Shtakser reviewed Levant by Philip Mansel
Review of 'Levant' on 'Goodreads'
5 stars
Lovely book on emerge of several multi-ethnic cities prospering through international trade (Smirna, Alexandria, Beirut) and on the destruction of these communities due to various nationalisms. What is especially nice about the book is the details - the descriptions of lively multilingual cultures side by side with class and ethnic tensions, often combined.