ABOUT THE BOOK
Just Hugh: Hugh Raymond Leach Remembered
Just Hugh: Hugh Raymond Leach Remembered is a portrait of Hugh Leach—soldier, diplomat, traveller, and charismatic enthusiast. Known for his wit and wide-ranging interests, from Central Asia to the Just William books he adored, Leach’s life bridged military service, diplomacy, and adventure.
This commemorative volume brings together personal anecdotes and recollections shared after his memorial service in April 2016, combined with material gathered for his RSAA obituary and Leach’s own later-life reminiscences.
Tales from twenty-five years of service between the Nile and the Euphrates and travels across Central Asia are interwoven with biographical details, creating a vivid ‘memory book’ of a man whose career spanned conflict zones, cultural frontiers, and enduring friendships.
Compiled by Susan Farrington and Norman Cameron, Just Hugh captures the legacy of one of the Royal Society for Asian Affairs’ most unconventional and well-loved members.
OUR NEW TITLES
Sea of Pearls
Before the discovery of oil, the sea was the Gulf’s greatest wealth. Each summer, fleets of wooden dhows sailed out into the turquoise waters, their crews diving deep on a single breath, armed only with a nose clip, a stone weight, and a rope. They returned to the surface clutching oysters, hoping for the prize within pearls so perfect they adorned the crowns of kings and captivated the luxury markets of India and Europe.
Lorimer
In 1908, the British government quietly commissioned a vast and meticulous record of the Arabian Gulf and surrounding regions. Compiled by John Gordon Lorimer, a senior political officer in the Indian Civil Service, The Gazetteer of the Persian Gulf, Oman and Central Arabia became one of the most extraordinary works of intelligence ever produced by a colonial administration.
Julius Euting
In the winter of 1883, German epigraphist Julius Euting and French-Alsatian geographer Charles Huber departed Damascus on a perilous journey into the heart of northern Arabia. Their mission: to uncover ancient inscriptions and reveal the region’s forgotten history.
In Praise of the Artisan
Across the Islamic world, artistry is not only preserved—it continues to evolve. From the rhythmic tapping of stone carvers in Rajasthan to the delicate calligraphy of Istanbul’s masters, from Cairo’s woodworkers to the skilled embroiderers of Makkah, crafts that have shaped homes, mosques, and cities for centuries are still vibrant today.
Bedouin Weaving
In the vast deserts of Arabia, where landscapes appear austere and endless, Bedouin women have for centuries created beauty from the simplest of materials. Using the wool of their camels, sheep, and goats, they wove vibrant textiles—bold geometric designs in deep reds, blacks, and whites—that adorned tents, protected families from the elements, and carried symbolic meaning.
A Journey to Arabia Felix
In the vast deserts of Arabia, where landscapes appear austere and endless, Bedouin women have for centuries created beauty from the simplest of materials. Using the wool of their camels, sheep, and goats, they wove vibrant textiles—bold geometric designs in deep reds, blacks, and whites—that adorned tents, protected families from the elements, and carried symbolic meaning.