On the Road to Damascus

Telling the story risks nothing … wanting to become the story only invites trouble. Two men. One, a failed writer from London looking for excitement through conflict tourism. The other, a former librarian from Damascus with a hidden agenda. Together, they embark upon a journey through Syria as the Arab Spring and civil war take hold. Travelling a surreal landscape, where the threat of murder and mayhem lies around every corner, they seek distraction through storytelling. Tales that force them to confront harsh truths. A modern-day Arabian Nights, brought to life under burning Syrian skies. With all the suspense of a Robert Ludlum thriller and the irreverence of Canterbury Tales, On the Road to Damascus delivers a stunning drama. A road trip where nothing is as it seems … where idealism soon collides with cold reality. About the author Anthony Viney lives in Mullingar, in the Republic of Ireland, with his wife, Kathy. After stints in the defence industry, the BBC, teaching, and working with the Traveller community in London, he settled on a career in social work in Northern Ireland in the early 1990s. He has published a number of academic papers and texts and is a regular contributor to his local newspaper. In retirement, he remains an avid swimmer and kayaker. He also spends his spare time being taken for walks by his American Akita. His debut novel, On the Road to Damascus, is inspired by his love of thrillers as well as his real life journey through Syria as an independent traveller in 2011.