The Arabs: A Short History [Paperback]

Heinz Halm (Author), Allison Brown (Translator), Thomas Lampert (Translator)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 1558764178 | ISBN-13: 978-1558764170 | Publication Date: December 30, 2006

The history of Arabia is inextricably tied to the history of Islam. The Prophet Muhammad came from Arabia, and the most important religious centers for Muslims are located in the Arab cities of Mecca and Medina. However, Arabs already had a history reaching back over one and a half millennia when Muhammad entered the stage. Since the ninth century B.C.E. they had been an integral force in determining the fate of the Middle East, establishing themselves as a major power in the seventh century C.E. and with the rise of the caliphate expanding the borders of the Arab world far beyond the Middle East into North Africa and Spain, and even into France. Since that time, Arab history has been intimately connected with European history. Medieval European arts and sciences would have been unthinkable without the brilliant culture of the Arab empire. Only in the modern era has this relationship been marked by a growing European hegemony, which continues to encumber relations between the West and the Arab world to the present day. In this volume, Heinz Halm offers a compact and comprehensible overview of the history and culture of the Arabs from the first references in the inscriptions of Assyrian kings to the most recent developments of contemporary Arab nations.

Editorial Reviews

Review

" "Reading this demythologizing report makes a great many things come into focus. The book is outstanding." -- Neue Zuricher Zeitung

"While short in length, this book is wide in scope and range, both historically and geographically, covering the Arab peoples (that is, the more than 280 million people in North Africa and the Middle East who speak Arabic) from their pre-Islamic origins and the first recorded use of the term 'Arab' to today's troubles in Iraq. In fewer than 200 pages, Halm (Islamic Studies, University of Tuebingen, Germany,"Shi'a Islam: From Religion to Revolution") does a marvelous job of condensing over 1000 years of history into seven chapters arranged chronologically, with subchapters arranged geographically, which makes the material easy to follow. Halm includes information on the many different cultures and governments, the Prophet Muhammad and his successors, Islamic dynasties,countries and rulers, interaction with the West and colonialism, literature and languages, modern nationalism and various wars, Israel, and the Sunni and Shi'a. Written for a general audience, it is recommended for all public and undergraduate libraries." -- Library Journal

Halm (University of Tuebingen, Germany) offers Westerners a concise history of the Arabs, from the pre-Islamic era to the present, highlighting the changes in culture, economy, and religion over the last 2,000 years. The English translation, by Alison Brown and Thomas Lampert, makes the original German publication (2004, Verlag C. H. Beck, Muenchen) accessible to a wider audience; translation of the work was supported by the Goethe-Institut. The text also includes a thematically-organized bibliography for further reading, and notes on Arabic pronunciation. Contains an index of names only; no subject index. Academic but accessible to the general reader. -- Book News

This brief history of the Arabs from the pre-Islamic era to the present provides readers with an outstanding, easily comprehensible overview of a world that has been subject to many half-truths and prejudices. Halm's expertise extends to both political and social developments and the cultural sphere." --Tagesanzeiger, Zurich -- Tagesanzeiger

From the Publisher

Also available as packback: Just published Paperback Info: --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 186 pages
• Publisher: Markus Wiener Pub (December 30, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1558764178
• ISBN-13: 978-1558764170
• Product Dimensions: 8.7 x 5.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 10.6 ounces
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,684,945 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)