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4.35 AVERAGE
4.35 AVERAGE
dark
informative
reflective
slow-paced
informative
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
informative
medium-paced
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
challenging
hopeful
informative
reflective
sad
slow-paced
Destiny Disrupted filled some of the enormous gaps in my knowledge of Islamic history and, more importantly, provided me with at least one very educated and eloquent person's interpretation of the Islamic perspective on world history. As a bonus, I got a broader historical interpretation of the events in Constantinople that played a large role in one of the intertwined stories in Cloud Cuckoo Land, which I had just finished.
My childhood education in the US South on Islam covered little beyond the existence of the Shi'a and Sunni branches of Islam and the fact that their adherents don't get along, with the latter fact getting the most emphasis. While I was heavily exposed to a Christian perspective on world history, I can't say that I actually knew much more about Christianity or any other religion than Islam. After making my way through this tome, it's probably now the reverse.
My childhood education in the US South on Islam covered little beyond the existence of the Shi'a and Sunni branches of Islam and the fact that their adherents don't get along, with the latter fact getting the most emphasis. While I was heavily exposed to a Christian perspective on world history, I can't say that I actually knew much more about Christianity or any other religion than Islam. After making my way through this tome, it's probably now the reverse.
challenging
informative
reflective
fast-paced
I will admit at first I was hesitant to start reading this book. I had been wanting to learn about Islamic history for a while, since I was always vaguely aware that the state of the modern “Middle East” has not always been the case. Despite this, I was still worried to start reading, fearing that this would be a dry and confusing text that would take weeks to finish. I am so glad I was wrong.
Not only was I hooked by the introduction, the entire book has a very fast pace with very readable descriptions of major events. Ansary makes it clear that he is going over things briefly so I would not worry about the book presenting itself as a definitive history, it does not. It only made me more encouraged to learn more about the history of the region now that I have decent baseline. The experience of watching names being mentioned and then seeing them pop up as prominent figures a few chapters later was genuinely exciting, a feeling not normally present in history books. So much about the modern day makes sense now and by understanding how we got to where we are at we are able to have a more compassionate and hopeful outlook on the future. If you have even a cursory interest in Islamic or Middle Eastern history this is definitely a great place to start, don’t let the almost 400 pages scare you.
Not only was I hooked by the introduction, the entire book has a very fast pace with very readable descriptions of major events. Ansary makes it clear that he is going over things briefly so I would not worry about the book presenting itself as a definitive history, it does not. It only made me more encouraged to learn more about the history of the region now that I have decent baseline. The experience of watching names being mentioned and then seeing them pop up as prominent figures a few chapters later was genuinely exciting, a feeling not normally present in history books. So much about the modern day makes sense now and by understanding how we got to where we are at we are able to have a more compassionate and hopeful outlook on the future. If you have even a cursory interest in Islamic or Middle Eastern history this is definitely a great place to start, don’t let the almost 400 pages scare you.
A history book that reads like a novel. I am so impressed by how thorough and accurate this book is when telling the story of Islam/the Islamic World. This should be required reading in school. I absolutely loved it.
informative
relaxing
medium-paced