City of Djinns - by William Dalrymple (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Peeling back the layers of Delhi's centuries-old history, City of Djinns is an irresistible blend of research and adventure.

Sparkling with irrepressible wit, City of Djinns peels back the layers of Delhi's centuries-old history, revealing an extraordinary array of characters along the way--from eunuchs to descendants of great Moguls. With refreshingly open-minded curiosity, author William Dalrymple explores the seven "dead" cities of Delhi as well as the eighth city--today's Delhi. Underlying his quest is the legend of the djinns, fire-formed spirits that are said to assure the city's Phoenix-like regeneration no matter how many times it is destroyed.

Entertaining, fascinating, and informative, City of Djinns is an irresistible blend of research and adventure.

About the Author

William Dalrymple was born in Scotland and brought up on the shores of the Firth of Forth. He is a Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature and of the Royal Asiatic Society, and in 2002 was awarded the Mungo Park Medal by the Royal Scottish Geographical Society for his 'outstanding contribution to travel literature'. He wrote and presented the British television series Stones of the Raj and Indian Journeys, which won the Grierson Award for Best Documentary Series at BAFTA in 2002. His Radio 4 series on the history of British spirituality and mysticism, The Long Search, won the 2002 Sandford St Martin Prize for Religious Broadcasting and was described by the judges as 'thrilling in its brilliance... near perfect radio.' He is married to the artist Olivia Fraser, and they have three children. They now divide their time between London and Delhi.