Based on his own visits to Syria, in The Street Philosopher and the Holy Fool, Marius Kociejowski presents a completely fresh and unexpected face to this mysterious country. The ancient land of Syria remains for many a sinister and forbidding destination, only recently opening up to foreign travellers, and Kociejowski describes a journey that brings him into contact with a host of colourful and unusual characters, each of whom is an outsider of sorts.Rich with humour and insight, it glows with the delights of the unexpected. It is beautifully written and provides a memorable account of the deeper purposes of travel: to absorb the spirit of a place, to meet people from a different sphere of life and to return changed.