Friday, April 27, 2012

Prof seeks help

Can any reader help me find a good, accessible book that I can assign my students in next fall's iteration of the History of Islamic Civilization?  I am looking for a book that discusses some aspect of Islamic Civilization in the early modern period.  In the past I have used Juan Cole's Napoleon's Egypt and Daniel Goffmann's The Ottoman Empire and Early Modern Europe; both worked reasonably well.  Good as it is, I don't want to use Ross Dunn on Ibn Battuta, I'd rather lecture on him. Davis' recent book on Leo Africanus is probably too literary for my students.  Any suggestions out there?

3 comments:

  1. Anonymous8:37 pm

    I am sure you know this one, but a great (albeit long) textbook covering Arabic history from the pre Hijra period to the twentieth century is Albert Hourani's A History of the Arab Peoples. It also covers the Ottoman empire in great depth.

    I also want to say what a fantastic site you have set up. The post on Rome c.600 was so atmospheric it sent chills down my spine. It reminded me of Angkor Wat or Leptis Magna.

    Regards

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    1. Compliment much appreciated. The Rome in 600 post, however, owes its power to a blog written by "Dr Beachcombing." I will check but there should be a link to Dr B's original.

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