Fountains in the Sand: Rambles Among the Oases of Tunisia

A vanished Tunisia comes alive in these wanderings through the desert oases of Gafsa, Tozeur, and Nefta. Written in 1922 but set during the late 19th century, Fountains in the Sand captures a world where travelers moved by camel and train through landscapes of fierce beauty, where ancient ksars rose from the palms and the desert pressed hard against human settlement. Douglas writes with the keen, sometimes acid eye that made him one of the era's most celebrated travel writers: he notes the customs of the people he meets, the particular quality of light over the sand, the way oases appear as green miracles in the wasteland. His prose is contemplative and critical, forever contrasting what remains of older civilizations against the incursions of the modern world. The book rewards readers who appreciate careful observation, dry wit, and the particular magic of watching a vanished era shimmer into focus through attentive prose.