A former senior editor of holiday magazine, Harry G. Nickles retired in 1968 to devote full time to writing, and now lives in bucks county, Pennsylvania, his native state. The son of Greek immigrants, he has had a life long interest in the middle east.

He speaks fluent greek and holds a ph.d. in byzantine history from the university of Pennsylvania. With his wife Muriel, mr. nickles made a 6000 mile tour of the middle east to get material for this book