Sato gives a thought-provoking discussion of how Syrian Orthodox Christians in contemporary Syria shape the identity of their community, both to reinforce their separate culture, and also to emphasize their integration into wider Syrian society. Although Syrian Orthodox Christians have a long history, pre-dating Islam, the present day community is descended from Syrian Orthodox Christians who fled from Turkey after the 1915 massacre of Christians in Turkey. Their identity is shaped by elements from their history which the community chooses to remember and also by elements which it chooses to overlook. Overall, the book shows the importance of 'memory' in shaping cultural identity in the modern Middle East.