In just over a hundred years--from the death of Muhammad in 632 to the beginning of the Abbasid Caliphate in 750--the followers of the Prophet swept across the whole of the Middle East; North Africa; and Spain. Their armies threatened states as far flung as the Franks in Western Europe and the Tang Empire in China. The conquered territory was larger than the Roman Empire at its greatest expansion; and it was claimed for the Arabs in roughly half the time. How this collection of Arabian tribes was able to engulf so many empires; states; and armies in such a short period has perplexed historians for centuries. Most accounts of the Arab invasions have been based almost solely on the early Muslim sources; which were composed centuries later to illustrate the divinely chosen status of the Arabs. Robert Hoyland's groundbreaking new history assimilates not only the rich biographical information of the early Muslim sources but also the many non-Arabic sources; contemporaneous or near-contemporaneous with the conquests. In God's Path begins with a broad picture of the Late Antique world prior to the Prophet's arrival; a world dominated by two superpowers: Byzantium and Sasanian Persia. In between these empires; emerged a distinct Arabian identity; which helped forge the inhabitants of western Arabia into a formidable fighting force. The Arabs are the principal actors in this drama yet; as Hoyland shows; the peoples along the edges of Byzantium and Persia--the Khazars; Bulgars; Avars; and Turks--all played critical roles in the remaking of the old world order. The new faith propagated by Muhammad and his successors made it possible for many of the conquered peoples to join the Arabs in creating the first Islamic Empire. Well-paced; comprehensive; and eminently readable; In God's Path presents a sweeping narrative of a transformational period in world history.
#333682 in Books Oxford University Press 2012-05-18Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 6.10 x 1.00 x 9.20l; 1.85 #File Name: 0199843287592 pages
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Excellent One Volume History of the Civil War PeriodBy Eric Lee Smith“Fateful Lightning†tells the story of the American Civil War and part of the story of Reconstruction. In a single volume; Guelzo covers the period leading up to the War; the War itself; and its aftermath. He covers familiar ground; but his two chapters on the pre-war period were a true eye-opener for me.Guelzo brings out the culture of the South and how it evolved into a place so alien from its Northern half. The mysterious Whig party is revealed to have been a major force for unity; but with its collapse the war became more inevitable. I never really understood who the Whigs were and what they believed; Guelzo does an amazing job of explaining them and their importance. The Whigs performed a long dance with Jefferson’s Democrats to keep the Union in tack. It was one compromise after another; it was yielding the presidency to Southerns almost exclusively for decades; it was packing the Supreme Count with Southerns; all in the name of maintaining peace and the Union.The Compromise of 1850 kept the Union together by bringing in a balanced number of slave and free states; but it also spawned the Fugitive Slave Act; a monster in the eyes of most Northerners; even those opposed to abolitionism. From there it all went downhill; with a seemingly endless list of horrors: The Dread Scott decision; Bleeding Kansas; John Brown; and on and on. Until the war came. Guelzo tells the story the best way I have ever heard it told.That was just the prelude to the war too. From there to book goes into the political; economic; and military aspects of the war and even goes into such neglected areas as the effects of the war on Native Americans and the role of women on both sides. The military narratives are brief; but well drawn; with enough detail that the flow can be followed. The nearly hopeless situations of both Jefferson Davis and Abraham Lincoln stand out starkly. Quelzo points out that both sides avoided a military dictatorship by using essentially the same methods; fascinating stuff.The world turned upside down times of Reconstruction are outlined in enough detail to be interesting; but it left me wanting more. Which is as it should be I suppose.I would give this book a top rating; five stars; but for two shortcomings: too few maps and illustrations; and a layout whose font I find thin and hard to read. The tremendously interesting “Further Reading†section; with its notes about the chapters and their sources; almost makes up for it though. Oxford University Press published this book and “Battle Cry of Freedom;†on the same topic; twenty-five years apart. Guelzo’s book is a fine successor; although it does not make the earlier book obsolete. Highly recommend.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. A Remarkable and Game Changing WorkBy Robert Henry; M.D.This is an incredible work of historical art. Like so many of you ; I have been reading about the Civil War; Reconstruction and the monumental aftermath; (which continues to this day) for many decades. There are; of course; many historical artists (Foote; McPherson; Catton and so many others well known and loved by you) whose works are so very crucial in obtaining as much knowledge and understanding as possible. But Allen Guelzo's Fateful Lightning goes beyond helping to understand. It is titled well as a "New History of the Civil War and Reconstruction". What is new is huge. It is a bringing together of the disparate facts and events to impart a deep; visceral feeling of Civil War history as a vibrant and organic event; the relevancy of which is very clearly of great impact now; and which will retain that greatness of impact throughout the future of the United States. Guelzo answers the question that so many of you Civil War historians have been asked time and again-"Why are you studying such a long ago event?" Guelzo's answer is; "Because it isn't over".Robert Henry; M.D.2 of 2 people found the following review helpful. Rich historical pictureBy Mary C. ThorleifsonfI have been an admirerer of Allen Guelzo's Civil War writings and I also like his work and commentaries on C-Span and PBS; but this last book; Fateful Lightening surpassed even my high expectations. Guelzo's deals with sides and points-of- view in a different and--to me-- engrossing manner. From building navies; both Union and confederate to such small details as the two models for utilizing domestic resources; this book just keeps on with its rich historical picture of how the Civil War was fought and lived.It is not a regular Civil War history but one that I would recommend to anyone interested in the 1860's.
