Islam and its World
Islam is the world’s second largest religion with 1.8 billion followers and a majority presence in 49 countries. It is related to Judaism and Christianity in its foundation as a Abrahamic faith, but it considers itself the completed and universal version of a faith that had been historically set forth by Adam, Abraham, Moses, and Jesus. The Qur’an, the unaltered and final revelation of God, is its scripture, its holy book. Details of the faith itself may be found in some of the introductory books we carry.
That said, Islam is also an intriguing historical religion. Its rise in Arabia in the 7th Century (Common Era - it is important to remember that, as with the Jews and many other cultures around the world, calendars are self-defined), its engine of power for the spread of Islamic Civilization across the Middle East, the Mediterranean World, and into Africa and Asia — all are crucial to understanding world history. Islam’s love of science and scholarship, its provocative theories of history, its art and literature — all are deep and complex and rewarding areas of study and commentary.
Islam is also caught up in the high passions and politics of contemporary times. An international web of resources, imperialism, colonialism, nationalism, and shifting alliances keep Islam ever before all peoples. Being a bookseller, I believe the more information, carefully chosen, the better. Hence this page, my gathering of books already stocked here at the store, and as always, a reflection of my paths of understanding Islam.
Chronicles of the First Crusade
Chronicles of the First Crusade
The gripping story of the First Crusade, as witnessed firsthand
The fall of Jerusalem in 1099 to an army of exhausted and starving western European soldiers was one of the most extraordinary events in history—with a legacy that remains controversial more than nine centuries later. This remarkable collection contains firsthand accounts from the knights, religious leaders, and peasants who experienced the First Crusade in all its cruelty and strangeness. Edited with an introduction and notes by one of the foremost experts on the Crusades, Chronicles of the First Crusade is a comprehensive look at the climax of Christian fervor and the record of an ultimately futile attempt to implant a European kingdom in an overwhelmingly Muslim world.
For more than seventy years, Penguin has been the leading publisher of classic literature in the English-speaking world. With more than 1,700 titles, Penguin Classics represents a global bookshelf of the best works throughout history and across genres and disciplines. Readers trust the series to provide authoritative texts enhanced by introductions and notes by distinguished scholars and contemporary authors, as well as up-to-date translations by award-winning translators.