A review by mj470
In the Shadow of the Sword: The Birth of Islam and the Rise of the Global Arab Empire by Tom Holland

3.0

I needed to read something to give me context into the present contentions in the middle east. This has lots of speculation about the writing of the Quran that I didn't find the most informative. However discussion of the interplay between Muslims, Jews, and Christians historically was fascinating. It's a very violent and superstitious past so that in and of itself is informative for our present.