false http://photo.goodreads.com/books/1167879920m/27306.jpg 27306 20 The picture of Islam as a violent, backward, and insular tradition should be laid to rest, says Karen Armstrong, bestselling author of <I>Muhammad</I> and <I>A History of God</I>. Delving deep into Islamic history, Armstrong sketches the arc of a story that begins with the stirring of revelation in an Arab businessman named Muhammad. His concern with the poor who were being left behind in the blush of his society's new prosperity sets the tone for the tale of a culture that values community as a manifestation of God. Muhammad's ideas catch fire, quickly blossoming into a political empire. As the empire expands and the once fractured Arabs subdue and overtake the vast Persian domain, the story of a community becomes a panoramic drama. With great dexterity, Armstrong narrates the Sunni-Shi'ite schism, the rise of Persian influence, the clashes with Western crusaders and Mongolian conquerors, and the spiritual explorations that traced the route to God. Armstrong brings us through the debacle of European colonialism right up to the present day, putting Islamic fundamentalism into context as part of a worldwide phenomenon. <I>Islam: A Short History</I>, like Bruce Lawrence's <I>Shattering the Myth</I> and Mark Huband's <I>Warriors of the Prophet</I>, introduces us to a faith that beckons like a minaret to those who dare to venture beyond the headlines. <I>--Brian Bruya</I> 131885 2000 Islam: A Short History (Modern Library Chronicles) total:625|5:92|4:248|3:238|2:38|1:9| 625 2251 1031 91 2 1 false false Sat Apr 04 21:56:36 -0700 2009 Thu Mar 26 22:04:19 -0700 2009 Sat Apr 04 21:56:36 -0700 2009 It's not that she is a bad writer, just an exceptionally boring one. When I listen to 'Islam: A Short History' I feel like I'm being hit by a verbal machine gun fire of names, dates and places. Unfortunately few of these fact 'bullets'...more...]]> 3 1 false false Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon Apr 07 05:17:31 -0700 2008 Thu May 01 00:25:26 -0700 2008 Armstrong's brief (circa 190 pages) history of Islam is necessary reading, but not particularly well written. Her account is based in the fact that there can be no separation of religious from political histories when it comes to Islam: for the Islamic notion of 'salvation' "does not cons...more...]]> 4 1 false false Sat Dec 15 15:18:42 -0800 2007 Sat Dec 15 18:37:50 -0800 2007 Readers seeking a quick but thoughtful introduction to Islam will want to peruse Armstrong's latest offering. In her hallmark stylish and accessible prose, the author of A History of God takes readers from the sixth-century days of the Prophet Muhammad to the present. Arm...more...]]> 4 1 false false Sun Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2007 Fri Jul 27 08:39:12 -0700 2007 Sun Aug 12 07:55:02 -0700 2007 more...]]> 5 0 false false Tue Dec 23 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Thu Feb 12 13:22:30 -0800 2009 Thu Feb 12 13:28:40 -0800 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sat Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2006 Fri Jan 11 10:19:07 -0800 2008 Fri Jan 11 10:25:14 -0800 2008
Also, I was struck with the occasional blatant biases of the work. It's important to r...more...]]> 5 1 false false Thu Sep 18 17:59:45 -0700 2008 Thu Sep 18 17:59:45 -0700 2008
Also this book was written by Karen Armstrong (a monotheist and former nun) before 2001. So it is not a part of the torrent of crappy books on the subject that we saw after sept 11.

...more...]]> 4 0 false false Sun Jul 05 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Wed Jun 24 12:50:08 -0700 2009 Wed Jun 24 12:53:37 -0700 2009 the key factor to me is that Mohammed brought forth a system of belief that was a distinct improvement to the social and cultural era tha...more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Aug 16 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Tue May 05 13:23:46 -0700 2009 Mon Aug 17 05:58:27 -0700 2009
Islam is not inherently violent, and the Quran actually prohibits many of the things the Taliban, Al Qaeda, and other musli...more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Jul 06 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Sat Jun 21 15:26:05 -0700 2008 Mon Jul 07 09:01:03 -0700 2008
As usual, Armstrong packs a lot of information into a small pac...more...]]> 0 0 false false Thu Oct 25 12:20:55 -0700 2007 Thu Oct 25 12:25:09 -0700 2007 more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Jul 01 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 10 16:58:49 -0700 2009 Fri Jul 10 17:00:51 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Sun Jun 01 00:00:00 -0700 2008 Mon May 26 07:32:52 -0700 2008 Fri Jul 18 10:07:29 -0700 2008 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Jan 11 14:26:56 -0800 2008 Fri Jan 11 14:27:12 -0800 2008
I had to read the whole thing for a class but would recommend everyone (who is as clueless as I was prior to reading this) to take one hour out of their life and read Chapter One: Beginnings, wh...more...]]> 5 0 false false Sun Mar 01 00:00:00 -0800 2009 Thu Oct 01 10:23:22 -0700 2009 Thu Oct 01 10:28:04 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Wed Jul 22 10:29:02 -0700 2009 Fri Jun 12 11:50:22 -0700 2009 Wed Jul 22 10:29:02 -0700 2009 more...]]> 4 0 false false Tue Jan 01 00:00:00 -0800 2008 Fri Jan 09 15:54:44 -0800 2009 Fri Jan 09 15:58:30 -0800 2009 1 more...]]> 1 0 false false Wed Apr 29 00:00:00 -0700 2009 Thu Apr 30 05:08:16 -0700 2009 Thu Apr 30 05:15:37 -0700 2009 more...]]> 3 0 false false Fri Jul 13 21:55:30 -0700 2007 Fri Jul 13 22:12:23 -0700 2007
The last chapter on Islam in the modern day was the most interesting, and offered some interesting perspectives:

- The author writes that mode...more...]]> 3 0 false false Thu Jun 18 04:25:10 -0700 2009 Fri Jun 19 01:33:52 -0700 2009 http://www.goodreads.com/book_link/follow/8?book_id=27306