I’ve not added much recently, but I’ve been thinking. Here’s why.

In 2006, Wellington “Wells” Jones and I trekked 1,000 kilometers on foot, horse, and camel through the desert, retracing the steps of TE Lawrence in Seven Pillars of Wisdom, hoping to grasp some little understanding of the Middle East. We then spent the next decade helping write and develop a script for Broadway. It’s pace did not suit our timetable.

Which is why, when the events of October 7th and the ongoing response unfolded, it was time to write something entirely different. So, 17 years after our initial journey, we collaborated on 60,000 words in 14 Chapters with 100 images that we’ve titled “A Line in the Sand.” It was written for Mr. and Mrs.. Anybody in America, in the hopes that they may absorb it and perhaps remark “Holy Shit, I did not know that… I may like to learn more.”

The fact that it is a ripping yarn based on the madcap adventures of two lifelong friends makes it doubly interesting, I hope. We also  think that understanding is key to any sort of quiet in the region.

If you would like to review and comment on the pre-release manuscript, please send us a note here.

~

For reference, here is the published itinerary of the original journey.

April 29th, 2006 (Somewhere above Paris, France) Transit days stink.
April 28th, 2006 (Arab Quarter, Jerusalem) Four shaves in four countries: a review of hirsute talent in the Middle East.
April 28th, 2006 (somewhere on Highway 54 between Jerusalem and Tel Aviv) Sorry, you’re a Palestinian.
April 26th, 2006 (Damascus, Syria) And why, precisely did anyone want to get to Damascus?
April 26, 2006 (Damascus, Syria) Street called Straight off Muslim holiest temple holding – guess what?
April 26th, 2006 (Damascus, Syria) Archeology then and now.
April 25, 2006  (Homs, Syria) Castle in the Sky
April 23, 2006 (Amman, Jordan)  Playing Jerash
April 24th, 2004 (North of Der’raa, Syria) Hejaz Railway attack re-enactment.
April 24th, 2006 (Syrian Border, South or Irbid) No shots were actually fired at the Syrian border
April 23, 2006 (Umayyad Citadel in Amman, Jordan) 2 of 3 Jordanians are refuges from Palestinian territories.
April 22, 2006 (Kerak, Jordan) Reynald de Chantillon, the Crusade’s Original Gangster.
April 21, 2006 (Petra, Jordan)  Alter of High Sacrifice
April 22, 2006 (Ma’an, Jordan) Hejaz Railway: built by Turks, blown up by an English, moves potash for Jordanians.
April 21, 2006 (Petra, Jordan) Yeah, come and get me!
April 20, 2006 (Wadi Rumm Village, Jordan) Dinner without a fuss.
April 20, 2006 (Wadi Rum Village, Jordan)  The Desert
April 16, 2006 (Dead Sea, Jordan)  Sunday drive in Jordan
April 20th, 2006 (Wadi Rumm Desert, Jordan) We’re in shape, and have become fat…
April 20th, 2006 (Wadi Rumm Desert, Jordan) Anvil of the Sun
April 20th, 2006 (Wadi Rumm, Jordan) I know, you are consultants!
April 21, 2006 (Taybet Zaman, Jordan) Turkish Bath Episode: Homophobe alert!
April 19th, 2006 (Wadi Rumm, Jordan) Thank God for the French. No, that was not a typo!
April 18th, 2006 (Wadi Rumm, Jordan) Sabu makes camp dinner like everything else Bedu
April 18th,2006 (Wadi Rumm, Jordan) Garmont is bleeding badly from the back of his neck
April 15, 2006 (Jeddah, KSA)  Guess who’s coming to dinner?
April 13, 2006 (Jiddah, KSA) Balad market in the Old Quarter.
April 15th, 2006 (Jeddah, KSA) You, a Howith?
April 15th, 2006 (Jiddah, KSA) My name is Osama, but please don’t run away!
April 15th, 2006 (Jiddah, Saudi Arabia) Class distinction in KSA
April 14, 2006 (Jeddah, KSA) Observations through Abdellehla
April 14, 2006 (Jeddah, KSA) Where’s Mom? . . . She’s at the market.”
April 10th, 2006 (Amman, Jordan AM & Akaba, Jordan PM) 4:30 Reveille
April 13, 2006 (Yanbu, KSA) Meanwhile, back at the Fortress
April 13, 2006 (Jeddah, KSA)  Historical note:  June 1917 – In search of a leader.
April 14, 2006 (80 feet down the reef of RedSea Divers Club, North Jiddah)
April 12, 2006 (Yanbu, KSA) Hike Along the Red Sea in Search of Old Town and Port
April 12, 2006 (Yanbu, KSA)  Sebastion the Taxi Driver
April 11th, 2006 (Haql, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) Saudi Border crossing; you have to really want it.
April 12th, 2006 (Al Yanbu, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) The spell of Al Yanbu…
April 11th, 2006 (Shoeb, en route to Wejh, KSA) Making the A-list in the three Big books.
April  11th, 2006 (Wejh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia) Freeze baby! Saudi Five-o!
April  11th, 2006 (Akaba, Jordan) Mr. Ed makes a run for it
April 11, 2006 (Akaba, Jordan) Swim in the Gulf of Akaba
April 11, 2006 (enroute to Yanbu) Checkpoints
April 10, 2006 (in Amman Jordan) 100 Years ahead of the Competition!
April 10, 2006 (en route to Amman Jordan) Chronicles of Narnia, Arabic version
April 10, 2006 (en route to Amman Jordan) Dinner with Abu
April 9th, 2006 (Amman, Jordan) Call to prayer, and why alarms are a waste in the Middle East
April 10th, 2006 (Akaba, Jordan) The Turks needed Errol Flynn
April 10, 2006 (Akaba, Jordan) At Market
April 10th, 2006 (High above Akaba, Jordan) Harbour View

And this from TE Lawrence; And there were many other leaders or lonely fighters to whom this self-regardant picture is not fair. It is still less fair, or course, like all war-stories, to the un-named rank and file: who miss their share of credit, as they must do, until they write the despatches… Author’s preface, Seven Pillars of Wisdom