Customer Reviews

Lords of the Horizon: A History of the Ottoman Empire

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(5)
2 star:		(4)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

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.

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.

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!

This is a somewhat impressionistic history of the Ottoman Empire and might make a good introduction for a reader new to the topic. It does have the significant advantage that the writer obviously likes Turkey and the Turks and that his enthusiasm for this wonderful nation is communicated itself through the page. This reviewer found the book pleasant and entertaining reading in its earlier sections but by the time one gets half way the style begins to irritate and one wishes for something more substantial. This said, the first-time visitor to Turkey would be well advised to pack this work in his luggage along with John Freely's "Istanbul: The Imperial City". The latter, as well as providing an excellent guide-section, has short but readable accounts of the reigns of every Sultan and of their Byzantine predecessors. As such it complements Mr.Goodwin's book excellently.

Not be used as a study guide the book was wonderfull reading and gives you an idea of what the Ottomans were about.I would recommend this to anyone who is at the beginning of an exploration of the Ottoman empire. Some every day living details are pretty inaccurate but what the heck... you dont remember those parts at the end of the book anyway :)

Jason Goodwin has written an intriguing and in many ways melodic history of the Ottoman empire. The pages flow easily into one another full of delicious detail, and the personality and incongruity of Ottoman history come to life in the readers mind. But the book is by no means exhaustive. Goodwin's determination to write a work of literature means the history suffers. I finished it with little sense of the chronology of Ottoman history - more a confusing handful of pungent anecdotes that, while immensely entertaining, left me with a confused vision of the Empire. He also concentrates on the European empire, the Balkans especially - ignoring Egypt, Iraq and the eastern provinces - which is a visible gap in an Empire whose demise framed the modern Middle East. Nonetheless, his style makes the book a delightful gateway to the Ottoman Empire.

The reviews here seem to be mixed between those who absolutely detested it, and those who love it. I find myself in the middle. As a history it falls short, but Goodwin is not a historian, nor is it (desspite the title) designed to be a history per se.

There were certain aspects of the writer's work I find irritating. He makes more than a few rather "arch" references- most of which I got (as I have always had a thing for the Ottomans, and have read most of the major books about them), some of which I didn't. The ones I didn't get the author didn't make clear enough to pursue through other sources- so the reader with serious historical interest is left hanging. This is the greatest flaw of the book.

The best point of the book, and the one which makes it a worthwile read, is the excellent way the author makes Ottoman culture come alive. He gives the reader a real sense of what it was to be an Ottoman, or at the very least to have lived among them. His description of physical places is good as well, he really captures the essence of places such as Topkapi. Even though I had been there years before reading the book, his metaphorical comparison of it to a camp of war tents made in stone articulated well the feel of the place, which I had sensed incoherently, but was made plaiin when I read it.

Utimately, the book is frustrating because it is merely good, whereas in certain instances it has flashes of greatness.

The author has captured the mystic of the Muslims' indirection in their discussion and description of events. The Epilogue is priceless concerning the dogs of the mouldering empire. This is not a history 1,2,3,.... in the Western tradition but an attempt to capture the muslims' view of events in the mode of their own story-telling. This will go on my shelf with the "Decline and Fall" as a story left out of the History books by the Roman historians who failed to tell what was stolen from the Muslims and failed to give credit.

Jason Goodwin's Lords of the Horizon is not an encyclopedic history of the Ottoman empire, nor does it set out to be. (For that, Lord Kinross's history, though dated, is a fine study.) It is, however, a finely wrought, impressionistic, and gripping account of certain aspects of the Ottoman experience, legacy, and outlook. I found it a memorable book, leaving a strong sense of a culture and the changes wrought on an empire over an extended period of time. It's well worth the read. Don't be put off by reviews that emphasise what readers believe is missing. Read it for what it contains, not what it lacks.

Goodwin has a produced a light introduction to ottoman history. The book develops around some core themes, but is rather difficult to follow chronologically. However, it offers a lot of interesting anecdotes and a good understanding of the multicultural character of the empire. 19th century events are presented in an erratic way and Goodwin has no real knowledge of modern balkan history. His presentation of the rise of the ottomans is certainly more accurate and enjoyable.