World of Islam [Paperback]

Don Belt (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: December 21, 2001

In words and pictures, The World of Islam showcases the best of almost a century of National Geographic magazine's unique coverage of the history, culture, and religion of Islam. From Afghanistan to Mecca to Indonesia this book illuminates the fascinating diversity of the Islamic world at a time when interest in the subject runs high. A timely look at a timeless culture, The World of Islam looks back on a century of classic NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC coverage of Islamic culture all over the world. As always a wonderful mix of photographs, narratives, maps, and more, these chronologically-arranged articles will take you from the Afghan frontier in the fierce days of Rudyard Kipling to the stunning mosques and minarets of Mecca at the start of a new millennium. Islam's long, rich tradition and often far-flung and exotic locales have been explored again and again in the pages of NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC, and this volume revisits them all, from the very first article in 1906 to the present day. This dramatic, profusely illustrated expedition collects two dozen pieces that add up to a historical and geographical portrait of Islam and a vivid glimpse of how it has appeared to Western eyes for almost a century.

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

One of the most compelling books on Islam is partly very old. The World of Islam collects articles and photographs first published by the National Geographic Society, beginning with a 1910 essay by Ella C. Sykes entitled "Persia and Its Women" and continuing through nearly a century of reportage on the strife-torn Middle East, including the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan, the assassination of Anwar Sadat, and a visit to Iraq after the Gulf War. The final chapter was reported in early September 2001 and contains a chilling account of the reporter's chance meeting with two Moroccan journalists who subsequently killed Afghan leader Ahmad Massoud in a suicide attack two days before the bombings of the World Trade Center. Throughout the book, the reporter's first-hand accounts document the rise of Islam in the 20th century and the rise of anti-Western sentiments. To its credit, National Geographic also includes painful examples of the changing attitudes of the West toward Islam. The patronizing attitudes expressed in some of the earliest reports make us cringe today, but are invaluable nonetheless.

From Publishers Weekly

With reprinted articles that span nearly a century from Ella C. Sykes's 1910 consideration of women's powerlessness in Shiite Persia to Edward Girardet's 2001 reflection on Muslim warlords and a surprise conversation with Osama bin Laden the National Geographic Society's The World of Islam, edited by Don Belt, offers a panoramic portrait in words and photographs. Over 150 striking illustrations reveal cities, mosques, marketplaces and battlegrounds, and more than 25 articles cover the rich history of a religion that's practiced today by one person in every five in the world.

Copyright 2002 Cahners Business Information, Inc.

Product Details

• Paperback: 256 pages
• Publisher: National Geographic (December 21, 2001)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0792268946
• ISBN-13: 978-0792268949
• Product Dimensions: 10 x 6.9 x 0.6 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.7 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,881,922 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars 360 degree view of islam(Almost ), April 9, 2010

By 

Sumit Saraswat (USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: World of Islam (Paperback)

National geographic seldom fails to impress with the content , this book was not an exception. With lots of photographs and articles from early 20th century it brings the world of Islam to life.
I have only one complaint it focuses too much on Mid east and doesn't dwell much on Islamic influence on India/Pakistan (barring a chapter on Kashmir)

3 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Bias against Islam, April 8, 2002

By 

Junaid Manzoor "JM" (San Francisco, CA USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: World of Islam (Paperback)

Excellent series of articles which clearly highlights the changing bias against Islam and muslims by the West, in the 20th century.
Articles written in in the early 1900s show the insulting attitude of Western writers against Muslims. This attitude changes to mutual respect and understanding in post 1980 articles.
These articles show the progress we have made as a nation against racism and discrimination.

0 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High quality, as usual, August 6, 2002

By 

Julie Peters Akey "kabuka1" (Honolulu, HI United States) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: World of Islam (Paperback)

This is a quality piece of work, as are all products by National Geographic. Great articles and fantastic photography.