The place names are familiar to anyone who watches the evening news: Kurdistan. Kirkuk. Mosul. Baghdad. In the early 1900s, author ELY BANISTER SOANE (1881-1923) journeyed across Mesopotamia and Southern Kurdistan and make a record of what he heard and saw, from ancient tribal enmities to modern customs, such as drinking in coffeehouses. Personal and intimate, this traveler's tale turns a Western eye on the mysteries of the Middle East. This replica of the original 1912 edition, the only known work of author, is complete with all the original illustrations, and will delight readers interested in the history of one of the most contended regions of the world today.