Ira Lapidus' global history of Islamic societies; first published in 1988; has become a classic in the field. For over two decades; it has enlightened students; scholars; and others with a thirst for knowledge about one of the world's great civilizations. This book is based on parts one and two of Lapidus' monumental A History of Islamic Societies; revised and updated; describes the transformations of Islamic societies from their beginning in the seventh century; through their diffusion across the globe; into the challenges of the nineteenth century. The story focuses on the organization of families and tribes; religious groups and states; depicts them in their varied and changing contexts; and shows how they were transformed by their interactions with other religious and political communities into a varied; global and interconnected family of societies. The book concludes with the European commercial and imperial interventions that initiated a new set of transformations in the Islamic world; and the onset of the modern era. Organized in narrative sections for the history of each major region; with innovative; analytic summary introductions and conclusions; this book is a unique endeavor. Its breadth; clarity; style; and thoughtful exposition will ensure its place in the classroom and beyond as a guide for the educated reader.
#263059 in Books Cambridge University Press 2000-03-28Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.98 x .87 x 5.98l; 1.30 #File Name: 0521657040384 pages
Review
0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. Four StarsBy BigBuyerThe best book out on the subject. 4 starts because I didn't find it interesting.14 of 15 people found the following review helpful. a breath of fresh airBy laolaohuI don't know why this book is so poorly reviewed. Yes; it is short on detail; if by detail you mean every minor battle between every minor clan; or every minor intrigue between each petty ruler and the three thousand four hundred and twenty seven claimants trying to wrest his power away from him. But I've had enough of skimming through that kind of history; and I found this book a breath of fresh air. This author distills a very complex history down into a few of its more important elements; and he explains things. Want to know where Fergana is actually located? This book will tell you. Want to know where the Uighers originally came from? This book will tell you. Want to know what distinguishes the Naqshbandiya from other orders of Sufis? This book will tell you that also.If you are new to this subject; then none of that might seem important. But so many other works on Inner Asia presuppose that you already have this information in your head; it makes you want to hang the authors by their toes and boil them in oil. (Figuratively speaking; of course). As for the maps; they are not great; but they are several orders of magnitude better than I have seen in any other book on central Asian history.As for the fact that the weight of the book leans toward the present; I found that refreshing also. Too many books seem to end with the dismemberment of the Golden Horde or something like that; leaving you to scratch your head and wonder: but happened after that? My gripe is that the book doesn't come far enough into the present. It ends in the late 1990's; just when things started to really heat up in the area. But that's not the authors fault. He wrote it when he wrote it.I do; however; agree with the reviewer who complained about the spelling of Chinese names. This is for all writers on China: Hello! Wade-Giles is dead! Pinyin is now the accepted standard. Please use it. It's not Sinkiang; it's Xinjiang! To refuse to use pinyin is to needlessly (and perhaps deliberately) create confusion. Get with it; scholars.27 of 31 people found the following review helpful. A modern fascinating accountBy Seth J. FrantzmanThis book follows the history of 'inner asia' from the time of the Islamic conquests to modern day independence. The area covered is the steppe lands from Mongolia to the former soviet republics(Kazakhstan; Uzbek; Tajik; Turkmen and Kyrgiz) as well as the Sinkiang(Xinxiang/Uiguer) province of China. It covers with wonderful fluid writing the history from the original linguistic families of Turkic speaking tribesmen to the arrival of Islam. We see how the people were once Buddhist and how Arabic script colonized them only to be repalced by Cyrillic in modern times. We are told of the the story of the Kok Turks; and CHinese expansion into Inner and outer mongolia. Various dynasties are covered; including Persian influence and the lands of Bokhara and Khiva. The arrival of the Mongols is explained and the decline through to Soviet expansionMost fascinating is the account brings us up to the modern day; explaining the Communist state of Mongolia and the Sovietization of Central Asia; including the various autonomous 'nations' the Soviets created for groups like the Bakshir nomads and other peoples of the Steppe; preserving; creating and in come cases fragmenting culture.The soviets even impressed language onto peoples; such as the Uzbeks; giving alphabets and coercing natives. Modern times has seen war; famine; dictatorship; Chinese encroachment; Suppression; and of course Islamization of the region. Today seperatist movements are encoruaged in China and Pan-Turk ideals are pipe dreams.This is inner asia; a fascinatign region of diverse culture and history; fascinting linguistic ties and a history that must be told and read. A Highly readable book about an amazing place and a wonderful people. Anyone interested in the world; in history or new ideas will enjoy this read.Seth J. Frantzman
