From Babel to Dragomans: Interpreting the Middle East
by Bernard Lewis
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"Over the course of his professional career, Bernard Lewis has proven himself as a scholar learned in a number of languages, who has interpreted Islam, the Ottoman Empire, and the modern Middle East for the West. Now, this respected authority has brought together his reflections on Middle Eastern history and foreign affairs written over six decades. The essays include such topics of pan-Arabism, the Mughal and Ottoman empires, the relationship between Western powers and the Middle East, show more travel in the region, food and feasts, and the problems and practice of writing Middle Eastern history. The pieces cover great events of twentieth-century history, such as the emergence of modern Israel, the Iranian Revolution, and the Gulf War. And they address urgent and compelling topics such as the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and the significance of Saddam Hussein and Osama bin Laden. The collection ranges from English originals of articles published before only in foreign languages, to previously unpublished writings, to his highly regarded essays from publications such as Foreign Affairs and The New York Review of Books. With more than fifty pieces in all prefaced by a new, personal memoir by Lewis, this is a valuable collection for everyone interested in the Middle East. Here then is a rich repository of wisdom on one of the key areas of the modern world - a wealth of profound reflections on Middle Eastern history, culture, politics, and current events."--Jacket. show lessTags
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This long and rambling treatise by one of the foremost experts on Islam and it's peoples tries to delve into the minds and inner workings of the Muslim world and people.
Paraded and chronicled are the usual cast of characters, the early Islamic Caliphates, the early schism in the religion resulting in it's split into Sunni and Shia. The constant rivalry between the two for ascendary. With Shias trying to replace the Sunnis through the Fatimid Caliphate and the firm establishment of Persia as a Shia stronghold. The Ottoman Empire holding the beacon as the leader of the Islamic world until it's eventual demise.
The rise of Secular Muslim states like Turkey, the effect of Islam on european peoples and lands like Bulgaria, Albania, show more Yugoslavia, Romania and Iberia. The reconquest of areas like Sicily and Spain, the cursades and the interaction between the Christian, Jewish and Islamic worlds and the their interconnections and common roots. This book cuts a vast swath. show less
Paraded and chronicled are the usual cast of characters, the early Islamic Caliphates, the early schism in the religion resulting in it's split into Sunni and Shia. The constant rivalry between the two for ascendary. With Shias trying to replace the Sunnis through the Fatimid Caliphate and the firm establishment of Persia as a Shia stronghold. The Ottoman Empire holding the beacon as the leader of the Islamic world until it's eventual demise.
The rise of Secular Muslim states like Turkey, the effect of Islam on european peoples and lands like Bulgaria, Albania, show more Yugoslavia, Romania and Iberia. The reconquest of areas like Sicily and Spain, the cursades and the interaction between the Christian, Jewish and Islamic worlds and the their interconnections and common roots. This book cuts a vast swath. show less
This long and rambling treatise by one of the foremost experts on Islam and it's peoples tries to delve into the minds and inner workings of the Muslim world and people.
Paraded and chronicled are the usual cast of characters, the early Islamic Caliphates, the early schism in the religion resulting in it's split into Sunni and Shia. The constant rivalry between the two for ascendary. With Shias trying to replace the Sunnis through the Fatimid Caliphate and the firm establishment of Persia as a Shia stronghold. The Ottoman Empire holding the beacon as the leader of the Islamic world until it's eventual demise.
The rise of Secular Muslim states like Turkey, the effect of Islam on european peoples and lands like Bulgaria, Albania, show more Yugoslavia, Romania and Iberia. The reconquest of areas like Sicily and Spain, the cursades and the interaction between the Christian, Jewish and Islamic worlds and the their interconnections and common roots. This book cuts a vast swath. show less
Paraded and chronicled are the usual cast of characters, the early Islamic Caliphates, the early schism in the religion resulting in it's split into Sunni and Shia. The constant rivalry between the two for ascendary. With Shias trying to replace the Sunnis through the Fatimid Caliphate and the firm establishment of Persia as a Shia stronghold. The Ottoman Empire holding the beacon as the leader of the Islamic world until it's eventual demise.
The rise of Secular Muslim states like Turkey, the effect of Islam on european peoples and lands like Bulgaria, Albania, show more Yugoslavia, Romania and Iberia. The reconquest of areas like Sicily and Spain, the cursades and the interaction between the Christian, Jewish and Islamic worlds and the their interconnections and common roots. This book cuts a vast swath. show less
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69+ Works 11,196 Members
Bernard Lewis was born in London, England on May 31, 1916. He graduated with honors in history from the School of Oriental Studies at the University of London in 1936 with special reference to the Middle East. In 1938, he was named an assistant lecturer at the University of London, where he received a Ph.D. the next year. In 1940, he was drafted show more into the British armed forces and assigned to the Army tank corps. He was soon transferred to intelligence. He taught at the University of London for 25 years. In 1974, he accepted joint appointments at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton, New Jersey and Princeton University. He also taught at Cornell from 1984 to 1990. He became an American citizen in 1982. He was a scholar of Middle Eastern history and a prolific writer. His books included The Emergence of Modern Turkey, What Went Wrong?: The Clash between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East, and From Babel to Dragomans: Interpreting the Middle East. Because he was considered an expert on interactions between the Christian and Islamic worlds, his view helped shape American foreign policy under President George W. Bush. He died on May 19, 2018 at the age of 101. (Bowker Author Biography) show less
Classifications
- Genres
- History, Nonfiction, Religion & Spirituality, General Nonfiction
- DDC/MDS
- 956 — History & geography History of Asia Middle East Asia: Turkey, Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, Israel, Jordan
- LCC
- DS44 .L48 — History of Europe, Asia, Africa and Oceania Asia History of Asia Middle East. Southwestern Asia. Ancient Orient.
- BISAC
Statistics
- Members
- 491
- Popularity
- 61,279
- Reviews
- 3
- Rating
- (3.80)
- Languages
- English, German, Italian
- Media
- Paper, Audiobook, Ebook
- ISBNs
- 14
- ASINs
- 5
