That Untravell'd World

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Nicholas Dylan Ray grew up next to an American national park, exploring its mountains and forests to escape a troubled home. At twenty-two, he embarked on a six-month journey from France to Tibet, which forms the first chapter of this book and led to a career focused on the Middle East. In middle age, he returned to the road, traveling throughout Turkey. The six subsequent chapters detail his adventures, the archaeology and history of the places he visits, and the people he meets. In Konya, he is moved by an Arabic quotation from the Qur'an on Rumi's tomb. In Istanbul, he reflects on charity in Islam among Syrian refugees. Following an Islamic State attack in France, he analyzes the textual foundations of jihadism in Islamic law in Antalya. Near the shelling in Syria, he contemplates genocide and climbs Musa Dagh, the last stand of Armenians against Ottoman troops in 1915. In the Black Sea region, he explores the monastic urge in religion and experiments with fasting during Ramadan. Finally, he visits the battlefields of Troy and Gallipoli before returning to Istanbul for a last visit to Sultanahmet. Throughout his travels, Ray shares his deep knowledge of Islamic religion, culture, and history, discussing foundational texts and their relevance to current events in the Middle East, while reflecting on the mixed experience of travel.