jay_sy's review
informative
reflective
medium-paced
3.5
Destiny Disrupted by Tamim Ansary provided an interesting overview of Islamic history. This is an area that I personally know very little about so I found the book quite informative and it helped me to make sense of what was happening in that area of the world.
I found it interesting to see the roots of Islam and ideals of the early figureheads.
Later, there was the interest in Greek philosophy because they believed science and philosophy could use logic to prove their religious ideals. I always like to see what forces shape a society and the directions they take.
I found the segment on Mukluks to be quite fascinating, since they were being used as guards because they aren’t native and have no ties to home, only to become unruly and take power, showing how despite the intentions of the rulers, the end result was the opposite of what they might have wanted.
Another thing that stood out was the brutality of the crusaders from the west (cannibalism of women and children), and how it wasn’t seen as a war, so much as a disaster of barbarians. There was also the explanation of how status symbols (wives that didn’t need to work and could be kept out of sight) led to increased oppressive circumstances for women.
Finally, I was intrigued by how cultural values (like individualism) aided the industrial revolution because people weren’t thinking about the effect of their actions on neighbours and kin.
The book covers an extensive period of time up to 2001, and a part of me wished there was a little bit more detail about some of the more interesting historical figures, and the way the common people lived. But I'm glad to have read it and would give it a 3.5 out of 5
I found it interesting to see the roots of Islam and ideals of the early figureheads.
Spoiler
In their day, they would have been seen as progressive, championing the rights of the downtrodden in society and I can understand how they attracted a following.Later, there was the interest in Greek philosophy because they believed science and philosophy could use logic to prove their religious ideals. I always like to see what forces shape a society and the directions they take.
I found the segment on Mukluks to be quite fascinating, since they were being used as guards because they aren’t native and have no ties to home, only to become unruly and take power, showing how despite the intentions of the rulers, the end result was the opposite of what they might have wanted.
Another thing that stood out was the brutality of the crusaders from the west (cannibalism of women and children), and how it wasn’t seen as a war, so much as a disaster of barbarians. There was also the explanation of how status symbols (wives that didn’t need to work and could be kept out of sight) led to increased oppressive circumstances for women.
Finally, I was intrigued by how cultural values (like individualism) aided the industrial revolution because people weren’t thinking about the effect of their actions on neighbours and kin.
The book covers an extensive period of time up to 2001, and a part of me wished there was a little bit more detail about some of the more interesting historical figures, and the way the common people lived. But I'm glad to have read it and would give it a 3.5 out of 5
shornerk's review against another edition
5.0
This is one of the best books I have read for two reasons:
(1) Ansary is such an incredibly eloquent storyteller. He takes on an incredible task - that of telling the story of all of the Islamic world for all of history. For most writers, this would make a writer lose narrative flow and focus. Ansary weaves together stories of chains of events that often read like a novel. He beautifully balances an examination of biographical, spiritual, military, and social history.
(2) It opens my eyes to the histories that I never learned in US schools. Ansary makes a compelling case of the damage done by Western colonialism and imperialism. I believe understanding this history is an important stepping stone to restoration and peace making.
At times, I questioned the bias of the writer. However, his primary assertion is to counter the pervasive western bias Ansary finds in the organization of Western history texts. Ansary primarily uses secondary sources to inform his history, thought due to the scope of this book it makes sense that this is a compilation of secondary sources rather than an examination of primary source materials.
For me, this was an incredible introduction to a different historical narrative that has made me want to dig and understand more.
(1) Ansary is such an incredibly eloquent storyteller. He takes on an incredible task - that of telling the story of all of the Islamic world for all of history. For most writers, this would make a writer lose narrative flow and focus. Ansary weaves together stories of chains of events that often read like a novel. He beautifully balances an examination of biographical, spiritual, military, and social history.
(2) It opens my eyes to the histories that I never learned in US schools. Ansary makes a compelling case of the damage done by Western colonialism and imperialism. I believe understanding this history is an important stepping stone to restoration and peace making.
At times, I questioned the bias of the writer. However, his primary assertion is to counter the pervasive western bias Ansary finds in the organization of Western history texts. Ansary primarily uses secondary sources to inform his history, thought due to the scope of this book it makes sense that this is a compilation of secondary sources rather than an examination of primary source materials.
For me, this was an incredible introduction to a different historical narrative that has made me want to dig and understand more.
spencer_wright's review against another edition
4.0
Great history from beginning of Islamic period to early 21st century! He has a fun writing that made it all the more interesting!
bennynickels's review against another edition
4.0
realizing now that most of why dune is good is because islamic history is fire. sobering to think that had my path been just a little different I, like herbert, could have ended up as a freaky orientalist science fiction white boy
reasonpassion's review against another edition
5.0
I do not believe I can recommend this book enough, as even in the first few pages my consciousness was raised to a whole new level of understanding with an appreciation for just what sharia stands for and seeing the middle east as indeed a Middle World (aspects of which the western media seemed determined to make everyone ignorant of). Offering up a counter-point to the "clash of civilizations" narrative, Ansary, with a never-ending amount of wit and intelligence, describes a situation of competing stories. The history of the world through the eyes of Islam is of a similar kind as that of Western history, a completely bound system that has it's own actors and events that only recently began overlapping but in many ways was determined by events in the other. This is a story as rich and multi-faceted as any European history and yet utterly different as it is a story of community not individuals. To even begin to grasp the turmoil of our age this is a must-read.
palwasha_here's review against another edition
4.0
Among other things, I was also rewarded with not just the knowledge of Khilafat era but the rule of Ummayads, Abbasids, Turks, Crusader wars, Mongols wrecking havoc on Muslim world (also destroying Baghdad among others), then defeated by Egypt's mamluk general (hand canon the first gun was being used by Egypt at this point) Mongols conquering the Muslim world then being conquered by them by conversion, the ottoman empire and its victory over Constantinople and later Egypt too by eliminating Mamluk dynasty from history, and Safavids. Two centuries of Moghuls with worth mentioning Babur and his becoming king of Kabul, conquering Delhi, and how six Moghuls kings ruled for two centuries, with only one of them a drunkard and not praise worthy.
This book held so much information in such an engaging yet jaw-dropping writing style. It may take some time to get totally immersed in it but I think that's the case with most of the history books or may be it's just me being a beginner at non-fiction. But you do get immersed in it that's guaranteed.
It's interesting how the author explained very well how among other things, the European traders, bought (with higher payments) raw materials from the Ottoman empire which didn't leave enough for the local companies to be able to make products for public.
It talks about Shi'ism too, how it came into being, the Shi's -Sunni never ending tussle, and how always they tried to overcome each other.
I heard that once the great scholar Bukhari was investigating the chain of transmission for a particular hadith. He found the first link credible; the second man passed muster too; but when Bukhari went to interview the third man in the chain of transmission, he found the fellow beating his horse. That did it. The word of a man who beat his horse could not be trusted. That hadith had to be discarded.
It's interesting how well the author managed to add a little more to every piece of information.
All in all, it was a good concise world history book.
This book held so much information in such an engaging yet jaw-dropping writing style. It may take some time to get totally immersed in it but I think that's the case with most of the history books or may be it's just me being a beginner at non-fiction. But you do get immersed in it that's guaranteed.
It's interesting how the author explained very well how among other things, the European traders, bought (with higher payments) raw materials from the Ottoman empire which didn't leave enough for the local companies to be able to make products for public.
It talks about Shi'ism too, how it came into being, the Shi's -Sunni never ending tussle, and how always they tried to overcome each other.
I heard that once the great scholar Bukhari was investigating the chain of transmission for a particular hadith. He found the first link credible; the second man passed muster too; but when Bukhari went to interview the third man in the chain of transmission, he found the fellow beating his horse. That did it. The word of a man who beat his horse could not be trusted. That hadith had to be discarded.
It's interesting how well the author managed to add a little more to every piece of information.
All in all, it was a good concise world history book.