Fine black cloth with dark blue boards and no edgewear, bright gilt title on unfaded spine. Dustjacket near fine, Not price-clipped, no tears and only a hint of edgewear. Sadly, there is some pencil underlining to an otherwise clean and tight inside. Pages xviii, 333 with index and 4 page bibliography. Author lived in Cairo 4 years as the L.A. Times mid-east correspondent during the mid-80s. Part travelogue , part adventure, part political and cultural observer, still a fine read.