Katherine Shin

All England - Tiny bit of Wenceslas

Revisado: 05-29-20

I downloaded this book after finishing an audio-book on Czech national hero - Jan Hus. I thought it would further my knowledge of early Czech history. Not one bit. It's all about the English church man who wrote the Christmas Carol. If you want any Czech history - don't buy the audio-book.

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From the Epic to the Profound to the Cheeky

Revisado: 12-25-18

Review of the Audio Book format. The study of great empires, religions and the rise and fall of both, can come in many forms. George Ostrogorsky's epic "History of the Byzantine State" does indeed chronicle the rise and fall of this empire, but also perpetually interrupted its sweeping narrative with ongoing commentaries on the latest iconoclastic controversy. Many a "history" book today, attempts to use history to prove or push the latest progressive societal desire - from gay Greeks to Cleopatra being black. What Tom Holland has done is to create a narrative of the rise of Islam, in what used to be referred to as a "ripping yarn." Great battles that turn the tide of history, the rise of fall of emperors, shahs and caliphs, and the great suffering of the masses, all are here to be read. Yet, revealed as well, is how the will of men, the curse of ingrained culture and indeed - the will of a higher power, evolved over time to create two great monotheistic religions - where once the world was nothing but pagans. We today, take the idea of a single God for granted, but it had to be forged both from war and the iron will of religious scholars, to allow it to emerge as an idea that no longer is argued. Thus, even as the reader takes in a battle that changes the course of history, pay attention to the quieter moments, when rabbinical thought or an outlawed Christian sect puts its mark on Islamic scholarship. This is just as epic, and, unlike empires, it's result still stands today. And finally, there is also the cheek. The sly commentary on the fashion sense of Persian Shahs, the notice of how desert-forged Arab conquerors quickly embraced a life of silks and palaces, or how the mighty Byzantine Romans had to deal with the fact that the desert Arabs were now their masters. History is full of amusing, if tragic ironies, because it is made by people - both great and small. Nestled also, often as bystanders to this clash of titans, are the Jews. Holland chronicles, often in small but profound anecdotes, how Judaism survives today, even as one "ite" after another disappeared into history. In closing, for me it was a revelatory reading. And I recommend it to all who wish to understand how the worlds gets from "there" to "here." I must warn, however, for whatever reason, Chapter 22 gave me fits. It is almost completely a chapter of profundity, which for me, took multiple rewinds to finally comprehend. And one final note to the narration. I know we had a revolution to free ourselves from our British rulers, but darn it, there is something about a history book being read by a Brit, that just makes it seem all-together more classy. Enjoy!

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