Embarking on the European Story

All the signs are there: I need to wrap up the "Persian version" of Luminous Journey and officially embark upon the research for telling the European story.

Fortunately, as fate seems to bring to us what we need at any given moment, I have purchased Mary Perkins book on the life of 'Abdu'l-Bahá, and Candace Moore Hill has just sent the following, so there is no excuse not to follow the dictates of "fate."  However, will we ever get vol. 2 of Mahmúd?  In the meantime, I will order what's below:

Two New Books Add Information about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s Historic Visits to France, Switzerland, and North America, 1911–13

On December 20, 2012, in News, by Robert Stockman

Two new books about ‘Abdu’l-Bahá are now available, in English, from Librairie Bahá’íe in Paris: ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in France and ‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the West: A Biographical Guide of the People Associated with His Travels. Both books were written by Jan T. Jasion, an internationally respected author and editor, and have been released to coincide with the hundredth anniversary of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s historic journeys to the West in 1911 and 1912–13.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá in France provides a day-by-day account of the Master’s 196-day stay in four visits to France and Switzerland. People, places, reminiscences, first-hand accounts, anecdotes, including stories He told about the early days of His Father’s Faith, all richly woven into a Parisian backdrop. Most of ‘Abdu’l-Bahá’s talks given in France are included as well as some of the letters He wrote from Paris. The book is generously illustrated with historical and contemporary photographs of places He visited and people He met.

‘Abdu’l-Bahá in the West: A Biographical Guide of the People Associated with His Travels includes almost 2,000 persons whom ‘Abdu’l-Bahá met and who are recorded in the published records of the Master’s travels. Where possible, each entry includes full name, dates, occupation, education, writings, where and when they met ‘Abdu’l-Bahá, and, if Bahá’ís, their service to the Faith. The persons range from such notables of U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt and the Ranee of Sarawak to Wilbur the butler and governess Madame Bricka. Notes provide information about the publication in which each individual’s meeting with ‘Abdu’l-Bahá is recorded.

Both books are approximately 500 pages in length and aim to present to Bahá’ís and non-Bahá’ís, in a readable, informative, and well-documented format, the wonder that is ‘Abdu’l-Bahá.

The books may be obtained from Librairie Bahá’íe, 45 rue Pergolèse, 75116, Paris, France, telephone +33(0)45003312, fax +33(0)45000579, or http://www.librairie-bahie.fr/.