[short]Author: James Cowan, Pages: 290[/short][long] From the international bestselling author of A Mapmaker’s Dream comes a spiritual travelogue like no other. Following the legendary journey of the Holy Family through 21st century Egypt.When Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus fled Bethlehem to escape the wrath of King Herod Antipas, they traveled for three years in Egypt, mainly along the Nile River. Using a fourth century text as his guide, James Cowan takes you on a fascinating journey through 21st century Egypt, exploring their legendary path. He follows their ancient tracks around the Delta, up the Nile, to a place called Mount Qussqam, where they are believed to have resided for six months. Cowan’s itinerary retraces 2,000 year old steps according to Coptic tradition. In the process, he finds himself in the midst of a spiritual revolution going on in Egypt itself. Cowan meets with monks and health workers, desert mystics and visionaries, all of whom still seem to have a stake in the story of the journey of the infant Christ. “James Cowan tells the farthest-flung adventure story...and every exotic word counts.” -Dava Sobel, author of Longitude and Galileo’s Daughter“Cowan’s writing is graceful and fresh. We are enchanted – wrapped in that magic and freshness that comes of a journey far from our own time.” -Alan Lightman, author of Einstein’s Dreams“Travel with James Cowan on a unique journey through an Egypt at once modern and ancient, populated by hermits, monks and spiritual friends. Dreamlike and illuminated, this is a travel guide through an Egypt of the soul, bringing the reader into the life of the spirit as experienced in the gritty reality of this contemporary yet archaic land. You need to read this book.” -Arthur Versluis, author of Wisdom’s Children [/long]
