Confessions of an Arabic Interpreter

In Confessions of an Arabic Interpreter the author gives an intriguing account of the dangers and excitement involved in working as a London-based interpreter for Arabic. His work took him all over Europe, the Middle East and the Caribbean for 25 years, and into some astonishing situations. Included in his fascinating journeys all over the world - and his own country - are tales of escape from danger before and during the Lebanese Civil War. For London itself he tells of surviving not one but two terrorist attacks in the heart of the capital.At another level, the book reveals why it is so easy for foreigners to believe wrongly that Arabic is especially difficult. He destroys the myths surrounding this fascinating language which he has known for 50 years.These fifty years have seen the most dramatic changes in the interaction between the Arab world and the non-Arab world and have caused some to talk of a Clash of Civilizations. As a participant observer the author has reflections on Islam, the Arab-Israeli conflict, the Papacy, petro-dollars and the rise of Iran since 1960