Ghost Empire: A Journey to the Legendary Constantinople

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Simon and Schuster, Sep 5, 2017 - History - 520 pages
"A brilliant reconstruction of the saga of power, glory, and invasion that is the one-thousand year story of Constantinople. A truly marvelous book." —Simon Winchester

Ghost Empire is a rare treasure—an utterly captivating blend of the historical and the contemporary, narrated by a master storyteller. The story is a revelation: a beautifully written ode to a lost civilization combined with a warmly observed father-son adventure far from home.

In 2014, Richard Fidler and his son Joe made a journey to Istanbul. Fired by Richard's passion for the rich history of the dazzling Byzantine Empire—centered around the legendary Constantinople—we are swept into some of the most extraordinary tales in history. The clash of civilizations, the fall of empires, the rise of Christianity, revenge, lust, murder. Turbulent stories from the past are brought vividly to life at the same time as a father navigates the unfolding changes in his relationship with his son.
 

Contents

Authors note
Introduction
Radiant City
Rome to Byzantium
The Deep State
Persian Nightmares
Children of Ishmael
Uncreated Light
The Fourth Crusade
End of Days
A Thing Not of This
The Artifice of Eternity
Acknowledgements
Bibliography
Index
Copyright

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About the author (2017)

Richard Fidler presents "Conversations with Richard Fidler," an in-depth and personal radio program broadcast across Australia on ABC Radio. He has interviewed prime ministers, astronauts, writers, and scientists, but the program often features remarkable people who are unknown to the wider world. The program is the most popular podcast in Australia, with over a million downloaded programs every month. In another life, Richard was a member of Australian comedy trio the Doug Anthony Allstars (DAAS), which played to audiences all over the world. This is his first book.

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