A story virtually unknown in the West; about two of the Middle East’s most remarkable figures—Oman’s Sultan Said and his rebellious daughter Princess Salme—comes to life in this narrative. From their capital on the sultry African island of Zanzibar; Sultan Said and his descendants were shadowed and all but shattered by the rise and fall of the nineteenth-century East African slave trade.“As shrewd; liberal; and enlightened a prince as Arabia has ever produced.†That’s how explorer Richard Burton described Seyyid Said Al bin Sultan Busaid; who came to power in Oman in 1804 when he was fifteen years old. During his half-century reign; Said ruled with uncanny contradiction: as a believer in a tolerant Islam who gained power through bloodshed and perfidy; and as an open-minded; intellectually curious man who established relations with the West while building a vast commercial empire on the backs of tens of thousands of slaves. His daughter Salme; born to a concubine in a Zanzibar harem; scandalized her family and people by eloping to Europe with a German businessman in 1866; converting to Christianity; and writing the first-known autobiography of an Arab woman.Christiane Bird paints a stunning portrait of violent family feuds; international intrigues; and charismatic characters—from Sultan Said and Princess Salme to the wildly wealthy slave trader Tippu Tip and the indefatigable British antislavery crusader Dr. David Livingstone. The Sultan’s Shadow is a brilliantly researched and irresistibly readable foray into the stark brutality and decadent beauty of a vanished world.
#376320 in Books imusti 2006Format: ImportOriginal language:EnglishPDF # 1 7.76 x 1.10 x 5.12l; .84 #File Name: 0340936290432 pagesHODDER STOUGHTON
Review
6 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Love itBy Cindy MischkeI loved the movie that Steven Spielberg did years ago with Liam Nesson as Schindler and realized I never read the book the movie was based on. And while needless to say books into movies never go well this one did. I really thought the book was well done and not one of those boring old history like texts and actually finished it a weekend because I couldn't put it down. I am glad Keneally wrote about Schindler becasue the world needs to know that while nobody is prefect even the least likely of people can become heros. This book needs to stay in print and maybe even one that is read in schools because people need to learn about the Holecust and the average people that helped save others during a really dark time in human history so that we do not reapeat the same mistakes as our fore fathers. Oscar Schindler and this book gives me hope in humanity.1 of 1 people found the following review helpful. A very interesting readBy P. K. RegoI seem to be running on Jew/Holocaust steam lately... I've been reading such books only...I don't know what to write of this book. This is such a famous book; that I think any review will not do it justice.Reading this book; I cannot stop questioning myself: If I lived during those times; what would I do? If I were a Jew; what would I do? If I were German; what would I do?There are many memorable Schindler quotes; and I think that they all ring some truth. "When you know people; you have to treat them like people." And the most touching; is his speech.A very interesting individual.0 of 0 people found the following review helpful. I'm glad I did because it took the story beyond the ...By Amy MSo many times throughout this book I had to remind myself this was real. It happened. I listened to Thomas Keneally's memoir on audiobook; Searching for Schindler before starting the book so I had some insight into it before I read it. I'm glad I did because it took the story beyond the page and gave it a real background from a time and place where I can understand. "It's a story of humanity; man to man". I almost cry every time I think of that quote from Pfefferberg.
