Wounded Tigris

'A journey through both time and ecological crisis: as epic as it is engaging' * Tom Holland * 'A combination of honest writing, diligent research, abundant empathy and an eye for a good story . . . [this] is a book by turns hard-hitting, urgent, gently lyrical and self-deprecating, a bittersweet pleasure' * Justin Marozzi, Sunday Times * 'McCarron reveals what humanity stands to lose with the threatened death of a great river and what can be done to try to save it. His journey along the Tigris was the first attempt at a full descent since Ottoman times' * Jules Stewart, Geographical * 'A captivating journey' * John Cotterill, The Bookseller * 'This remarkable book warns of the death of a great river that might no longer flow to the Gulf by 2040 - and is a call to action to prevent the birthplace of civilisation from becoming uninhabitable' * Emma Sky, The New European * 'McCarron recounts the environmental and geo-political threats facing the river and people who occupy its neighbouring lands. An insightful and worrying read, softened by the hospitality and courage of the people we meet along the journey' * Brigid O'Dea, Irish Times * 'Wounded Tigris is a fine book. Overcoming considerable difficulties Leon McCarron's tough journey paints a rich and enthralling portrait of a river that once helped create the first cities on earth, and is now fighting a battle for survival' * Michael Palin * '[McCarron's] jaunty, highly informative, and ultimately sobering book abounds in pristine landscapes, war-ravaged towns, and evidence of environmental degradation' * New York Review of Books * 'A brilliant, beautifully written, mad and mystical journey. Read it' * Quentin Sommerville, BBC Middle East Correspondent * 'A captivating insight into the history of humanity through navigating the cradle of civilisation, warning us about dire consequences of environmental degradation affecting this great river' * Barham Salih, President of Iraq 2018-2022 *