City of Djinns: A Year in Delhi

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Penguin Publishing Group, Mar 25, 2003 - Biography & Autobiography - 352 pages
Peeling back the layers of Delhi’s centuries-old history, City of Djinns is an irresistible blend of research and adventure.

Sparkling with irrepressible wit, City of Djinns peels back the layers of Delhi's centuries-old history, revealing an extraordinary array of characters along the way-from eunuchs to descendants of great Moguls. With refreshingly open-minded curiosity, William Dalrymple explores the seven "dead" cities of Delhi as well as the eighth city—today's Delhi. Underlying his quest is the legend of the djinns, fire-formed spirits that are said to assure the city's Phoenix-like regeneration no matter how many times it is destroyed. Entertaining, fascinating, and informative, City of Djinns is an irresistible blend of research and adventure.

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About the author (2003)

William Dalyrmple has written several highly acclaimed books, including the bestseller In Xanaduand From the Holy Mountain. In 1989 he moved to Delhi, where he lived for four years. His writings have appeared in the Spectator, the Observer Magazine, the Independent, and the Sunday Times Magazine.

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