With a brief chronological account of the French Revolutionary and Napoleonic Wars to act as a quick reference; the remaining volume provides in sharp detail a survey of the basic capabilities and use of the weaponry of the era; a review of each state's participation in those ongoing conflicts; brief biographical notices of some of the leading military leaders; an update on the development of Napoleonic literature; a glossary of military terms; and a section devoted to miscellaneous facts and figures.
#946157 in Books ONEWorld Publications 2007-10-01Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.96 x .76 x 5.91l; .95 #File Name: 1851684972280 pagesONEWorld Publications
Review
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. Interesting insights and worth reading; but should've been two books instead of oneBy Whitt Patrick PondAsma Afsaruddin's The First Muslims: History and Memory is a worthwhile read that offers interesting insights and perspectives on both the early history of Islam and on how that history has come to be viewed through the lens of memory. The lens of _selective_ memory more often than not; as Ms. Afsaruddin points out quite vividly; showing how various Islamic writers over the years have consciously edited and shaded the way they relate that history to support or promote their own particular take on how that history should be viewed.My only real criticism of The First Muslims is that it doesn't go into sufficient depth; either in the section that deals with history or in the section that deals with how that history is viewed and interpreted; particularly in the current day. While I can appreciate the ambitious nature of what Ms. Afsaruddin was trying for; I think the reading public would've been better served by splitting the book into two separate books and then have each book go into greater depth. As it is; this book by itself feels insufficient to the task and while highly educational; left me feeling somewhat dissatisfied at the end; a niggling feeling that there should have been more to both sections in order to properly round things out and to give the subjects the treatment they deserve.Highly recommended; with the caution that while it does a good job of framing the issue of history versus memory in Muslim perspectives; it falls short in giving the reader a full understanding of just how this has shaped the Muslim world as it exists today; and more importantly; where the lines of difference within the contemporary Muslim world are drawn.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. The Best starting place to learn about IslamBy Michael RussellThis is perhaps the best book to offer as a starting place for a non-Muslim study of Islam. It delves into the sensibilities and convictions of the Prophet; his Companions and Successors in a very readable way. But then Prof. Afsaruddin goes further and connects the dots to the present moment in Islamic intellectual debate. For those who have been watching the "Islamic State" rampage across Iraq and Syria; this book will set it all in context as she looks at the Islamic State; jihad; the roles of women and political governance to see what the First Muslims might say to the present day Islamists. For Christians and Jews who have studied their own scripture's textual formation she lays out the debates about the formation of the Quran and the Hadith (says of the Prophet) and how they achieved "authorized" status. All of this is packed into a clear and yet brief account of these important topics.My thanks for this book.4 of 6 people found the following review helpful. Ambitious in many senses of the wordBy Steve ReinaIn this book; Professor Asma Afsaruddin sets out to discuss the life of Muhammed; the four "Rightly Guided" Caliphs; the successors; their successors; and today's Islam in relation to jihad; women's rights and democracy and to accomplish all those missions in under 200 pages.In that sense; this book is ambitious in terms of its historical scope. Significantly; it's also ambitious in its effort to restore to today's Muslim world the right of believers to come to Qur'an on their own terms and thereby "clean the black stains of [the errors of traditionalism] from the luminious face of Islam" as stated by nineteenth century modernist Sayyid Ahmad Khan.It's this latter "clean the black stains" sense of ambition in which Afsaruddin succeeds most notably.For all the scattered cries of "Allahu Akbar" it's this book's loving treatment of the actual life lessons from Muhammed and Qur'an for which Afsaruddin challenges the reader to discover the real meaning of the phrase. What good is a forehead bruised from long hours of penitant prayer when the "faithful" fail to couple a demonstrated love of fellow man with submission to the devine?For both believers in Islam and non Muslims; this book cannot help but educate and inspire.
