5 comments about Eurabia: The Euro-Arab Axis.

1. I have never read such an exagerated propaganda in all my life's reading and academic studies. Bat Ye'or needs to repent and to apologize to the world especially to Jews, Christians and Muslims. Ye'or must have undergone some sort of trauma as a child with a bit of brainwashing by the zionist movement. I do not recommend anyone to invest in this unscholarly crap. The book trashes everyone except the zionist movements and its supporters. I wish I could rate this book a zero rather than 1 star. Ye'or and her followers need psychological and mental help. If you do not believe me read the book with a critical eye and you will question her credibility and dismiss her as a fanatical zionist for blood.



2. This is an important book that eveyone with an interest in Islam and politics must read. This book explains in detail how and why Europe is undergoing a process of Islamization. Not just allegations, the author fills the book to overflowing with references, citations, and ample evidence to prove her point. This is required reading.



3. Bat Ye'or writes intelligently about recent developments and changes in the world. Sixty years after the end of the Second World War and the Holocaust, it seems that we are once again facing a perilous situation in Europe. Through the ages, more people have been killed in the name of religion than for any other reason. Will we face that reality once again in the twenty-first century? Her book is definitely worth reading.



4. After reading negitive reviews of this book I decided to read it. And I am glad I did. Among other things, the book explains very thoroughly how anti-Semitic bigotry has been cultivated in Europe, mainly in France, during the last 30 plus years. The book's author did excellent job researching roots of European antipathy toward the U.S. and utmost hatred toward Israel. She shows how ridiculous and at the same time how wide-spread is joint Arab-European modern mythology about Islam's great contribution to world's science, art, and the cause of human rights, while in fact Islam remains the most backward, intolerant, and barbaric ideology ever created on this planet.
   
   The book includes a very impressive list of appedices (real documents), notes, and bibliography. I think it should be a required reading for anyone interested in the subject.



5. Great book! Bat Ye'or is right on target, and this should be a must on the reading list of every Senator in the USA. European political cats should also read it; but personally I think it is too late for them. They have been so in love with antisemitism and its new cousin anti-israelism; they have been so happy to embrace the Arabs and their oil; they have been so enchanted with the old game of hating the Jews that they completely lost the focus on the real thing and meanwhile,their friends were busy stealing Europe under their eyes. But they did not want to see, and therefore they did not see it coming....And if you want to know what I am talking about, well, you will have to read the book......

5 comments about Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road: Exploring a New Path Between Two Faiths.

1. Amongst the plethora of books on Christian-Muslim relations, Paul-Gordon Chandler's Pilgrims of Christ on the Muslim Road takes a fresh approach. It starts neither from comparative theology, apologetics nor sacred texts but from the life and ministry of a "Muslim follower of Christ" - the Syrian writer Mazhar Mallouhi. Thus, Chandler approaches this critical issue from the inside rather than the outside, and gives a more personal and experiential contribution. The pilgrim road he charts contains innovative and exciting ministry approaches, as well as others that sail close to syncretism and sectarianism. Even if you'd avoid travelling this road yourself, the book takes a challenging, thoughtful and deeply relational trip through the eyes of a Muslim who was transformed by Christ.
   What I find helpful about this book is its relational approach, its reclamation of the Eastern heritage of Jesus and the Bible, and that it addresses the difficult questions. Its two main problems are on the issue of identity - identifying yourself as Muslim while following Christ- and the church - isolating new believers from any contact with existing fellowships.
   Despite my criticisms, the book stirs in me with a great desire to meet this pilgrim of Christ, Mazhar Mallouhi. I'd love to sit in an ahwa (coffee shop) with him, share about Christ's work in our lives, discuss how we can present Christ more clearly to Muslims, and pray with him to that end. More importantly, it has provoked and challenged me about what is truly essential for a Muslim to follow Christ.



2. Finally! A book that treats Muslims with respect and affection, and returns Christ to his original Middle Eastern roots. With love and intelligence, the author and Mallouhi show us practical ways of living peacefully with Islam. As an American Christian living in the Middle East, I've never been comfortable with the missionary approach of some Western christians. The section on assuming a "guest posture" among other faiths therefore had great resonance for me. My other favorite chaper gives the Middle Eastern context for many well-known Biblical texts. Who knew that "heaping burning coals" on your enemies heads (Proverbs) is in Bedouin culture a symbol of generosity, not vindictiveness?
   
   I loved this book. The message is not new -- that as followers of Christ we should all seek to be more Christ-like in the way we treat others. But here, beautifully told through the life of a unique individual, it takes on a fresh urgency.



3. For anyone who is interested in knowing more about the Muslim people from a less adversarial posture than that adopted by most Christian groups this is a superb story. It is the love of Christ being lived out in the lives of Muslims in the Middle East. The only hope we have to end the devastating conflicts that have destroyed so much for much too long.



4. A wonderful "must-read" for anyone hoping to foster/promote mutual respect, understanding and genuine friendship between people of differing cultural/religious backgrounds.



5. Nothing is more powerful than an idea whose time has come. In the age of sensationalized "news" and the ever expanding divide between cultures due to encouraged and protracted ignorance, Paul Chandler's book has come at exactly the right time. The short focus on the life of Mazhar Mallouhi brings to mind the scripture "BLESSED ARE THE PEACEMAKERS" as Mazhar moves from one country to another and, like Socrates and the Apostle Paul places himself in precarious situations to unite people from both Islamic and Christian backgrounds. Love thy neighbor as thyself are Mazhar and Paul's ethos, and though it is a simple and beautiful Christ-like approach to life most of us have become suspect and afraid to even try therefore alienating us from Christ's original teachings. A MUST READ FOR ANYONE INTERESTED IN INTERNATIONAL AFFAIRS AND CHRISTENDOM.

5 comments about Price of Honor: Muslim Women Lift the Veil of Silence on the Islamic World, Newly updated.

1. I appreciate Ms. Goodwin's meticulous research, risking her own safety in order to present a picture of what is really going on in these countries, and it does help explain the alarming growth of Islamic extremism.
   This book opens a window onto lives that people in the United States have always wondered about. Ms. Goodwin did an excellent job of interviewing men and women from all facets of society; poor, middle-class, and wealthy. It was a fascinating and informative read, and an essential book if one wishes to understand the daily life of women surviving under the iron fist of Islamic extremism.



2. Difficult reading, but definitely worth the effort. A great deal of info about the subject on virtually every Middle Eastern country. Every woman in this country should know what is happening to women elsewhere.



3. In 1989 I lived in Cairo, Egypt for several months. Being female I experienced (and witnessed) a good deal of the typical misogynistic behavior one would expect from a Muslim male. I could never understand how the Islamic communities I visited could be so mistrustful and even outwardly angry with women just for the sake of being women. I have been fascinated with learning more every since.
   
   Goodwin writes very interesting and detailed accounts of various Muslim women in ten different locations throughout the Middle East. One thing in common with all women is the cruel,oppressive and immoral treatment by men in general but more specifically her own family be it father, brother or husband. Women in these countries have no rights and assume a subserviant, second class role upon birth. Lack of knowledge, lack of support and fear of punishment keep these women from seeking help or challenging authority. Goodwin also discusses the shocking phenomenon of honor killing that while not versed in the Holy Koran it is exclusively Islamic and is both endorsed and encouraged by Imams, clerics etc..as the only way to restore honor to a family.
   
   I didn't give Goodwin a 4 or 5 star review because I believe that Goodwin (like most journalists/media) has whitewashed, for the sake of political correctness, the true history of Islam and the role women play. So much of what we hear or read on the news has been manipulated because the western world has allowed itself to become handicapped by political correctness.
   While it is true that the Prophet Mohammed was loving and monogamous to his first wife Khadija (an independant and wealthy woman in her own right) we know that changed after her death. Through Mohammed, Allah advised Muslims to marry no more than 4 women and to care for each equally. However Mohammed said Allah's rule didn't apply to him and with at least 11 wives and numerous concubines(sex slaves) Mohammed doesn't really win any sensitivity votes! The most famous wife was Aisha who was 6 yrs old when the marriage contract was made (she was 9 yrs old when consummated)She was also known as the favorite wife. She herself said Mohammed struck her and once proclaimed "I have not seen any woman suffering as much as the believing woman." This should say volumes about the treatment of woman during Mohammeds life. Islamic history shows that the more adherents to Islam Mohammed acquired and the more powerful and feared he became as a political leader the more the revelations began to change. Allah began advising Mohammed to be more restrictive with his people and less tolerant to unbelievers. These new revelations were to cancel out the existing peaceful ones through the process of abrogation.
   
   In the begining, Mohammed did have some compassion, for example he banned the killing of female infants. Yet there were also many precedents Mohammed set regarding women such as: Men are protectors and maintainers of women; women must be devoutly obedient, if not then beat them...4:34; Women witness is half of men...2:282; Majority of women are in hell...( Shahih Bukhari 1.6.301); Menstruation is a disease...2:222; Women, house and horses are evil omens..( Shahih Bukhari;7.62.30); Sex with captive women and slave women is permitted-23:1-6; Allah gets displeased with the woman who does not respond when her husband demands sex from her-(Shahih Muslim 8.3367) These are just a few.
   
   We must remember the Prophet is believed to have been a perfect man who led a perfect life and therefore an example that all Muslims must follow.
   
   A good portion of this book was written in the mid nineties and updated after the events of 9/11. Since that time NO progress has been made in the advancement of equal rights for women despite all the apologists assertions that Islam is peaceful and equal regarding women. This makes any talks of reform by so called "moderate" Muslims disingenuous as well.



4. I highly recommend this book. Jan Goodwin
   provides in an engaging, superbly reported look
   at the present-day treatment of women in
   countries still bound by the strictures of
   medieval Islamic law. Though the book was written
   in 1995, and updated after 9/11, its relevance
   has never been greater than it is today as we
   struggle to understand the increasingly dangerous
   world we live in. Above all, "Price of Honor"
   gave me renewed appreciation for the Western
   world I live in and the freedoms that we - men
   and women alike - so easily take for granted.
   This book is a must read!



5. Muslim women pay a high price for their (and their male family members') honor. This book details the trials and tribulations of women in the Muslim world.
   
   The prejudice, discrimination and crimes it describes can all be found here in the west. I suggest that the problem is patriarchy, not Islam. Focusing on a particular religion lets all the rest of us off the hook.
   
   This book is helpful if it makes me think about how often I have discriminated against women and how I justify my actions; and less helpful if I continue to see the problem as being somebody else's problem somewhere else.

5 comments about The Koran: A Very Short Introduction (Very Short Introductions).

1. This is a great book for anyone looking for a very scholarly look at the Koran and the world of Islam. It must be said that this is a brief overview of a very complex subject. The book it jam-packed with information 'about' the Koran, but does not spend much time on 'explaining' the beliefs behind the Koran. This is in no way a substitute for study of the Koran, if that is what the reader is looking for. As a very educated text, this book stands far above many others. It was not what I was personally seeking, but that does not take away from the quality of this text.



2. Magnificent overview of the Quranic text, some thoughts on how it is interpreted, and also on the different styles of Quranic recitation. The book's scope is impressive for its small size.



3. This is a good history and a high level overview of the Quran. Author brings academic and historical context to the Quran. Readers looking to prove or disprove the authenticity of the holy book will be disappointed. Those looking for a scholarly perpective will enjoy it.



4. I read this as the first of a self-directed, self-education course on the Qur'an and Islam. After having read several other books in the area, I can now say that this proved to fulfill superbly its purpose and mission as a short introduction to the Qur'an. I am a relatively slow reader, but I managed to digest this in about three hours. It is straightforward, readily understandable, and (I firmly believe) objective. It certainly eclipses one of its rivals, "The Qur'an" by Bruce Lawrence. Beyond that, I can only second the comments of Mr. Dekle, from April 2006.



5. In a very short introduction it is often hard to get much done. Cook here succeeds in giving some basic interpretations on significant verses in the Koran - the famous "sword verses", balanced against the verse that there should be no compulsion in Islam. He also dwells (perhaps too much) on the verse reviewing God's curse on Israeli fishermen who violated the Sabbath (that allegedly turned them into apes). Some reference to how Muslims themselves interpret the Koran is made. A reader already initiated in the study of Islam or the Koran might appreciate this more than the novice - as Cook dwells considerably on language and translation issues. The final section discusses possible theories of the formation of the Koran (as well as some comments on the sword verses) from the days of the caliph Uthman or before. Overall it is a quick, adequately informative read, but I would not make it your last stop in searching for the best text on a quick introduction to the Koran.

5 comments about Salonica, City of Ghosts: Christians, Muslims and Jews 1430-1950.

1. I enjoyed this book. It is informative not only about Thessaloníki but also the overall region, including the Balkans and Ottoman empire. The author concentrates on the Ottoman period, but the primary focus of the book is how the relationship and conflict between the three religions shaped this dynamic region over time. It was interesting to read how these three groups, that are now antagonistic, lived somewhat peaceably through most of the city's history. In addition, this book gave a fair representation of the agonizing effects from the forced migrations of much of the population and also the Holocaust.
   
   The style of the book is a little different than most histories in that it is not purely chronological. The author discusses a particular group over time, then within the same section, will "rewind" to cover another group that existed around the same period. In retrospect, I think this style makes sense as it allows a thorough analysis of each group; however, it would have been beneficial to have been warned in the introduction or forward that this style would be employed.
   
   Overall, I would highly recommend this book to anyone that wants to understand more about this city, Greece, and the Ottoman and Byzantine empires, as well as the history of these three religions.



2. Just started reading this book. It is still a good promise...



3. The book has a couple of slow passages, but overall Mazower offers a very lively account of Salonica since Ottoman times. You're not just reading about Salonica, but also the organization of the Ottoman empire, the history of the Sefardim Jews, diplomatic customs and modern Balkan history.



4. I lived in Thessaloniki as an exchange student in 1980. I wish that this book had bee available for me to realize the historic gems around every corner of my favorite city at that time. Mazower's book opens up the reasons for its (the city's) being and why it was and is so important. People of every religion, or none, will be fascinated by its political turmoil and intrigues, and visitors today can walk the same roads and shop in the same marketplaces as those who went before them, thousands of years ago.
   I have purchased this book several times and keep giving it away to other Thessalonians and people who love Thessaloniki as much as I.



5. The writer is living out quite a lot of important information.
   Book is biased and incorrect.
   Should check historical documents, especially New York Times archives about who exactly lived in Salonica in that time.
   It is correct that after the Balkan wars, a large Greek population moved in into this region, but what happened to the people that use to live there before the Balkan Wars?

No comments about The Arts of Intimacy: Christians, Jews, and Muslims in the Making of Castilian Culture (A Council on Foreign Relations Book Seri).

5 comments about A Vanished World: Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Medieval Spain.

1. A first class read for any history buff. Right up there with 'The Ornament of the World' by Maria Rosa Menocal.



2. Chris Lowney resurrects with much brio the fascinating history of Medieval Spain, which became the only Islamic state that ever prospered in mainland Europe for more than seven centuries. After a "blitzkrieg" military campaign, Muslim conquerors hailing from North Africa rolled back Christian rule on most of the Iberian Peninsula in 711 C.E. Christian rulers, who were understandably resentful of this occupation, launched their Reconquista from the north of the peninsula after infighting started weakening al-Andalus (the Arabic name for the Muslim-ruled part of Spain) in the eleventh century C.E. Al-Andalus disintegrated itself into more than two dozen rivaling small kingdoms by the 1030s C.E that over time became easy picks for united Christian conquerors. This rivalry among these kingdoms was also a blessing in disguise.
   
   To his credit, Lowney acknowledges and emphasizes the significant contributions of al-Andalus to transition the rest of Europe out of the Dark Ages and into the Renaissance. Without Islam, much western wisdom from the Antiquity would have been lost forever following the disintegration of the Roman Empire in the West. Furthermore, Medieval Spain became the conduit for bringing the best that the Islamic world had to offer to mostly backward Europeans. Cosmopolis such as Seville, Cordoba, Toledo, and Granada were the cities on the hill economically, culturally, scientifically, and religiously. The architecture of the older parts of these urban centers still reflects this past greatness.
   
   Despite their differences, Medieval Spaniards showed for a time a tolerance for each other's religious and cultural background that remains a marvel to a world plagued by intolerance and obscurantism. Outstanding twelfth-century theologians such as the Jewish Moses Maimonides and the Muslim Ibn Rushd Averroes went as far as to subject their respective religions to rationality. Shias and Sunnis in Modern Iraq, especially in Baghdad, have much to learn from this peaceful religious coexistence. Obscurantism and intolerance were the perfect ingredients for the disastrous recipe that Medieval Spain itself ended up swallowing after the completion of the Reconquista.
   
   With the fall of the Kingdom of Granada in 1491 C.E., the sole remaining Muslim territory in the peninsula, King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella completed the Reconquista of Medieval Spain. They did not waste much time to impose Christianity on all their subjects. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella gave their Jewish and Muslim subjects little time to either convert to Christianity or leave most of their possessions behind them and leave Spain forever. The discovery of the New World and its riches bought Spain some time. After Catholic Spain passed by its zenith, it could no longer count on the genius of its former Jewish and Muslim subjects who along Christians had contributed to the greatness of Medieval Spain. Unsurprisingly, Catholic Spain became an increasingly troubled and weak state that only rebounded from its backwardness in the second half of the 20th century C.E.



3. The history of Spain between 711 (the date of the Muslim invasion of the Iberian peninsula) and 1492 (when the moors were finally vanquished and the spanish crown got back total control of what is today Spain; coincidentally this was the same year Columbus reached the Americas and Jews were expelled from Spain) is fascinating in itself. This book is kind of interesting, but it delivers less than what it promises. If you know some of the history before reading this book, you will not learn a lot from it. Moreover, it is sometimes overly credulous with its sources. One of the problems appears when you see that all the bibliography is in English; Lowney clearly doesn't speak either Spanish or Arabic, so the book is essentially second hand retelling of previous books. There is no original material here. Lowney is identified in the book as a former Jesuit priest, but he seems prejudiced against Christians, always comparing their supposed backwardness with the Muslims' supposed tolerance and brilliance. Look, if Christians were able to reconquer Spain after almost eight centuries, they must have done something right. Still, the book is not totally without interest, especially as an introduction to the subject.



4. This book is a great starting point in terms of understanding medieval Spain and appreciating the Iberian contribution to broader European enlightenment. Aptly subtitled 'Medieval Spain's Golden Age of Enlightenment', Chris Lowney draws us into the accomplishments of Muslims, Christians and Jews over seven centuries.
   
   Whether you choose to read this book as an historical statement of past accomplishments, or as a sign of hope for a more co-operative future, it provides a wonderful view of the golden age of the Iberian peninsula.
   
   The book has a wealth of notes and suggested readings for those who would like to obtain more information about specific events or achievements.
   
   Highly recommended to those interested in learning more about medieval Spain as well as those looking for instances of shared learning.
   
   Jennifer Cameron-Smith



5. A vanished world tells the true story of the medival times where Muslims, Jews and Christians lived together in peace and harmony. This was a time of religeous tolerance.

3 comments about Murder in Amsterdam: Liberal Europe, Islam, and the Limits of Tolerence.

1. The day after Benazir Bhutto's assasination -- this book is perhaps even more relevant than ever. Theo Van Gogh was a provocateur -- and he paid for that stance with his life. This is a very well written book that makes us think and consider the continuing instability in today's world. There are no answers, only more questions. I highly recommend it.



2. I had traveled to Amsterdam twice before picking up Buruma's book with only a faint understanding of who Theo Van Gogh was or why he was murdered, but this book weaves European history, demographics and an understanding of radical Islam into a cogent explanation of why the Dutch filmmaker was murdered. I was impressed by Buruma's explanation of the motives of T. Van Gogh's assassin, the Moroccan émigré Mohammed Bouyeri, primarily because pernicious rationalizations of poverty, isolation and disillusionment were avoided in favor of focusing on Bouyeri's Muslim faith. Radical Islam, and to a large extent the entire body of `moderate' Islam, is incapable of taking rational criticism even when protestations of, say, the treatment of women are made in good faith. This is no where more clearly exemplified than the hysteria that followed the Danish Mohammed cartoons, which stills lingers as of March 2008, and the anticipatory ire which the Dutch MP Geert Wilders has aroused in the Middle East, namely Iran, upon announcing the release of a film that will be critical of Islam. Take note that Wilder's film has yet to be released, as of early March 2008, although he has already received death threats, and is under 24/7 guard, as the murder of Theo Van Gogh proved was utterly necessary.
   
   T. Van Gogh was an implacable iconoclast whose work with the Somali émigré Ayaan Hirsi Ali on the short film `Submission' highlighted the abominable treatment and objectification of women in Islam. In `Submission', a nude female actor is covered in misogynist verses from the Koran. In the liberal democracies of the west, this is freedom of speech, but to Islam, an egregious sin.
   
   Europe is undergoing radical demographic changes today with ever increasing immigration from Muslim nations. I'd recommend Mark Steyn's `America Alone' to place Buruma's book with a larger context.



3. This book, by a Dutch ex-patriot, does a good job of pretending to be fair-minded and even-handed in trashing all the parties involved. But it won't stand up to careful examination.
   
   Most importantly, none of the assertions and allegations made in this book are even documented, let alone corroborated from other sources. We are simply supposed to take the author's word for it.
   
   To show that in effect the Dutch are getting what they deserve (although the author would, of course, never put it in those terms), the author describes in lurid detail the red-light district of Amsterdam. (red herring fallacy). He also describes every incident in which a mosque was defaced, and counterposes that against the burning of Christian churches. (two wrongs make a right)
   
   To trash van Gogh, the author presents him as a loud critic of many practices and positions, as if van Gogh's personal appearance and off-beat personality justifies his assassination. (ad hominem)
   
   The author also has a go at Pym Fortuna, doing the same number on him. He was loud and brash and maybe a right-winger as well, so it's sort of okay that he was murdered. Besides, he wasn't murdered by an Islamist, so that proves that the problem is not Islam, doesn't it?
   
   The message seems to be that the Dutch are not tolerant enough! Another theme is that whole thing has been blown way out of proportion by the press and the politicians--especially the right-wing politicians.
   
   See While Europe Slept: How Radical Islam is Destroying the West from Within. Also, read America Alone: The End of the World As We Know It.
   
   [...]

5 comments about The Girl in the Tangerine Scarf: A Novel.

1. I thought this would be a juvenile book that I might enjoy. Instead, it is a strong and well written adult story of a young Syrian girl's childhood in Indiana. Lots of insights from a female point of view. I recommend it!



2. There are very few books I have read in my life that I thought everyone should read. This is one of them; I highly recommend it.



3. This book helped me to grow in my perceptions of other religions and life in America.



4. I'm not going into plot summary, or on and on trying to write some pretentious review... All I'll say is, you should read this book. Then give it to your daughter, your niece, your neighbor; and buy yourself another copy, cause a few months later you'll want to read it again. Also, this book really offended me, until I realized I might deserve it. And that's not such a bad thing.



5. This year, I had my Freshman Comp students read GTS and write an essay in response to it. Many responded negatively to the opening chapters of the novel, with its apparent "America bashing," as one student put it, many characters, and frequent use of Arabic expressions. But by the end, the large majority were expressing an appreciation for the novel in harmony with the positive reviews posted here. The novel enabled great discussions of how our values are shaped and the degree to which we have recognized and dealt with cultural, religious, political, and racial prejudices.
   
   One could indeed wish that there had been further editing of the book, but there is a link between the style and organization of the novel and Khadra's profession of photographer: the novel is like a photo album, with some pictures that we want to study in detail and others that will just receive a quick glance. Throughout the album, pictures are thematically linked by images of, for example, headscarves of different colors, insects in different stages, and modes of transport of varying power. While most of the pictures focus our attention on Moslems in America, their composition encourages linking them with photos in the albums of other Americans: for example, Sue Monk Kidd's dance as a dissident daughter, school bullies, Malcolm X's radicalism tempered by disillusionment with a religious leader and by haj, red pick-ups, a rabbi in a nation officially hostile to Israel, St. Paul's Damascus road experience, the City of Brotherly and Sisterly Love, Plato's liberated prisoner stumbling around after being in the light, and the Indy 500.
   
   I am glad to have this novel for use in the classroom.

5 comments about Lost History: The Enduring Legacy of Muslim Scientists, Thinkers, and Artists.

1. Like finding a precious gem in the middle of a pile of debris, I consider this book as much of a rare find in this age. Truly honest and well-researched, it compiles a mind-bewildering amount of detail and information about everything from Islamic history to scientific advancements of the Middle Ages through political conditions of pre-modern Europe. It is written in such a fluid, eloquent style that Morgan has become one of my favorite authors, and I hope to find more of his work.
   
   I have researched the history of development of the arts and letters and science informally and will start to pursue it academically, so I can say about this work that it is as concise and comprehensive a compilation as any I have come across. George Sarton, a Harvard professor of the 1940's, has written 5 volumes on this subject, and yet, Morgan's analysis is more insightful. For instance, Sarton notes the ethnicity behind each and every Muslim scholar or scientist of other faith in the Islamic world who accomplished a great feat. Was he an Arab or a Persian or a Christian or a Jew? Sarton asks of each, in trying to establish that in many instances Jewish or Christian or non-Arab scholars achieved success on their own, thereby downplaying the significance of the Islamic Renaissance as a whole. Morgan makes the point that multi-ethnicity was exactly the source of the Islamic civilization's success: the multiplicity of people of faiths who lived harmoniously and collaborated on projects of translation and learning was a mark of the Muslim golden age's tolerance and pluralism.
   
   So while other historians emphasize the Muslim's material accomplishments in medieval times, they miss the Islamic contribution of tolerance and peace. Morgan does not. From p. 136 of Lost History: "By the ninth and tenth centuries, the Jewish intellectual communities and economies of Muslim Spain, in cities like Cordoba, Seville, and Toledo, are at their peak. Not only have Jews risen to hold the second highest political position in the realm, under Hasdai ibn Shaprut working for Caliph Abd Al-Rahman III; they are also producing their own rich literature, music, philosophy, and scientific thought, sometimes independently, sometimes in collaboration with those of other faiths."
   
   Morgan's precision in unfolding the history of the Muslims from one era to another and from one glorious center of learning to another (Baghdad to Cordoba, or Damascus to Cairo) does not lose the reader or leave him/her bogged down in dates. His narration flows effortlessly and takes you on an awe-inspiring ride. Though one reviewer noted that Morgan over-reaches when he tries to write of scholars' past thoughts (such as Ibn Sina), I think he is using a fictive element (3rd person omniscient) for a good reason. He is trying to evoke a recognition in the Western mind of what another culture has experienced. It is just one technique he uses in making us understand another peoples by walking in their shoes. He is a literary genius, and I cannot hold him to task for employing every means to bridge these two (currently) very remote cultures.
   
   I hope there are other gems in the making, such as this one. It is a pleasure to read a work that is so humble and honest that it can give credit where ever it is due - even to other cultures or civilizations - rather than downplaying their historic importance.



2. This is amateur history, written by an amateur. Try reading several centuries of yellow pages, and you get the texture of this opus. Unorganized, with supposedly intriguing vignettes setting the pace. The best you can hope for is that the paper is biodegradable.
   Roger L. Putnam, Jr.



3. Without a doubt one of the best books I have read in years. No only does it shed light over the civilization that brought the world great minds who enlightened us with new ideas but the book also sheds light on the largely blind mind of the Western reader about the people who are now sadly labeled terrorist by default.



4. I was extremely disappointed in this book because of it's lack of sophistication. The author seemed to feel the need to write in a fictitious style and in the present tense. This book is intended for people with very little or no background in history or Islamic civilization. It is not at all academic and it is VERY easy to read.



5. I had to read this for my class in College and didn't think it would be good but it does a great job talking about the history as well as comparing it to recent times. Certainly made the class much more enjoyable having to reference a good book such as this time.