UPDATED WITH VIDEO
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2022, 7–8:30 p.m., in person in Bloedel Hall or online via Zoom
Jerusalem’s Old City—A Holy Story
A Presentation by BBC Journalist and Author Matthew Teller
Co-sponsored by Saint Mark’s Episcopal Cathedral, The Episcopal Diocese of Olympia, University Book Store, Seattle, and Other Press Publishers, New York
In Jerusalem, what you see and what is true are two different things. The Old City has never had “four quarters” as its maps proclaim. And beyond the crush and frenzy of its major religious sites, many of its quarters are little known to visitors, its people ignored and their stories untold. Nine Quarters of Jerusalem lets the communities of the Old City speak for themselves. Ranging from ancient past to political present, it evokes the city’s depth and cultural diversity.
Matthew Teller’s highly original “biography” features the Old City’s Palestinian and Jewish communities, but also spotlights its Indian and African populations, its Greek and Armenian and Syriac cultures, its downtrodden Dom Gypsy families, and its Sufi mystics. It discusses the sources of Jerusalem’s holiness and the ideas—often startlingly secular—that have shaped lives within its walls. It is an evocation of place through story, led by the voices of Jerusalemites.
UPDATE: A complete video is now available below.
About the Speaker
Matthew Teller writes for the BBC, The Guardian, Times of London, Financial Times and other global media. He has produced and presented documentaries for BBC Radio and has reported for the BBC’s From Our Own Correspondent program from around the Middle East and beyond. He is the author of several travel guides, including The Rough Guide to Jordan. His previous book was Quite Alone: Journalism from the Middle East 2008–2019.
2 Responses
Kristine Ekman
Hi – are there going to be books available for purchase? And/or is the author going to be there to sign books? Thanks!
Saint Mark's Cathedral
Kristine thanks for asking. YES this is an in-person event with a book signing to follow. Book sales at the event will be managed by University Book Store.