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August 11, 2006
Amplifying A Review
Today our comrade Tamerlane put up a quick little review of the new edition of the classic survey of Islamic societies, Lapidus' A History of Islamic Societies, a highly readable survey and overview of the scholarship on Islamic societies' history from inception through the modern era, explicetely covering not only the core Middle East, but also giving effective and substantial attention to the 'fringes' in Africa and Asia.
I think it worthwhile to expand on his very brief note to observe that this edition greatly expands on 19th and 20th century history - the first edition effectively broke off with the 19th century although it contained some overview of materials on 19th and 20th century. This edition summarises the history and the scholarship right up until 2000 fairly effectively, and while in terms of the 20th century coverage one can complain of a tinge of the standard academic left illiteracies with respect to business and economics, this are faint and clear enough.
For readers seeking a single tome overview of the MENA region and its environs, they can't do better than this. It is a far better choice than either the favourites of the academic left or Bernard Lewis.
Posted by The Lounsbury at August 11, 2006 04:55 PM
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Society & Culture
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Comments
Ahem...actually that review has been around for a while but I decided to bump the entry because I was flipping through the book last night.
Perhaps you might do a short review on "Battle of Algiers" sometime?
Posted by: eerie ![[TypeKey Profile Page]](http://lounsbury.aqoul.com/nav-commenters.gif)
at August 11, 2006 05:38 PM
I've commented on the Battle before, somewhere in the past.
Posted by: The Lounsbury at August 11, 2006 09:05 PM
I did find a few old entries mentioning the film, but nothing really concise.
Suppose I could summarize a few paras to make a Books & Media entry...but then it would be me writing the review.
Posted by: eerie at August 11, 2006 09:22 PM
For readers seeking a single tome overview of the MENA region and its environs...
Hey, that's me. Thanks for the suggestion.
Posted by: Jackmormon at August 13, 2006 04:13 PM
Jack, why don't you bloody update your blog sometime.
Have hardly anything non-MENA and interesting to read anymore.
Posted by: eerie at August 13, 2006 04:16 PM
"Jack, why don't you bloody update your blog sometime.
Have hardly anything non-MENA and interesting to read anymore."
I might interject and make some non-MENA movie suggestions, oh never mind.
Posted by: matthew hogan at August 13, 2006 04:48 PM
I've been lazy, but I'm trying to get back into it.
Posted by: Jackmormon at August 16, 2006 03:30 PM
