<<The>> Timbuktu school for nomads across the Sahara in the shadow of Jihad

"A passionate paean to the Sahara." — New York Times , Season's Best Travel Books The Sahara: a dream-like, far away landscape of Lawrence of Arabia and Wilfred Thesiger, The English Patient and Star Wars , and home to nomadic communities whose ways of life stretch back millennia. Today it's a teeth-janglingly dangerous destination, where the threat of jihadists lurks just over the horizon. Following in the footsteps of 16th century traveller Leo Africanus, Nicholas Jubber went on a turbulent adventure to the forgotten places of North Africa and the legendary Timbuktu. Once the seat of African civilization and home to the richest man who ever lived, this mythic city is now scarred by terrorist occupation and is so remote its own inhabitants hail you with the greeting, "Welcome to the middle of nowhere." From the cattle markets of the Atlas, across the Western Sahara and up the Niger river, Nicholas joins the camps of the Tuareg, Fulani, Berbers, and other communities, to learn about their craft, their values and their place in the world. The Timbuktu School for Nomads is a unique look at a resilient city and how the nomads pit ancient ways of life against the challenges of the 21st century. The Sahara: A Dream-like Far Away Landscape Of Te Lawrence And Wilfred Thesiger, Mad Max And Dune, But Home To Nomadic Communities Whose Ways Of Life Stretch Back Millennia. Today It's A Teeth-janglingly Dangerous Destination, Where The Threat Of Jihadists Lurks Just Over The Horizon. Following In The Footsteps Of 16th Century Traveller Leo Africanus, Nicholas Jubber Went On A Turbulent Adventure To The Forgotten Places Of North Africa And The Legendary Timbuktu. Once The Seat Of African Civilization And Home To The Richest Man Who Ever Lived, This Mythic City Is Now Scarred By Terrorist Occupation And Is So Remote Its Own Inhabitants Hail You With The Greeting, 'welcome To The Middle Of Nowhere'. From The Cattle Markets Of Atlas, Across The Western Sahara And Up The Niger River, Nicholas Joins The Camps Of The Tuareg, Fulani, Berbers, And Other Communities To Learn About Their Craft, Their Values And Their Place In The World. The Timbuktu School For Nomads Is A Unique Look At A Resilient City And How The Nomads Pit Ancient Ways Of Life Against The Challenges Of The 21st Century. Nicholas Jubber. Includes Bibliographical References (pages 315-320) And Index. The Timbuktu School for Nomads is a unique look at a resilient city and how the nomads pit ancient ways of life against the challenges of the 21st century. The Sahara: a dream-like, far away landscape of Lawrence of Arabia and Wilfred Thesiger, The English Patient and Star Wars , and home to nomadic communities whose ways of life stretch back millennia. Today it's a teeth-janglingly dangerous destination, where the threat of jihadists lurks just over the horizon. Following in the footsteps of 16th century traveller Leo Africanus, Nicholas Jubber went on a turbulent adventure to the forgotten places of North Africa and the legendary Timbuktu. Once the seat of African civilization and home to the richest man who ever lived, this mythic city is now scarred by terrorist occupation and is so remote its own inhabitants hail you with the greeting, 'Welcome to the middle of nowhere'. From the cattle markets of the Atlas, across the Western Sahara... Once Timbuktu was the seat of African civilisation and the world's richest city, romanticised by the great 16th Century traveller Leo Africanus, now the middle of nowhere. Half a millennium later, guided by these famous writings, Nicholas Jubber set out on a journey which crossed the Atlas Mountains, the Western Sahara and the Niger River to uncover the mythic city, liberated after a full year under the black flag of jihadis. It is a part of the world that remains teeth-janglingly dangerous, as witnessed in further terrorist atrocities in Mali in 2015. He was taken, in disguise, into the desert to learn the age-old skills of the nomads and found out why their continued existence is so essential to the Sahara and yet so under threat. Jubber tells a deeply moving story of resilience and compassion in the face of terror as well as a grand adventure tale across the sands of the Sahara. An epic modern-day quest across the Sahara and a unique insight into the nomadic communities that surround the legendary city, by award-winning travel writer Nicholas Jubber.