Majd Al-Shihabi 🏴مجد الشهابيI'm looking for old tourist guide books for Syria. Specifically from the 50s period. Does anyone know where to look?
Edit: I'm mostly trying to figure out what they have to say about #transportation #infrastructure. What maps do they include, etc...
Places I've looked so far:
- Archive.org, in Arabic and English
- David Rumsey Map Collection
- Looking into the Harvard map library, as per @abshlimon's recommendation (Thanks, Arbella!)
- National Library of Israel collection
John Theibault@majdal You might also try the Osher Map Library https://oshermaps.org and the Baskes Collection at the Newberry Library http://www.baskes.com/TravelGuidesHome.htm. But they may not be digitized.
The closest chronological guide I know of is Steimatzky's from 1942 https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=22232737530. There might be a Guide Bleu from the 1950s. I don't think Baedeker, Cook, or Fodor did Syria in the 1950s.
The closest chronological guide I know of is Steimatzky's from 1942 https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=22232737530. There might be a Guide Bleu from the 1950s. I don't think Baedeker, Cook, or Fodor did Syria in the 1950s.
Thomas Schmid@majdal @rsko83 on Twitter (based in Amman) might be able to help.
Western Exposure@majdal Have you checked https://libgen.is/ ?
mattparr@majdal I would do various keyword searches at worldcat, like is this one you would want?
https://www.worldcat.org/title/781990888
And then, since u seem to be at Toronto, ask this question of a reference librarian, a good one is worth their weight in gold
https://www.worldcat.org/title/781990888
And then, since u seem to be at Toronto, ask this question of a reference librarian, a good one is worth their weight in gold
@majdal Here's another...too expensive! But maybe ILLable
https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=30797262645&searchurl=an%3Dmunajjed%2Bsalahuddin%2Bdjandali%26sortby%3D17&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title1
https://www.abebooks.com/servlet/BookDetailsPL?bi=30797262645&searchurl=an%3Dmunajjed%2Bsalahuddin%2Bdjandali%26sortby%3D17&cm_sp=snippet-_-srp1-_-title1
Syria - Short Guide for Tourism and Resorts by MUNAJJED, Salahud'din; Dr. F. Djandali: Good Soft cover (1950) 1st Edition | Dendera
AbeBooks.com: Syria - Short Guide for Tourism and Resorts: Illustrated wraps 13 x 17cm. 64pp with English and Arabic text, numerous b/w photos, maps and plans. Preface by Dr F. Djandali, Minister of National Economy, dated 12 September 1950. Covers good, with tears and a little loss to spine. Interiors near fine, lightly tanned and creased to corners. Very rare - 1 slightly differently titled copy traced to Bogazici University Library (OCLC 74418289 - Syria: Short Guide for Tourists). This Syrian Republic era guide, intended for foreigner visitors and residents, covers Damascus, Kalamoon, Zabadany, Palmyra, Hama, Northern Syria, Aleppo, Latakia, and Bosra. It was intended that more detailed brochures would follow.
@mattparr WOWOWOW this is a beautiful object! If I wasn't a poor PhD student, I'd be buying it instantly 🥲
@mattparr Good point! I'll make a trip to Robarts Library on campus tomorrow.
@majdal Sort of random connection, but I just finished a thing on Helen Keller, who visited Syria in 1952, some of these pics must be of her tour there https://www.digitalcommonwealth.org/search?f%5Bcollection_name_ssim%5D%5B%5D=Photos+of+Helen+Keller+in+the+Middle+East&f%5Binstitution_name_ssi%5D%5B%5D=Perkins+School+for+the+Blind&f%5Brelated_item_series_ssi%5D%5B%5D=Photos+of+Helen+Keller+in+the+Middle+East&only_path=true
Collection:Photos of Helen Keller in the Middle East / Institution:Perkins School for the Blind / Series:Photos of Helen Keller in the Middle East - Digital Commonwealth Search Results
An online library of photographs, manuscripts, audio recordings, and other materials of historical interest from libraries, museums, archives, and historical societies across Massachusetts.
@mattparr Interesting! I didn't know she was in Syria. Thanks for sharing!
ThreeDollarBill@majdal do you have access to Internet Archive? there are several.
@3DBill omg the creator is the CIA?????
@majdal there are some docs mixed in there that are cia declassified, I didn’t look too closely but it’s probably the usual “situational reports” ifyouknowwhatimean
@3DBill Reminds me of all the fuckery they did in Syria: https://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/adamcurtis/2011/06/the_baby_and_the_baath_water.html
@majdal I was thinking this stuff probably connected but as I say I didn’t read into it
@majdal also don’t miss the book about Golden Hamsters. 🤷🏻♂️
Ed VielmettiDo you know this story?
The forgotten railways of Syria and Lebanon: Tales of a missed connection
What the Levant lost when it lost its trains
Alicia Medina is a freelance journalist based in Lebanon. Her work has been published in international media outlets and she holds a master’s degree in Journalism, Media and Globalisation from the Erasmus Mundus program.
