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A review by mattleesharp
The Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews, and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain by María Rosa Menocal, Harold Bloom
3.0
this was a book of almosts for me. i think as an entry point into this era of spanish history, this book is excellent. it opens with a broad overview that gives you a real feel for the "atmosphere" of medeival spain. it points out interesting historical tidbits along the way. it forces you to confront your probably racist assumptions about the way a muslim empire is run. and it introduces you to interesting characters in history through great little historical vignettes.
but it's an incredibly disingenuous book. even harold bloom can't help but lay in that little bit of criticism in his foreword. if you're familiar with the history or just a general skeptic, you start to get the feeling this book was written as a series of historical vignettes specifically as an act of omission.
i think there's value in that. i think a counter-narrative is important. i think advocacy in historical trade writing is a net positive. i found the book very readable and engaging. i would recommend it to anyone, but i cannot give it a great score on here, knowing it could have been much more.
but it's an incredibly disingenuous book. even harold bloom can't help but lay in that little bit of criticism in his foreword. if you're familiar with the history or just a general skeptic, you start to get the feeling this book was written as a series of historical vignettes specifically as an act of omission.
i think there's value in that. i think a counter-narrative is important. i think advocacy in historical trade writing is a net positive. i found the book very readable and engaging. i would recommend it to anyone, but i cannot give it a great score on here, knowing it could have been much more.