Napier Malcolm

Five Years in a Persian Town Napier Malcolm

Napier Malcolm was a missionary posted to the town of Yezd in Persia during the early 20th century; these are his recollections of the nation, its faith and culture. This edition includes of all the original illustrations.

The author opens by dissuading readers from assuming this to be a book of travel; while aspects of the travelogue are present, Napier Malcolm was a continuous resident of Persia for five years. As such the cultural and religious traits of this land made an immense impression upon him, which he attempts to convey in these pages. Each chapter contains a degree of introspection; how the weather, religious beliefs, and behaviors of the townspeople affected the author's own body and soul is discussed.

Malcolm begins by describing in detail the life and climate of Persia; the diversity of the desert, and its subtle bounties which sustain the population, serve as our initial insights. We hear of Yezd's architecture and farming and inhabitants, many of whom construct short-lived - if very heat-resistant - homes in the town or upon the hilltops of the rugged terrain.

The later chapters concern the relations between the townspeople; their character, celebrations and mannerisms. How Malcolm perceives the Yezdi citizens, and their behaviors in relation to their faith and everyday doings, is a central thread of this book. In expressing his perceptions, the author attempts to place the reader in a rich setting lost to time - modern-day Yezd (or Yazd), in what is today Iran, is difficult to distinguish from the small, traditionalist town of old.