Community Corner
Book Presentation and Signing for John D. Cressler's new historical novel Emeralds of the Alhambra
A book presentation and signing for Georgia Tech Professor John D. Cressler's new historical novel, Emeralds of the Alhambra, will be held at Barnes and Noble at Georgia Tech, 48 5th Street, NW, Atlanta, GA 30308.
How could we forget? Our world is stained with the blood of religious conflict and fanaticism, yet we managed to forget that for hundreds of years in medieval Spain, Christians, Muslims and Jews lived together in relative peace, sharing languages and customs, whispering words of love across religious boundaries, embracing a level of mutual acceptance and respect unimaginable today. Together, they launched one of the great intellectual and cultural flowerings of history. Our world aches for a future graced with tolerance and peace. Let us join together in reawakening the glory of medieval Muslim Spain, of al-Andalus.
Emeralds of the Alhambra is a love story set in the resplendent Alhambra Palace in Granada, Spain, during the Castilian Civil War (1367-1369), a time when Muslims took up their swords to fight alongside Christians. Here is the story of William Chandon, a Christian knight, and the Sufi Muslim princess, Layla al-Khatib. As Chandon’s influence at court grows, he becomes trapped between his forbidden love for Layla and his Christian heritage, the demands of chivalry and political expediency. Chandon and Layla must make choices between love and honor, war and peace, life and death, choices which ultimately will seal Granada’s fate as the last surviving stronghold of Muslim Spain.
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“A deeply moving and enlightening novel on the co-existence of religions.”
─Shirin Ebadi, Nobel Peace Prize Laureate
Find out what's happening in Midtownwith free, real-time updates from Patch.
“…A thoroughly gripping and engaging first novel.”
─Professor Susan Abraham, Harvard Divinity School
“…seamlessly weaves history, religion, passion, loyalty and romance into a compelling, beautifully-written narrative…”
─Rabbi Rachael M. Bregman, Temple Beth Tefiloh and Rabbis Without Borders
“…More than ever, we need stories like Cressler tells, confirming the transformative power of relationships…”
─Eboo Patel, Founder and President, Interfaith Youth Core
“…A moving story of love across boundaries, set at a critical point in history…With unmatched and vivid descriptions of place, lifestyle, manners and practices…”
─Salma Khadra Jayyusi, poet, writer and literary historian
John D. Cressler is Ken Byers Professor at Georgia Tech (Atlanta), and the author of five non-fiction books. Emeralds of the Alhambra is the first release in the Anthems of al-Andalus series and his debut novel. Visit the author at http://johndcressler.com.