Overview
London-based authors Hill and Awde have written widely on the peoples and cultures they have met through their extensive travels in Islamic countries. Through this short history, they hope to explain the contexts and events that have led to the current complex situation in the development of the Islamic world--standing today at the crossroads between tradition and modernity--and to highlight the diversity and adaptability of this culture. Includes 70-plus b&w illustrations, photos, and maps; timelines of key dates, figures, and dynasties in Islamic history; and a glossary of Islamic terms. Academic but accessible to the general reader. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, ORSynopsis
London-based authors Hill and Awde have written widely on the peoples and cultures they have met through their extensive travels in Islamic countries. Through this short history, they hope to explain the contexts and events that have led to the current complex situation in the development of the Islamic world--standing today at the crossroads between tradition and modernity--and to highlight the diversity and adaptability of this culture. Includes 70-plus b&w illustrations, photos, and maps; timelines of key dates, figures, and dynasties in Islamic history; and a glossary of Islamic terms. Academic but accessible to the general reader. Annotation ©2004 Book News, Inc., Portland, OR
Library Journal
In this readable and informative text, Hill (Egypt: An Illustrated History) and Awde (The Armenians: People, Culture, and History) introduce Islamic civilization, outlining developments from Islam's beginnings in seventh-century Arabia to the present day. Charting the course of a civilization in just over 200 pages is a daunting task, but Hill and Awde manage to include a remarkable amount of material on the cultural, political, and religious accomplishments of Islam. Covered are Islamic empires like the Abbasids in Baghdad and the Turkish Ottomans. Numerous sidebars illuminate in great depth selected subjects (e.g., Islamic art, architecture, and medicine), and more than 70 well-selected illustrations and maps add to the text. This survey succeeds in highlighting the diversity of the Islamic world and may well lead interested readers to further study. Both for students and general readers seeking basic information on the Islamic world, this complements the larger histories by Bernard Lewis and others. Highly recommended for all public libraries.-Robert J. Andrews, Duluth P.L. Copyright 2004 Reed Business Information.