- Paperback: 208 pages
- Publisher: Harper Perennial; Reprint edition (Jan 2003)
- Language English
- ISBN-10: 0060516054
- ISBN-13: 978-0060516055
- Product Dimensions: 20.4 x 13.5 x 1.4 cm
- Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars See all reviews (16 customer reviews)
- Amazon Bestsellers Rank: 1,149,820 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
What Went Wrong?
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Product Description
Review
This had a press date of 2 May. Bernard did a big interview with the SUNDAY TIMES NEWS REVIEW section which ran on 5 May and we have had some good reviewcoverage with reviews still coming in: ''WHAT WENT WRONG? is a masterly, engaging account of its (the Islamic state) steady decline and clashes with modernity.'Stephen Grey, THE SUNDAY TIMES 'Those who wish to gain a deeper understanding of the current problems in the Middle East should start by reading this book, written by a great scholar whose respect for a once-great civilisation is as clear as his cool-headed analysis of what it has become today.'Ian Buruma, THE SUNDAY TELEGRAPH 'authoritative book'Akbar Ahmed,THE GUARDIAN 'bold lines of discussion and masterly perspective'Anton La Guardian, THE DAILY TELEGRAPH 'the book is a great pleasure to read because of the breadth of Lewis's knowledge, his ability to summon up the illuminating quotation, his familiarity with unsual byways of historical investigation, and, of course, the delightful fluency of his pen.'ME Yapp, LITERARY REVIEW 'Few contemporary scholars of Islamic culture and history can match the erudition and insight of Lewis. In this work he offers a learned and absorbing explanation of the reasonsfor the rather sad state in which the Muslim world finds itself today despite all the achievements and glory that Islam enjoyed in medieval times. And a very compelling explanation it is too'.COMMONWEALTH LAWYERS ASSOCIATION 2002 The book was also selected by John Gross in the SUNDAY TELEGRAPH for his summe
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Book Description
Why the Islamic world has been losing the conflict with the West for 300 years - and the frustration and humiliation this has produced
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
Islamic Middle East that Indian numbers were for the first time incorporated in the inherited body of mathematical learning. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
Islamic Middle East that Indian numbers were for the first time incorporated in the inherited body of mathematical learning. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Index | Back Cover
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
3 of 3 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As many other readers have suggested, this is not Bernard Lewes' best work, and it is a bit of a failure in one important respect: it doesn't answer the rhetorical question from the title. Lewis is much better at describing historic events and finding out insightful and important tidbits of information than he is at deeper analysis. This is quite understandable, since he is a historian of the old school and neither political nor social scientist. Nonetheless, this is a fascinating and interesting book, and anyone who is not familiar with the history of the Middle East, especially compared to the history of Europe, would benefit from reading it. The book was completed shortly before 9/11 attacks on the US, but in its themes it proved extremely prescient and relevant. Lewis is very sympathetic towards his subject matter, the peoples and cultures of the Middle East, and is fair minded and balanced when presenting historical facts. His is not the goal of condemning and denigrating Middle Eastern peoples and the Islamic word, but a genuine concern for explaining that part of the world, and through explaining aiding in its understanding. This is an admirable book that goes a long way towards achieving that goal.
27 of 32 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
"What Went Wrong?" is a short question about a very big problem. The Muslim world, which once led the world in wealth, arts and sciences, now lags most of the world in wealth, arts and sciences. What was once a dominant world culture is now no longer dominant and has been surpassed not only by the West, but also has been surpassed by much of East Asia. This is the problem that is the subject of this book.
Bernard Lewis writes lucidly about what he knows best - the results of his many years of distinguished scholarship in the history of the Middle East. He sheds much light on the answer to the question of "what went wrong?". He starts with the Muslim world's discovery of a challenge on its frontiers with the history of its military failures that started in the early 18th century. He then goes on to describe the impact of this challenge on the Muslim cultural world. The impact was mostly in the form of various Muslim attempts (mostly failed) to capture for itself the secret ingredients of wealth and power. More than any other author Prof. Lewis will bring you closer to the answers and prospects for the future. His arguments are particularly good on the Western impact on politics, administration and science in the Middle East. His book has little to say on the economic history of the region, which I thought would be central to answering the question "what went wrong?".
The reader will enjoy the book for its style and the authority of its scholarship. Note the chapter notes and bibliography that are both solidly packed with sources in the original Middle Eastern languages. This is a refreshing change from most other popular scholarship on the topic (e.g. Esposito's The Islamic Threat) that seems to be based upon secondary sources in only one language - English.
8 of 10 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
This interesting book is really two books in one. The first part of this book is a fascinating history of the interaction between the Ottoman Empire and the Christian West. The author begins in the sixteenth century, when the Ottoman Empire appeared to be the height of power and culture, while Christian Europe appeared to be comparatively weak and barbarous. However, as the dialogue continues the reader sees the Empire pass into first relative and then absolute decline, as the West gained more and more power. The steps taken by the Ottomans to stem their decline are shown, as is the reason why they were ineffective. This dialogue is quite interesting, and explains a great deal about how the Muslim world evolved.
Starting in the sixth chapter, the author changes to an examination of Islam, and its fundamental differences with Christianity. In particular, I found the author's analysis of the polyphonic nature of Western music and syncretic nature of Western civilization to be quite intriguing.
The final chapter brings the narrative around to the subject of the title, What Went Wrong? Why is it that Islam was so inventive and civilized at it's beginning, and yet moved so far away from such things? No definite answer is given.
This book is a fascinating look at Islam, one that I highly recommend to anyone who is interested in understanding the evolution of Islam, and how the Muslim world go to where it is today.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
Potent and compelling historical analysis
Bernard Lewis is one of the greatest living historians on the subject of Islam and the Middle East. Indeed it a testimony to his greatness that he was attacked by the loathsome... Read more
Published 23 months ago by Gary Selikow
Excellent book
This is a book in my opinion every religious Muslim preachers should read and perhaps than they can see why the Muslim world is suffering. Read more
Published on 29 Mar 2010 by DMJ MIAH
No doubt it struck the publisher as a catchy title
This was a disappointing book. It does not explain What Went Wrong in Islamic or Middle Eastern society. It could not hope to do so, since apparently Mr. Read more
Published on 19 Feb 2010 by Dr. Robert C. Oswald
Poor depiction
While the topic is very relevant, the analysis is doubtlessly poor. By comparing the scientific achievement of the west vis-à-vis the middle east, the book tried to point... Read more
Published on 16 Nov 2009 by Parisi
Interesting, but dry
I just have a casual interest in this subject. The book is more readable than many of these kinds of books, but I just never quite felt inspired to go on.
Published on 8 Jun 2007 by Michael Hodson
Good, But a little thin???
After finishing this book I wasnt sure if the author had answered the question the book posed. The first 80-100 pages of this book give a good history of the relationship between... Read more
Published on 29 July 2006 by D
masterful, but flawed
Bernard Lewis is a master of his subject, and a master of literary style. His work is both informative and revealing with regards to the history of Islam and its present situation... Read more
Published on 27 Sep 2004 by "sirtrevisadopemc"
Valuable for the historical details but not the analysis
Professor Lewis discusses decline but fails to comprehend why the Islamic civilisation had advanced to such an extraordinary position and continued to develop for so many... Read more
Published on 7 May 2004 by Hassan
A succinct, compelling and readable delineation
Professor Lewis of Princeton University is a world-renown authority on the history of the Middle East and the author of many books on the subject. Read more
Published on 31 Dec 2003 by Dennis Littrell
Essential reading for everyone
Events in recent years have once again bought into sharp focus issues of politics, culture and economy within the Islamic Middle East and it's relations with the rest of the world. Read more
Published on 7 Nov 2003
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