In Search of the Queen of Sheba

The figure of the Queen of Sheba spans religion, history and geography. She came from the South as a queen of trade to embark on an affair which changed the course of humanity. She is an icon, a temptress, a political power. She is claimed by at least two countries, Yemen and Ethiopia, by art and by many societies. She stands for black empowerment. Is she real or did we need to invent her? Sarah Sands, a celebrated British journalist, goes on a quest to find her, ending up setting sail in a warship up the Red Sea on her trail.

Biographies & Memoirs

Sands, Sarah

Professionals & Academics

Austin Macauley

"Inspirational" - The Daily Mail\n"Sarah Sands has written about stillness with an eloquence that fizzes with vitality and wit. This wonderful book charts a journey to some of the most beautiful and tranquil places on earth, and introduces us to people whose inner peace is a balm for our troubled times. I loved every page of it." - Nicholas Hytner\nSuffering from information overload, unable to sleep, Sarah Sands, former editor of the BBC's Today programme, has tried many different strategies to de-stress... only to reject them because, as she says, all too often they threaten to become an exercise in self-absorption.\nInspired by the ruins of an ancient Cistercian abbey at the bottom of her Norfolk garden, she begins to research the lives of the monks who once resided there, and realises how much we may have to learn from monasticism.\nRenouncing the world, monks and nuns have acquired a hidden knowledge of how to live: they labour, they learn and they acquire 'the interior silence'. This book is a quest for that hidden knowledge - a pilgrimage to ten monasteries round the world.\nFrom a Coptic desert community in Egypt to a retreat in the Japanese mountains, we follow Sands as she identifies the common characteristics of monastic life and the wisdoms to be learned from them; and as she discovers, behind the cloistered walls, a clarity of mind and an unexpected capacity for solitude which enable her, after years of insomnia, to experience that elusive, dreamless sleep.

The Interior Silence: 10 Lessons from Monastic Life

Short Books

Product Description 
A journey around the world to find tranquility, quiet the mind, and understand the power of silence.\nSuffering from information overload and unable to sleep, acclaimed journalist Sarah Sands tried countless strategies to de-stress, only to find temporary relief. Searching for something different, something lasting, Sands went on a quest to uncover ancient and proven wisdom for a happier, quieter, and more compassionate life. In this insightful and beautifully written book, Sands takes us along on her pilgrimage to ten monasteries around the world.\nIn the remoteness of these sacred spaces, Sands observes a hidden knowledge held by monks and nuns—what she calls "the interior silence." Renouncing the material world, their inner concentration buoys them in an extraordinary weightlessness and freedom, an oasis of reflection. Behind the cloistered walls, Sands too finds a clarity of mind and an unexpected capacity for solitude.\nFrom a Coptic desert community in Egypt to a retreat in the Japanese mountains, discover another way of being—moving from appetite, envy, and anxiety to compassion and appreciation. The ultimate remedy for a digital age in which everyone is talking, and no one is listening, this book reminds us of the importance of silence and the power of stillness.\nBEYOND MINDFULNESS: The trendiness and explosion of books on meditation and mindfulness does not always solve our modern-day stressors or our fight-or-flight existence. 
The Interior Silence goes beyond new-age mindfulness to offer traditional wisdom from monks for quieting the mind and embracing simplicity.\nDISCOVER ANCIENT WISDOM: For spiritual readers and wisdom seekers, 
The Interior Silence takes you directly to the root of these ancient practices, learning from monastic life around the world.\nFOR ARMCHAIR TRAVELERS: For readers who enjoyed 
The Geography of Bliss, anyone who enjoys learning about new places and cultures, or for those craving a trip, this book will take you to the countryside's, deserts, and mountains of Japan, France, Egypt, Greece, and more.\nDigital audio edition introduction read by the author. 
 Review 
“In tumultuous times, monasteries are the ideal place for believers and nonbelievers alike to seek peace and reflection. Sarah Sands is the perfect guide to these sites of solace.” 
--MATT D'ANCONA, author of Post-Truth: The New War on Truth and How to Fight Back\n“I loved the mix of far-off destinations and the spiritual journey. This is a brilliant book for our times.” 
--MELANIE MCDONAGH, contributor to the Guardian\n“What a fascinating journey, from the cauldron of news to the peace of monasteries.” 
--ALICE THOMSON, columnist for the Times (UK)\n“This is a book which goes beyond history to the needs of human nature. It is a balm for our times.” 
--ARCHDEACON OF HACKNEY 
 About the Author 
SARAH SANDS is a journalist and author of two novels. A former editor of the 
London Evening Standard, she was editor of the 
Today Programme on BBC Radio 4 from 2017 to September 2020. She lives in London.

The Interior Silence: My Encounters with Calm, Joy, and Compassion at 10 Monasteries Around the World

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