Arriving penniless in Boston from Lebanon, Gibran Khalil Gibran—whose name a schoolteacher misspelled “Kahlil”—grew up to become one of the early 20th century’s most inspiring writers. The story of his against-the-odds rise is one of not only pluck and talent, but also luck and mentors, whose little-known stories are shedding new light on the complex biography of a man whose poetry and prose speak today as richly as nearly a century ago.

Working patiently in his family-run lab, Krym Altynbekov has restored and re-created chariots, saddles, weapons, tools and clothing unearthed over the past four decades, including the unnamed warrior dubbed “the Golden Man,” who has become a national symbol of the Central Asian nation’s nomad history. But “gold isn’t the treasure for us,” says Altynbekov’s daughter Elina. “It’s the information we obtain about our past.”

Mohammed Mrabet ran away from school and never learned to read or write. But he told spellbinding stories. A friendship with writers Jane and Paul Bowles got him published in more than a dozen languages. Today he is known also for his painting and drawing.

Some took portraits of women or worked in the labs of family studios. Some worked across the region with employers or family members. A few struck out on their own. None received much notice—until recently. Three historians introduce leading women photographers of the early 20th century in the Middle East.

Through more than 30 literary works, translated into more than 170 languages, as well as lms and theater, Chingiz Aitmatov became credited with raising the pro le of his country and, with it, the cause of cultural preservation throughout Central Asia.

Like other “Grand Tour” travelers of the 1850s, David Dorr visited Europe, Egypt and Palestine. But unlike others, Dorr did not travel freely. His book, A Colored Man Round the World, is the only known account of Middle East travel by an American slave.

Over nearly three decades, her festivals, concerts, albums and songs have connected styles, artists and audiences across cultures from Lebanon to Iraq, Afghanistan and Sudan to the heart of Hollywood, where in 2017 Dawn Elder became the first woman to be named producer of the year.

Circus strongman, amateur engineer, locator and excavator of tombs and temples, mover of massive masterpieces—to England—Giovanni Battista Belzoni left a legacy in Egyptology that was, in every conceivable way, large.