Dry but very worthy
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This work is a very useful historical survey of the major political developments that marked the classical era of Islamicate civilisation. I found it a very useful companion to other works that concentrate upon the cultural, social and intellectual aspects of Muslim history for example the works of Ira Lapidus and Marshall G Hodgson. Although it is a specialist work it has a clear narrative structure which allows for a degree of comparative analysis between the different regions covered by the study. Whilst it might be true to describe it as being a little dry and academic I consider this to be a strength and would certainly prefer it over more populist works of narrative history for example Bernard Lewis and the sensationalist revisionist accounts propounded by writers such as Patricia Crone and Wilfred Madelung. He does not seek to make reductive connections between historical effects and essential psychological or cultural causes which is refreshing and only adds to its overall authorativeness. I would recommend it to any reader who is genuinely interested in understanding the complexity of early Islamic history and its hightly contested and ideological character.
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Hard going
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Five stars for content, two stars for readability. Densely written, colourless, but masses of factual detail which are not easy to find elsewhere. A book for specialists only, in my opinion.
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