Editorial Review

The entire history of Islamic civilization is, of course, too much to cover in a single volume, but John Esposito comes close. In a book topping 700 pages and containing over 300 photographs, Esposito brings together experts in fields such as early Islamic history, art and architecture, science and medicine, Islam in Africa and Southeast Asia, and contemporary Islam. Beginners will be swimming in new discoveries, while old hands will find connections and facts they never suspected. Majid Fakhry, for instance, shows not only the influence of philosopher Ibn Rushd (Averroes) on European intellectuals but also unveils the claims and counterclaims within Islamic philosophy over time. Dru Gladney takes us on an eye-opening journey through Islamic Central Asia and even China, where the Muslim Hui people are recognized as the country's third-largest minority nationality. And have you ever seen an exquisite mosque with towering spires made entirely of mud-brick, like there are in West Africa? Unfortunately, Esposito apparently couldn't find room here for separate sections on Sufism or Islamic literature, but there are more than enough mosques, paintings, historical maps, and tapestries throughout to keep you turning pages and learning with fascination. Read more

Reviews (12)

Good overview, but lacking details and editing
This book provides a balanced, insightful overview of Islamic culture and civilization.The book describes events leading from the foundation of Islam on the west side of the Arabian Peninsula up to events circa 1999.
A Must Have!
Read very closely: A good history
Occasionally people look at my bookshelves and think that there is some sort of unofficial Oxford Press day at Fr. Kurt's house. There is a good reason why so many of my books carry the indenture of Oxford University Press -- there is a general level of scholarly quality that such books rarely fall below. Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. Islam    3. Islam - General    4. Middle East - General    5. Religion    6. Religion - World Religions    7. Islamic studies    8. Religion & Theology | Islam    9. Religion / Islam   

Features

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Reviews (3)

Highly recommended
Professor Inalcik is one of the best in documenting the long history of the Ottoman Empire. To many readers, this book might look boring and excessively academic. But to other readers, especially those who are interested in taking a deep look into the history of the Middle East in general and the Ottoman Empire in particular, this is one of the must-read books.
Historians take note...
...this is how a text should read. Inalcik is not only thorough in his presentation of Ottoman history, but he includes cause and effect as well as the synthesis of events, something that Stanford J. Shaw's text on the Ottoman Empire seemed to be bereft of. Highly recommended.

Phoenix: The Ottoman Empire: A classical Book
Prof. Inalcik truly earns the reputation as one of the world's leading historians on the Ottoman Empire. The book explains the history, administration and social life of the Ottoman Empire during this time masterfully in seperate sections. An appendix of terms in Turkish and Ottoman is provided at the back for quick explanations, since the historical matter is rather heavy for a lay person.Read more

Subjects:  1. 1288-1453    2. 1453-1683    3. Eastern Europe - General    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: World    7. Middle East - Turkey    8. Turkey    9. ASIA    10. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 1500 to c 1900    11. History / Europe / Eastern    12. History / Middle East    13. Ottoman Empire    14. STUDY NOTES - SparkNotes    15. TURKEY_HISTORY    16. c 1500 to c 1600   

Reviews (17)

A Rather Unsatisfactory Bio of Bin Laden
Peter Bergen is a journalist well known for his knowledge of Osama bin Laden and al Qaeda.Here he presents an "oral" history by piecing together documents and interviews into what he considers a narrative whole.For the most part there is nothing new here that hasn't already been out in the public domain.And there is very little analysis.It is basically a group of documents strung together with commentary from Bergen.
Superb Context Shows How Clinton & Neo-Cons BOTH Fueled Islamic Violence
This is quite a superb composition of the statements of others about Bin Laden, interspersed with very credible observations and conclusion by Peter Bergen.
Superior work of journalism.
One hesitates to give five stars to anything, because no book is perfect (4 and a half stars?).Nonetheless, Bergen's book is a convincing and well-documented account of Osama bin Laden, his youth, his developing radical outlook, set within the context of his family, and his major infuences - such as Abdullah Azzam and Ayman al Zawahiri.Anyone seeking to comprehend bin Laden should be pleased with this work.Bergen portrays bin Laden without glamorizing or demonizing, but showing bin Laden for what he is. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Criminals & Outlaws    6. General    7. Islam    8. Islamic Government    9. Islamic Studies    10. Islamic countries    11. Islamic fundamentalism    12. Political    13. Political Freedom & Security - Terrorism    14. Political Terrorism    15. Religious aspects    16. Saudi Arabia    17. Terrorism    18. Terrorists    19. 21st century    20. Afghanistan    21. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    22. Biography: historical    23. Political Science / International Relations / Diplomacy    24. Terrorism, freedom fighters, armed struggle   

Reviews (27)

Warrior: Ariel Sharon's autobiography
A very good book.It goes into a bit more depth with strategy and such than I could really grasp in a few spots, but on the whole I found it very interesting.Good descriptions of and insight into politics, history, and his accomplishments and ideas.I hadn't known how much he had done outside of the military before reading this book: founding Likud, advancing agriculture in Israel and in Africa, and forging relationships throughout the world for a fledgling Israel.A good book from a most impressive man.

Leader in Battle, Narrator of History
The short, turbulent history of modern Israel has called for extraordinary leadership.Ariel Sharon is clearly one of the most important of the leaders who have shaped the history of this vulnerable young country.
A Great Description of His Life and What He Really Thinks
I read this book when it first came out three or four years ago.
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Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography & Autobiography    3. Biography / Autobiography    4. Biography/Autobiography    5. Cabinet officers    6. General    7. Generals    8. Israel    9. Israel - History    10. Military    11. Military History (General)    12. Sharon, Ariel   

Reviews (4)

Anyone interested in modern China should own this book

A History of Mao Zedong Thought - but where are the Chinese?
I bought this book largely on the recommendations of previous readers and because I was looking for an intelligent, thought-provoking history of Modern China. On the whole, the book is all these things, but it left meunsatisfied. It's a particular kind of historical review which in the finalanalysis I found wanting because it delivers very broad-stroke judgementsbased on evidence gleaned from a very small grouping of sources. Mr.Meisner analyses modern Chinese history largely through the readings andactions of one man: Mao Zedong. Fair enough, given the title of the book.But it's almost as if no one else matters or had any impact whatsoever onwhat happened. The Chinese people are completely absent from this history,which is largely a history of Mao's shifting theoretical viewpoints. It maybe true that the history of modern China is the history of one man'sthought, but it wasn't until I got to the section dealing with DengXiaoping that I began to feel that I was reading a history of a people witha multitude of viewpoints and opinions. It may be an impossibility to knowwhat actually went on in China from 1946 up to 1976 and that therefore allwe have is Mao Zedong Thought, which may only be another way of saying thata history of Modern China has yet to be written.

A great general overview
I am very glad I read this book (which Howard Zinn recommended to me).I feel I have a firm grasp of the basics of 20th Century Chinese history now.Meisner really takes an independent line: he doesn't just parrot Chineseor US propaganda. I feel he makes reasonable surmises about motivations andactions which are still unclear, given the secretive nature of the Chinesegovernment. In all, one of the best history books I have ever read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1949-    2. Asia - China    3. China    4. China - History - 20th Century    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History: World    8. Political History    9. Political Ideologies - Communism & Socialism    10. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    11. History / China   

Reviews (2)

The Afghanistan Wars
This is an excellent review of the many wars suffered by Afghanistan and the reasons these wars occurred.An excellent review for someone spending time in Afghanistan or sudying the country or region.

Outstanding
This is a tour de force; a comprehensive, lucid, and insightful account that makes a tangle of events over 20 years almost understandable. Scrupulously documented, full of sage judgments, cogently written, and eminently well organized, it is one of the best books on contemporary history I have read. Highly recommended along with Fundamentalism Reborn, an exceptional compilation of articles about Taliban Afghanistan. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1989-2001    2. 20th century    3. Afghanistan    4. Asia - General    5. History    6. History - General History    7. History, Military    8. History: World    9. Middle East - General    10. Military - World War II    11. Soviet occupation, 1979-1989   

Reviews (10)

Historically Unreliable
Davidson's book may appear to be a useful guide to those unacquainted with the region. But, for those who are from the Gulf and know enough to question his information and assertions we find names that are mispelled or confused with others, we find events relating to the succession of rulers made up, quotes misinterpreted, vagueness in describing time periods and the text riddled with gossip. This is not unique to his book, as similar errors can be found in his article on the politics of succession that was published in the Middle East Policy Council Journal. Two examples readily available from his article that was published this summer (2006) are 1) his description of Sheikh Abdullah as the Minister of Information & Culture, when as of January 2006 he has been Minister of Foreign Affairs. 2) Where he explains that the `best informed locals and veteran expatriates' predicted a succession that bypassed the two eldest sons of Sheikh Zayed.
The UAE
This is easy to follow and has some very good diagrams.It shows that independent research can be done in countries like the UAE which most people seem to assume are still far too sensitive.There is a huge list of sources including interviews and government documents, and at the end is probably the most extensive bibliography (in English and Arabic) on this part of the world.Saudi Arabia could use a similar book.

Why no democracy?
This is a very well put together book, and after reading it all the way through I realised it's the first time I have been able to fully understand why democracy has not taken root and, in the western sense at least, is unlikely to take root in the near future.The book is also very useful for showing how the rulers have desperately tried to diversify their economic base, and although most of the statistics only go up to 2004, this is easily the best book I have seen of the development of a Gulf state. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. 1971-    2. Civil society    3. Globalization    4. History    5. History - General History    6. History: American    7. Middle East - General    8. Political History    9. Politics and government    10. United Arab Emirates    11. United States - General    12. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Reviews (62)

If you want to understand it all you MUST read this one
If you seek to understand the Middle East, this is one you MUST read. That's all I have to say. To say more would be superfluous. You really want to understand it all, you MUST read it. There, I"ve said it twice. NOw go read it. If you want to understand.....

A lot of cliches, one lie and bias
It is not suprising that the conflict in the middle east lends itself to distortion and hyperbole, after all not everyone can visit the region and few understand the size of things being fought over.If the region was as proportional to the world as presented in the media it would be the size of Asia rather than .001% of it.
This book changed my view towards the palestinian case
Away from Sacco's great illustration and story telling and the great humour of incidents. How he captured the case of the palestinian ppl and how he mingled with them and the type of people he interviewed is just amazing. You can tell that Sacco is neutral he didn't go to defend a certain side, he just went to see what is really happening on the holy land. This book is a must to all people who sympathize with the Israeli Government, and see Palestinians as terrorists, who have no right to the land. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Comic books, strips, etc    2. Ethnic Studies - General    3. Fine Arts    4. General    5. History - General History    6. International Relations - General    7. Israel    8. Middle East - History - 20th Century    9. Middle East - Israel    10. Palestinian Arabs    11. Political Science    12. Politics and government    13. Politics/International Relations    14. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    15. Comic book & cartoon art    16. Graphic novels    17. Palestine    18. Current Events    19. Journalism    20. Graphic Novel   

Reviews (20)

Interesting overview of a misunderstood sect of Islam
The Assassins are part of the legend of the Crusades. The legend of their intoxicants, and the pleasures that initiates were allowed to sample before being sent on missions, are almost part of our historical lore, and of course the sect has lent its name to a word in the English language. This scholarly account by historian Bernard Lewis is detailed, and relentless at least in terms of sentimentality, brushing away legends and folklore and sticking to what's known of this splinter group of Islam and their culture, activities, motives, and fate.
Lewis is a racist
I am an Ismailli and totally offended by Lewis's book.He is no doubt a total anti-Muslim racist.For greater information on the Nizari ismaillis read Farhad Daftary

Too factual, not enough philosophy
This book about the Ismailis and the Assassins could have been fascinating but it is only a compilation of facts and details about individuals and their actions. We never get into the deeper layers of their ideology, theology and religious beliefs and practices. They are connected to the Shi'ites agains the Sunni'ites but it is not clearly shown and explained what's the difference between the two sides and what's more how the Ismailis get into this picture. Altogether the vision of Islam given by this book is that of a world rent by factions, ambitions, personal power, military achievements, and the basic and irrepressible desire and need to be cruel and shed a lot of blood through torturing and making people suffer. This is a caricature. Never the filiation between the other semitic religions that judaism, christianism and the zealot branch of both in the first century before Christ and the first century after Christ were, is shown, stated or explained and explored. Islam is one descendent of the Bible, Old and New Testament. What's more this vast expanse of territory from the Mediterranean sea to India was one of the most brilliant melting pots of science, culture and philosophy, the Ismailis among them just as much as the Sh'ites or the Sunni'ites. This is not explored, nor explained. Hence this book accumulates factual details and data but never reaches any level of explanation, understanding and the desire to go and discover that enormously progressive and powerful culture and science. At the time of the Crusades, the west was definitely, at all levels, a lot less advanced than the Middle East and Islamic countries. It is these Crusades that started the movement thet will eventually lead to the freezing of these societies in some kind of ossified ancient state out of which it has become extremely difficult to move, and such a move has to be endogenous, to come from inside.
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Subjects:  1. Assassins (Ismailites)    2. History    3. History: World    4. Islam - Shi'ism    5. Islamic Government    6. Middle East - General    7. Political    8. Political Process - Leadership    9. Radicalism    10. Religion - World Religions   

Reviews (32)

Must-Read
Chock-full of information and rare insights that is rarely seen.I must say he is quite exhaustive in his dealings of each side of the various conflicts he discusses and lays everything out on the table so that you see the best and worst of all worlds. I am ordering his new book as we speak.

Days in life of a journalist in Lebanon
This book an account of the author's experience as a reporter in Lebanon during the Civil War. It is essentially journalism, in the sense that it covers the day to day experience of the author. As the author says in the beginning, it is not a history (even though you can follow historical events pretty closely through Fisk's eyes), it is more an account of the daily life of ordinary citizens. For example, there are no statistics, not much on politics and no economic consideration. I personally suspect that studying the economics could help understand the conflict. The good thing is that Fisk has been to a lot of places. He keeps running around the Muslim parts of Lebanon and speaking with everyone: Israelis, Syrians, Palestinians, Muslims, Christians, Druzes, Americans, French, Italians.... He always seems to be near to where the bombs fall, which makes it possible for the reader to learn about the many different ways of being discombobulated or burnt alive (phosphorus or normal burns ?). That can be a little depressing. There are some very interesting comments on the role of journalism and the importance of words, in particular the issue of whether to call someone a terrorist or a freedom fighter, as there is no official definition of terrorism. I also liked the almost poetic way of describing how all foreign armies lose their way in the mystery that is Lebanon.
A personal account, not a history

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Subjects:  1. Civil War, 1975-1990    2. General    3. History    4. History: World    5. Lebanon    6. Middle East - General    7. Politics / Current Events   

Reviews (13)

Modern History of the War on Terror
This is a strange, but ultimately good, book in two ways: First it is not so much a single book but a collection of essays arranged into topics and then arranged chronologically within each topic, and second it is a work of modern history and thus lacks the 20/20 vision of hindsight. This second quality however is what makes it so interesting, especially the further we get away from the time when each essay was written.
Problematic and argumentative
I think I'm gettting to the saturation point with Victor Davis Hanson. He's intelligent, and he makes his points well with regards to the war and those who oppose it, but he's somewhat more argumentative than seems reasonable, at times, and his predictions aren't always on the mark. In this series of essays, written in the lead-up to and the aftermath of the invasion of Iraq a few years ago. The essays this time are more straightforward than in An Autumn of War, where some of them were somewhat more humorous or at least oblique than here: these are rather confrontational editorials insisting that President Bush is doing right in attacking Iraq and removing Saddam Hussein from power.
Lucid Commentary!
Hanson's Between War and Peace is a collection of essays written between 2002 and 2003 about 9/11, the Afghanistan campaign, and the Iraq campaign.Most of these essays were written for the National Review Online and are now reprinted here in book form.These are excellent essays, carefully crafted, wonderfully written, logical, opinionated, often profound.The terrorist assault of 9/11 changed our world, and Hanson well understands this.He correctly rips apart the shallow, biased reasoning of the old world order, of the elitist media, of the boutique commentators and of the shrill leftist professors.Hanson looks fresh at basic, critical strategies and tactics.He calls for radical repositioning for America, but supports his arguments with carefully construed facts.His is a conservative view, but with no apologies.This is a must read. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. General    2. International Relations - General    3. Iraq War, 2003    4. Middle East    5. Middle East - General    6. Political Science    7. Politics / Current Events    8. Politics/International Relations    9. Relations    10. United States    11. United States - 21st Century    12. War on Terrorism, 2001-    13. Current Events / Military   

Reviews (47)

Priceless account of the culmination of India's freedom struggle and the immediate aftermath
I was spellbound by this book and just could not let it go without finishing through. Here is my take:
A must read either before or after a visit to India
This is just an amazing read in the same tradition as O Jerusalem written by these same two authors.Very engaging and makes you feel like you were right there.I like the author's attempt at neutrality in telling this amazing story.If you want to understand the history of this era this is a great way to get it! It seems researched well and well documented.
Macro view of Indian Freedom
The book starts at Jan 1947 and covers the period till early 1948. Somehow I missed history of Indian freedom. Even though I had it during my schooling. I was too young to be interested in dry history books.
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Subjects:  1. Politics/International Relations    2. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    3. Colonization & independence    4. India    5. Pakistan   

Reviews (13)

Authoritative History of Modern Turkey
It's a little dry at times, but this is a well-written, scholarly history of the development of modern Tukey, focusing primarily uponthe late Ottoman period and going into revolutionary and modern Turkey.

Not Bad
For the student of history the making of modern Turkey is an extraordinary phenomenon that poses a difficult question:how did the Ottoman Empire, an ancient Islamic empire based on theocracy, become the Republic of Turkey, a democratic nation state that is dogmatically devoted to laicism.In the five hundred pages of the Emergence of Modern Turkey, Bernard Lewis tackles this problem (not in the way I formulated it) in terms of causality-why it happened-and process-how it happened.
Outdated
This book was long considered the classic description of the recent history of Turkey.The author has a beautiful writing style, and the book is a pleasure to read.It is by now fairly outdated, however, and the more recent history of Turkey provides reason to question some of Lewis's assumptions.Read more

Subjects:  1. 20th century    2. History    3. History - General History    4. History: World    5. Middle East - Turkey    6. Turkey    7. World - General    8. ASIA    9. Asian / Middle Eastern history    10. European history (ie other than Britain & Ireland)    11. History / Middle East    12. History, World | Middle Eastern   

Reviews (2)

An in-depth look at the good, the bad, and the ugly that is india
among all the books talking up india recently (and i have read just about all), this one is very different.i was born in india but have lived in the US most of my life.this book is an incredibly detailed perspective into the "real" india.compared to this, other books seems superficial.the social, political, ethnic, and daily life challenges that face india as it attempts to join the modern world are presented in an unbiased, sometimes unflattering way, with excellent depth, detail, and intelligence.one criticism i have is that at time, the details are perhaps a bit much, and i kept wondering just how the author knows so much, so many names, details, and facts that are typically known only through folklore and legend to native-born indians.he must have done a superb amount of research to write this book.if you are new to india, and have time to read just one book, this is the one.prepare to be humored, shocked, awed, disappointed, and encouraged.this book takes you through the true india, and it will stun your senses over and over again.
Interesting but typically prejudiced
This is an excellent work on modern Indian politics. It highlights a series of issues in chapters that really essays unto themselves.The issues include chapters on India's muslims, hindu nationalism, high tech and poverty, the lower castes and the Gandhi dynasty, as well as India-China and India-U.S relations.But there are several problems here.The book seems to accept most of the 'truths' about India rather than challenging them.One of these 'truths' is that Hindu Nationaism is akin to Fascism and therefore evil while other types of 'nationalism' in say Pakistan are acceptable and normal.Therefore while it is seen as logical that Pakistan would have Islamic law it is seen as paradoxical that India would dare to emphasize its Hindu past, rather than the Muslim colonialism it suffered from.
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Subjects:  1. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    2. India   

Editorial Review

While the 16 years that have passed since the first edition ofthis book hit the stands have been marked by an increase in sensitivitytoward many ethnic, racial, and sexual minorities, the easy acceptance ofstereotypes and prejudices in the portrayal, depiction of, and reportingabout Islamic peoples has remained largely constant. In this updatedversion of this rigorous but engaging volume Edward Said looks at howAmerican popular media has used and perpetuated a narrow andunfavorable image of Islamic peoples, and how this has preventedunderstanding while providing a fictitious common enemy for thediverse American populace. ... Read more

Reviews (48)

A Must Read For The Uneducated Westerner
Edward Said is one of my favorite social writers when it comes to Middle Eastern politics. Being a Palestenian Christian, it is obvious he wouldn't simply side with the East because of his religious ties with Islam. The book is very fair in showing exactly how the West's propaganda against the Middle East is a self-fulfilled prophecy. It's undoing will certainly be its downfall. This is a must read for anyone who wants to understand some tenets of journalism and is definately a must read for anyone who has ever taken an anthropology class. Pick it up!

Interesting but flawed thesis
In the latter stages of `Orientalism', Edward Said's monumental and controversial treatise on the `otherness' of Eastern cultures as perceived by Western writers and colonial figures, the German anti-Islamist Gustave von Grunbaum - writing some five decades ago - is taken to task. Said notes his `essentially reductive, negative generalisations' about Islam and supplies quotations to substantiate the charge. Despite Said's strictures, though, von Grunebaum's statements concerning the `basic anti-humanism of Islamic civilization' which `does not separate the things of Caesar from those of God' have a definite bearing on one side of the current debate in the light of more recent catastrophic events. This view of Islam as prescriptive, authoritarian, resistant to change is by its nature `Orientalist', in the pejorative sense which Said implies, because it is held by an outsider whose Western intellectual baggage must inevitably compromise any attempt on his part to be objective. Much as I usually defer to Said's prodigious scholarship I find myself in serious disagreement with him here. Likewise, the sequel `Culture and Imperialism' contains a discussion of W.B. Yeats in which Said objects to two American commentators on post '79 Iran quoting Yeats in their reports. He feels that the words of Ireland's greatest poet about `the worst being full of passionate intensity' would be better applied to the Western colonial intervention of 1953 than to those caught up in, or leading, the upheaval which would be its eventual outcome. Of course, many would take the view that Yeats' `Second Coming' could quite legitimately be referred to when the subject of the Ayatollah Khomeini's bloodstained Islamofascist regime is under discussion.