The region of Tur Abdin experienced a great deal of violence and destruction throughout the twentieth century, and the once numerous monasteries of the area have suffered greatly. In the present volume, H. Numan Aydin offers a unique chronicle of these events. Rather than providing a narrative history, Aydin provides a series of laments about events that transpired between 1915 and 1988. Through the medium of lament, Aydin attempts to convey not just the historical data of the events that resulted in the destruction of property and the loss of life, but the deep sense of loss that accompanies such tragic events. The book includes twenty-four laments, arranged by monastery, and each is accompanied by a brief introduction.