The book was created under the immediate impression of Karl May's great journey to the East in 1899/1900. The affectionate empathy for the mindset of the East is evident on every page of this mature work, which makes the desire for peace and international understanding its main concern. It includes an afterword on the history of the work. Published in the revised edition by Roland Schmid and Hans Wollschläger. The title is also available as an e-book.