Masʻūdī (896–956)

Much better than Herodotus. This selection is from a longer book, which I would be willing to read. It is a description of the ancient world around the time of 975, and like many history books of that period there is a mix of heresay and actual events or places seen by the author. While there is not much narrative to this book it is still an engaging read.

Much of his work has vanished, but Mas'udi's (c.890-c.956) matchless "The Meadows of Gold" has almost miraculously survived: a compendium of stories and information on what he knew of the worlds of the Middle East, the Far East and Europe. It is both a great monument to Islamic scholarship and a time capsule allowing us into the world over a millennium ago.