That is why this book is a must-read for anyone interested in present-day Yemen. It takes the reader to places like Sana'a, Aden, Hadhramout, and Soqotra (the chapter on the latter being my personal favorite). For people who know the country, the author's encounters with the people are full of little details that make the reader smile because they're so typical, e.g. the snap of a qat twig to make a toothpick, the bubbling saltah in Ali's restaurant, or the long wait for a shared taxi to fill up. Readers who do not know the country will get to know it while reading. The natural beauty of the country is vividly described and the reader also gets an insight in the complex Arabic language. Throughout the book, the author quotes from famous travelers who visited the country long ago and from other works of history. This makes it more than just a travel book - you know that the author knows what he is talking about. However, for readers with only an average interest in Yemen's history, the passages on the history of old peoples who inhabited the area, tribes, and wars fought, to name a few examples, may be a little too extensive. They could be skipped although reading them is worth the effort. After all, as the author tries to make clear, Yemen's present is very much linked to its past.
The Lost World of Socotra
Richard Boggs Publisher: Stacey International www.stacey-international.co.uk 2009
This is a book for book-lovers because of the way it is published. Each page contains at least one beautiful photograph to illustrate the text, printed on thick, shiny paper. It's a joy to simply flip over the pages. More than a travel book, it is a guide to the flora and fauna of the island, each curious tree and animal described in detail. The Soqotri customs and way of life, which have changed little over the centuries, are also nicely made clear - partly from his own observation and partly from other sources. At the same time, the author expresses his very real concerns about changes that seem inevitable in the twenty-first century. His fear of mass tourism and money-mindedness and possible disappearance of hospitality sound indeed like a nightmare. The author has obviously done thorough research for his book, which is absolutely praiseworthy. Though, from a few rather clumsy personal experiences the author describes, it becomes clear that he was not as much integrated in the society as the previous author, Mackintosh-Smith. It doesn't make the book less interesting, however, and the reader is left with a lasting impression of a different world which is called Socotra.
Yemen - Jewel of Arabia
Charles & Patricia Aithie Publisher: Stacey International www.stacey-international.co.uk first published: 2001 revised paperback edition: 2009
Another beautiful book full of colorful photos of the country, people, architecture, etc. to illustrate the text. Each region of the country is described separately, giving the reader a detailed description of the landscape, local architecture, agriculture, flora, handicrafts, archeological finds, and much more. The authors must have traveled through Yemen extensively but do not report their own travel experiences. The book is simply full of facts of whatever you would possibly like to know about Yemen. Who makes those colorful baskets that are sold in the markets in Sana'a? How is coffee grown? Why do farmers make use of terraces on the mountain slopes? What does a Tihama hut look like on the inside? Reading this book before traveling to Yemen will result in a better understanding of the county and the people.