Lords of the Horizon: A History of the Ottoman Empire [Paperback]

Jason Goodwin (Author)

Book Description

ISBN-10: 0805063420 | ISBN-13: 978-0805063424 | Publication Date: April 15, 2000 | Edition: 1st

For six hundred years, the Ottoman Empire swelled and declined. Islamic, martial, civilized, and tolerant, it advanced in three centuries from the dusty foothills of Anatolia to rule on the Danube and the Nile; at its height, Indian rajahs and the kings of France beseeched the empire's aid. In its last three hundred years the empire seemed ready to collapse, a prodigy of survival and decay. In this dazzling evocation of the empire's power, Jason Goodwin explores how the Ottomans rose and how, against all odds, they lingered on. In doing so, he also offers a long look back to the origins of problems that plague present-day Kosovars and Serbs.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"A meditation on a vanished world that hovers like an apparition over today's grim headlines." (The New York Times Book Review, front page)

"Jason Goodwin's deftly written and beguiling history of the Ottoman Empire is particularly pertinent today, when the cauldron of ancient hatreds once more boils over, but his prose would be welcome at any time." (Robert Taylor, The Boston Globe)

"May be read with pleasure and profit by everyone, not least the traveler headed east of Vienna and west of Bagdad." (Andrew Whiteside, The Wall Street Journal)

About the Author

Jason Goodwin, whose previous titles include on Foot to the Golden Horn and A Time for Tea, is a regular contributor to The New York Times and Condé Nast Traveler. He lives in England.

Product Details

• Paperback: 368 pages
• Publisher: Holt Paperbacks; 1st edition (April 15, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0805063420
• ISBN-13: 978-0805063424
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.3 x 1.1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 13.6 ounces
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (22 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,446,725 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Entertaining, December 28, 2000

By 

doc peterson (Portland, Oregon USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Lords of the Horizon: A History of the Ottoman Empire (Paperback)

Goodwin writes "An Ottoman is made, not born ..." and much of the Lords of the Horizon explores just what made one an Ottoman. Interesting tidbits of Ottoman culture and society form the bulk of the text along with numerous anecdotes of "east meets west" through Ottoman eyes. The book is loosly organized along themes: warfare, cities, conquest - these themes following a general chronology of the rise, expansion and eventual collapse of the empire. Its primary strength is Goodwin's success in explaining the complex nature of Ottman rule - how major differences in language, race and religion were overcome and fused together for over 500 years, making the Ottoman empire a force to be reckoned with for most of its history. The book reads like fiction with its numerous personalized tales of Ottoman rulers and pivotal events, which is both a strength and a weakness. For those interested in a serious, scholarly history, I would look elsewhere. However, if you are interested in a light but informative and well written synopsis on the Ottoman empire, this is the book for you.

9 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars A complete disaster, May 21, 2000

By 

Lawrence Maggitti (Colorado) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Lords of the Horizon: A History of the Ottoman Empire (Paperback)

History as a novel - a very poorly written novel, at that. It is, as other reviewers have noted, quite eurocentric; the author relies far too much (and too uncritically) on accounts of European visitors to the Ottoman Empire.

But this is really the least of the book's problems. It is almost wall to wall anecdotes. This isn't good history - history is not a serious of anecdotes - and it isn't even very entertaining, as the anecdotes are by and large not very amusing or interesting.

And the writing. Perhaps an of example will make my point: "The most willowy and doe eyed pageboy was a dab hand with the gerit or the bow, and well versed in wrestling, the king of Ottoman sports."

Read it at your peril. You've been warned.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Young hip author writes about the Ottomans.., March 3, 2001

By A Customer

This review is from: Lords of the Horizon: A History of the Ottoman Empire (Paperback)

I submitted a review a month ago but it never showed up so here goes again:

I like Jason Goodwin but I have to tell those who are going to read this book, fasten your seatbelts cause it's gonna be a dizzying ride! A very disappointing chapter on dogs of all things, and a gloomy cover picture from one of the most beautiful places in the world. The book falls short of its impressive title, but Goodwin is trying. To Goodwin: Please use Turkish sources, Ottoman history with European sources does not convey the whole picture. Interesting tidbits throughout the book though if you are familiar with Ottoman history, you won't find anything new. Although I gave the book 3 stars I still recommend it over other opinionated tomes that are sure to put you to sleep. Jason may be confusing but he is not boring!