I Am Cyrus : The Story of the Real Prince of Persia

This stunning novel brings to life the enthralling world of Cyrus the Great, the leader of Ancient Persia - the world's first great empire - and the life and times of Cyrus himself, a magnificent leader whose passion won the hearts of his subjects and of two extraordinary women - the wildly beautiful warrior Roshan and the exquisite Cassadane. Cyrus's vision, extraordinarily ahead of its time, of a society where religious tolerance could and should prevail inspired the foundation of his fabulous empire, yet he was ruthless in his conquests, as Ancient Lydia and the fabled city of Babylon - the richest city in the world - fell to him. The book features an emotional love story, as well as riveting battle scenes, and is written with an energy and passion that infuse every page. I am Cyrus brings history alive as few other novels do, and is full of action, passion, comedy, tragedy and inspiration, and its theme that true co-operation between people is only won through tolerance, is profoundly relevant to our own times. I am Cyrus is a story that has been close to Alexander Jovy's heart for many years, he recalls his father telling him about ancient Persia and the mysteries it holds. As Alex says: 'I was fascinated even then how such an early civilization could have achieved so much and be so unknown to our modern world.' Alex has spent many years researching the story of Cyrus the Great. I am Cyrus is at heart a story of historical fact though it uses imaginative elements to fill in the inevitable gaps in what is known. This is the story of a life lived to the full. Hanna Braun was born in 1927 to a Jewish family living in Germany. The family immigrated to Palestine in 1937, shortly after Hitler came to power in Germany and the onset of Jewish persecution there. During this course of events she was separated from her beloved father, who was forced to flee the country and made for Switzerland to escape the Gestapo. Her grandmother later died in the Terezin ghetto. Once in Palestine, Hanna's uncle became a fierce Zionist, and would convert Hanna's mother to Zionism as well. Hanna - a teenager at the time - also turned to Zionism, although she was initially unaware of what exactly this meant. Over the years, Hanna made many Arab friends in Palestine, and gradually began to question her allegiances. She witnessed the formation of the state of Israel, and was there when the atrocities of Deir Yassin happened; an incident that made her hate Zionism forever. These events, and many others explored in Weeds Don't Perish, helped to shape Hanna's perception, and transformed her into an active human rights activist; unable to witness injustice without speaking out. The book is often controversial and Hanna, not being endowed with the gift of great diplomacy, makes many enemies as well as friends along the way. Throughout, Hanna manages to retain her zest for life and her sense of humour, and delights in describing her years teaching English and Dance to her students in Zimbabwe. Her curiosity and enthusiasm for meeting new people and experiencing new things is infectious, and the reader cannot help but be swept up in the story. Hanna also endures many setbacks and painful experiences in her personal life but, like the proverbial weed, she has never given up and refuses to be beaten. Instead, she continues to this day to fight passionately for causes close to her heart - human rights and equality for all. "Weeds Don't Perish is the story of Hanna Braun; a passionate, wry, rebellious woman with a zest for life. It is a story of life lived to the full. Her tale begins in 1937 when her Jewish family are forced to flee Berlin to escape persecution. Hanna finds herself living in Palestine at the age of ten, and is swept away by Zionist ideology, joining the Haganah at the behest of her uncle ... Her later years are ... marked by painful experiences, as she encounters more ethnic and racial intolerance wherever she goes, and comes face-to-face with her past, confronting the reality of being a child of war whilst visiting holocaust memorial sites around Europe."--Back cover