The most exquisite memories of the Ottoman history are brought back to life with an album of photographs from the Yildiz Collection. In the 1880s upon an order of Sultan Abdlhamid II; Mecca and Medina; the two sanctuaries of Islam; were photographed and catalogued; together with thousands of other frames that portrayed the Ottoman lands. There are over 80 photographs in the album showing us what these blessed cities looked like in the 19th century and what they have lost over the course of time.
#901535 in Books New Press; The 2013-09-03Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 9.75 x 6.50 x 1.00l; 1.40 #File Name: 1595589465352 pagesGreat product!
Review
1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy mr david curranA great short book for people who can't tell a Sunni disposition from a Shiite shape8 of 12 people found the following review helpful. Too concise and rather biasedBy Aron MatskinI bought the book because it was recommended by Tyler Cowen in his (and Alex Tabarrok's) blog Marginal Revolution. After having read the book I am a bit buffled why he liked it.A Concise History of the Arabs is too concise to further one's understanding of Arab history. The book is full of facts; but they lack serious context. The overarching message is that during the modern times the Arabs have been victims of colonialism - mainly British and French - and Zionism. They have a distinct culture and a wolrldview based on; but not necessarily identical with; Islam. That culture is in some important ways is superior to the Western secular culture of hedonism and excess. Their recent past as victims of that same Western culture; however; did not let the Arabs develop a healthy response to modernity causing Arab-on-Arab and Arab against the West violence. Still not all is lost - the Arab Spring may turn out to be the new beginning for them.All well and good; but the author ends up more or less just stating that point. His analysis is extremely one-sided and biased toward the Arabs and against the West. He seems to be hiding behind the disclaimer that his history is "concise and not definitive". But is such a case he should have found a neutral context for his work; not a moral one.0 of 3 people found the following review helpful. WorthwhileBy Bad LegInteresting knowledge acquired in reading this book. I'll finish it eventually.
