The land of the Iranians, known to European travelers for centuries as Persia, is a land riven by mountain-ranges, made inhospitable by deserts, yet rich in plains, forests, and jewel-like gardens. Home to the most sublime architecture in the world, and a breeding ground for poets, Empires, mystics and saints, it has an enduring and invincible fascination. David Blow enriches our understanding with his knowledgeable selection of the best of three thousand years of descriptive writing. ""A history of Persia through the eyes of the outside world. . . An intriguing view of a culture that has lasted in one form or anther for almost three thousand years."" Book News