Incidents of Travel in Egypt, Arabia Petraea & the Holy Land

by John Lloyd Stephens

Perhaps best known for his discovery of the Mayan ruins in the Yucatan, lawyer-turned-archaeologist John Lloyd Stephens (1805–1852) was the author of a number of highly praised travel books. The present volume, his first effort in the genre, received wide acclaim from reviewers, including Edgar Allan Poe, who found it "written with a freshness of manner evincing manliness of feeling."
Conversational and unpretentious, the book is a delightful narrative of the author's year-long journey through the Middle East, incorporating detailed observations of such architectural marvels as the Pyramids, the temples of Karnak, the red-rock city of Petra and more, and offering charming accounts of a Turkish bath, how to catch a crocodile, the wardrobe of a Nubian damsel, a night in a tomb, the hospitality of the Arabs, desert horses, Easter in Jerusalem, and much more.
Enhanced by 38 superb illustrations by Frederick Catherwood and others, this Stephens volume will delight armchair travelers with the "easy, laughing, prose style which gives his books their charm."

Genres: Travel, History, Nonfiction, Biography

560 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1970

About the author

John Lloyd Stephens was an American explorer, writer, and diplomat. Stephens was a pivotal figure in the rediscovery of Maya civilization throughout Middle America and in the planning of the Panama railroad.

Reviews

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great book. I loved seeing the world through such a different mindset. PC? No Way. But I enjoyed every minute of it. There is no part of the globe today where someone could have the same type of experience. Riding on camels, horseback, donkeys, and boats to see the great wonders and religions sites of Egypt and the Holy Land. Not to mention Petra. Who else would have thought it was a good idea to sneak in the back way to avoid the Arabs and their cries of "Backsheesh" all the time pretending to be Turkish.

The only thing I found wanting in the book was a compiled map tracing his steps.

I am not sure I can do the book justice so I will let it go at that, but I will definitely be reading his other books.

[Amy Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a fascinating read!! It took me forever because I kept pausing to look up places and discover what they look like today, or what has happened to them since Stephens was there. I followed many rabbit trails, which included looking up Egyptian hieroglyph translations, tracing the Nile on Google earth and viewing places such as the Island of Philadelphia, Thebes, Sinai, Petra, and others.

Incredible follow up to Three stones Make a Wall by Eric Cline.

[Tiffany · Rating 4 out of 5]

Second time I around and I made it through! Stephens' account is quite enjoyable - if you've been to the Middle East and seen the places he describes. It's even better if you've lived in the Middle East and have had to bite your tongue (or not) on non-PC commentary. Fortunately Stephens wasn't subject to the norms we are now, and so I was able to satisfy my inner colonialist pig with his prose. Occasionally dry, occasionally repetitive, this book is a great companion for a journey into the Holy Land, Egypt, and Petra.

[Joel Robb · Rating 5 out of 5]

(Thanks Mom!) This one hit the mark with me, as I recently travelled solo to Egypt. Very interesting to see one of the first western "travel guides" to Egypt, Petra, and the Holy Land, as written by an American. Stephens travelled in the 1830's to these spots (we would call it an adventure vacation now), which were not protected by national offices, so he was able to get up close and personal to all the historical sites--climbing through tombs, documenting some of the first visits to these areas, but unfortunately caused some damage to the areas by leaving his graffiti in pyramids and on columns. He snuck into Petra, escaping before the local "musselmen" who came after the Christian with their weapons. He had to contend with the political instability of the day, and was often at either the whim of the local pasha or of Arab/bedouin bandits while on the road. To me, the journeys were exciting -- sailing the Nile (north to south, where wind carries you south, and the current carries you north), stopping at the ancient sites and making it to the cataracts -- traveling by caravan through the Sinai, to visit Mt Sinai, engage with the Bedouins and stay at convents along the way -- ultimately to visiting the important sites of early Christianity around the Dead Sea and beyond. I can see how his adventures excited would-be travelers and inspired many to follow in his footsteps. He is more of a storyteller than a historian, able to turn his travels into an exciting tale. It is an old book that I would not necessarily have chosen on my own, was given to me by my mom, who knows my love of travel and finding out interesting things about our world and the people and places in it.

[Grady · Rating 3 out of 5]

I’m giving up halfway through. I got through Egypt, and have skimmed various incidents in Petra and the Holy Land, but this just isn’t insightful enough to justify the opportunity cost of not using the time to read other books.

Stephens isn’t exactly an ‘ugly American’, to use the anachronistic term, but he does consistently classify the Egyptians and Bedouins he meets within a hierarchical framework that casts himself and other Americans and Brits as far more cultured and sophisticated, while the native peoples are childlike, prone to superstition, or rogueish. That’s not unusual for the period - he was a 30 year old American (New Yorker) traveling in 1834-1836 - and he may have been less prejudiced and more open to the world than many of his peers would have been - but time and again, the narrative of cultural superiority blocks his appreciation or even perception of the cultures, archeology, and landscapes he encounters. It makes his story boring. There are nuggets of interesting experiences there, but there’s also a lot of dross. Taken as a primary historical document, this does illustrate the attitude of a well-traveled American of the 1830s to other countries and cultures, and is of interest on that account.

[Miriam]

I checked this book out of the church library to reread the section on Petra. I originally read it in 2006.