George Sale (1697–1736)

If you've never read the Koran, imagine a series of sermons (revelations) pieced together. There are several faith stories from the Hebrew and Christian Bible referenced but with a slightly different twist in the retelling and application or reminder where they were wrong. I wanted my first reading to be just face value without the corruption/influence of any commentary besides a few books I've read on the history of the Koran and Mohammed. On the whole I thought it sounded like somebody with a borderline personality or your favorit old-tyme, hellfire and brimstone preacher. On the one side are eloquent sayings about the wonder, power, and majesty of God. Then it turns to descriptions of the unbeliever's innards boiled lovingly by God on the day of judgment. Thrown in for good measure is the need for men and those that follow Islam to be dominant with a dash of anti-Semitism to grow on.… (more)

"[Mr. Jefferson] spoke in the highest terms of a Universal History on one of the shelves. It was the ancient Univ. hist. compiled by a company of gentlemen in England, in a dozen or more octavos. 'It is,' said he, 'so impartial and gives you original authorities for everything, is so well furnished with maps and every kind of help,' &c." — William Hooper's Account of a Visit to Monticello, 20 September 1823 [Source: John Hooper Papers, Southern Historical Collection, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill]

"the Antient Universal history should be on our shelves as a book of general reference, the most learned, and most faithful perhaps that ever was written. it’s style is very plain, but perspicious [sic]." — Thomas Jefferson to George W. Lewis, 25 October 1825… (more)