Customer Reviews:
Golen Age of the Pharaohs: offical Book of the Exhibition .......2007-09-09
Fantastic book; saved money by purchasing it through Amazon. Shows all the exibits. Very pleased with the book. A fine edition to anyones collection.
Very good book.......2007-09-09
I bought the book before seeing the tour in Philly. The book is very well done, and very good representation of the tour. Beautiful photographs, plus good rich text around the history of the 18th dynasty.
Other reviews talk about the tour, which isn't really what the book is about. The tour was rather crowded, and I was somewhat disappointed that all the objects were small, and no Tut sarcophagus. Very little explanation of the layout, so my son was complaining about the lack of Tut objects; they included many from the 18th dynasty.
I recommend the official DVD, its great; bought it at the show.
yasangel.......2007-08-31
Beautiful book, great pictures. Great to have with you if you get to see exhibit.
Gollden Age of the Pharaohs.......2007-07-16
Purchased in anticipation of the opening of the exhibition in London in November, the book is a mine of information. Not only does Zahi Hawass describe the objects on display, but he places them in context and gives a vivid picture of life in Egypt at the time of Tutankhamun and before his accession to the throne. Not only a great read, a reference for future use and up to Dr Hawass usual enthusiastic and vivid style. A must-have book for anyone interested in Egypt.
absolutly stunning....a once in a life time chance...........2007-07-04
First and formost DO NOT miss the King Tut tour.....the artifatcs are absoutely astounding and incredibly beautiful beyond words..It it truly extremely hard to wrap your mind around that every peice is wll over 3000 yers old. As for the book itself it is nithing short of amazing...caputring the exibit almost in its entirety....but NOTHING compares to seeing the absoultly stunnig tour live...a truly once in a life time experience...after the US tour concludes it it will never leave Cairo again...The book is worth its weight in gold...the awsome photography and articles by renowned archiloghits and her HRH the Queen of Egypt her self...THis tour the book by National Geographic and the Official DVD are some of the greatest gifts ever bestowed opon the world. A gift from the heart of Egypt to the world that will never be go on tour again...A humbling experience live and most interesting reading a msater work indeed...Bravo!!!
Average customer rating:
- Focusing on contemporary history but including enough background for chronological insights
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Companion to the History of the Middle East (Blackwell Companions to World History)
Manufacturer: Blackwell Publishing Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 1405106816 |
Book Description
A Companion to the History of the Middle East offers a fresh account of the multifaceted and multi-layered history of this region.Comprising 26 newly-commissioned essays by leading international scholars, this Companion treats the Middle East as four differentiated political units - Iran, Turkey, Israel, and the Arab world. While focused primarily on the modern and contemporary periods, it also includes a number of chapters on classical and pre-modern themes. Topics are situated within a chronological framework and include the rise of Islam, the militarization of Islam under a wide variety of dynasties, the commercial and industrial revolutions, colonial rule, and the struggle for independence.A final section highlights issues that have preoccupied historians in the second half of the twentieth century, and are most likely to gain momentum well into the twenty-first. These range from oil and urban growth to the role of women and democratic human rights.
Customer Reviews:
Focusing on contemporary history but including enough background for chronological insights.......2006-03-06
College-level collections with either in-depth or general world history holdings will want to be certain the latest addition to the Blackwell Companions to World History title A Companion To The History Of The Middle East is acquired. It holds nearly thirty newly commissioned essays by leading international scholars and separates the region into four political units: Iran, Turkey, Israel and the Arab world, focusing on contemporary history but including enough background for chronological insights. From different institutions and nationalisms to the rise of political and religious beliefs in the region, A Companion To The History Of The Middle East holds the depth which makes it attractive to advanced students, yet the background which lends to an introductory reading. A highly recommended, basic pick for Mideast Studies collections.
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A Companion to the Ancient near East (Blackwell Companions to the Ancient World)
Dan Snell
Manufacturer: Blackwell Publishing Limited
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
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ASIN: 1405160012 |
Book Description
A Companion to the Ancient Near East offers students and general readers a comprehensive overview of Near Eastern civilization from the Bronze Age to the conquests of Alexander the Great. Written by leading experts, the book examines all the major civilizations of the region, including the Sumerians, Hittites, Babylonians, Assyrians, Israelites, and Persians.The Companion provides a survey of both the history of the Ancient Near East and the sources for studying the period. It places special emphasis on social and cultural history and also covers the legacy of the Ancient Near East in the medieval and modern worlds.
Amazon.com
Israel: A Spiritual Travel Guide: A Companion for Modern Jewish Pilgrims by Rabbi Lawrence A. Hoffman is slender enough to slip in your backpack and big enough to change your life. On his first visit to Israel, the American Rabbi Hoffman was disappointed that his reactions to the holy sites seemed to stop with "Wow." His subsequent trips have been more fulfilling, because he's developed a system of preparation and approach involving reading, prayer, and journaling that is summarized in Israel: A Spiritual Travel Guide. Look to Lonely Planet to help you find cheap eats and soft beds; and keep this guide handy for maps, time lines, and blessings (in both Hebrew and English) appropriate to most destinations that draw pilgrims--ranging from the Holocaust memorial Yad Vashem to the mystical center Safed. Rabbi Hoffman's writing describes pilgrimages with an appealing blend of gravity and levity; his guide can help shape your memories of pilgrimage into your own distinctive "contribution to the memory of this people that has never suffered from amnesia." --Michael Joseph Gross
Book Description
Fodor and Frommer tell you how to get there. This guide tells how to make it a spiritual experience.The plane tickets to Israel are bought, the itinerary is planned, and the suitcases are finally packed....Journeys take preparation; but being ready is one thing-being spiritually prepared is another.Now, in time for the 50th anniversary of the State of Israel, here's a Jewish spiritual travel guide to Israel. It combines, in quick reference format, ancient blessings, medieval prayers, biblical references, and modern poetry, to help today's pilgrim tap into the deep spiritual meaning of the ancient-and modern-sites of the Holy Land.For each of 25 major tourist destinations (from the Western Wall to Masada to a kibbutz in the Galilee), arranged by geographic regions, it gives guidance in sharply-focused three-step sections:* Anticipation: To read in advance. Facts to help orient you in the site's historical context.* Approach: To read on the way there. Readings from varied sources to orient you in the site's spiritual context.* Acknowledgment: To read at the site. A prayer or blessing to integrate the experience into your spiritual consciousness, as well as a journaling space for writing your thoughts and reactions.The only travel book that helps readers to prepare spiritually for the occasion, Israel-A Spiritual Travel Guide is more than a guidebook: It is a spiritual map.
Customer Reviews:
A Guide for a Sacred Journey.......2006-07-19
As a first time traveler to Israel, I found this book to be an extremely helpful guide for both mind and soul. It is well organized and it provides a great framework to prepare you spirtually for the trip as well as each remarkable location when you are there. I felt connected to the places I visited, to the people who have come before me, and to God. I was able to reflect on how the experiences affected me each day. This book helped me to organize my thoughts and memories that I will cherish forever. I am grateful to the author for his hard work in creating this well written book.
Use Fodors for the hotel & body, and this for the spirit.......2000-02-08
It is the must companion for any traveler to Israel. The blurb says it best, "the other travel books tell you how to get there, Hoffman tells you why to go and what to do when you're there." Hoffman, a Professor of Liturgy at HUC-JIR, is best known for his book, "What Is A Jew?" His travel guide is in four sections. The first contains eighteen (chai) meditations to be read before embarking on one's trip to Israel. The second section is on preparations for "the eve before the trip." Section three focuses on "How to prepare while on the way." And Section four is filled with 25 specific pilgrimage destinations for the traveler. For each site, such as The Kotel or a Kibbutz, Professor Hoffman provides THE FOUR A's -- four sections on "Anticipation," "Approach," "Acknowledgment," and "Afterthought." In Anticipation, one reads an overview of the sight; Approach contains biblical, rabbinic and other writings about the site; Acknowledgment is filled with prayers or readings for you to recite at your destination; and Afterthought provides a blank space in which you may record your feelings, emotions, or just plain journal entries that you can keep forever. This is an excellent companion for a trip to Israel.
Beyond camera-toting tourism.......2000-01-29
Hoffman, a prolific author of scholarly and popular works on Jewish liturgy, now offers the first guide that speaks to the many travelers to Israel who visit for spiritual growth, not suntanning. Full of inspired suggestions for spiritual preparation, meditations, and prayers.
One important caveat: Hoffman, surprisingly, includes a self-composed Jewish prayer to be said on the Temple Mount. Visitors should be aware that, in order to avoid tensions with the Mount's Muslim administrators, it is ILLEGAL for non-Muslims to pray on the Temple Mount, and any non-Muslim caught doing so faces immediate expulsion and prosecution.
Apart from this oversight, Hoffman's guide is essential for anyone making a spiritual pilgrimage to Israel.
Adds an ever deeper spritual dimension to travel to Israel.......1998-07-09
Hoffman has given all travelers to Israel a great gift with this innovative new volume. Forget dry recitations of dates and so forth (though the essentials are here.) This guide explain WHY you are there and opens the door of understanding to what you might feel inside.
Rather than describe the way things are, Hoffman gives you the tools to discover what these places really are and what they can mean to you as an individual.
Highly, highly recommended. And if you ever have a chance to hear Hoffman lecture, do that also.
Dan Lavin
Book Description
This book brings together the writings of well-known travellers to Morocco and offers a fascinating picture of Moroccan culture through their eyes. Among those included are Pepys, Defoe, Twain, Orwell and Wharton, as well as famous Muslim travelers such as Leo Africanus and a host of others--merchants, sailors, consuls and scholars--who all recorded their impressions of the place. In addition to sketches of sumptuous entertainment,nbsp;colorful festivals, and the infamous pirates of the Barbary coast, there are descriptions of childhood, marriage and the practice of medicine in old Morocco, as well as some favorite Moroccan folk-tales and recipes.
Book Description
The Routledge Companion to the Crusades is not just a history of the crusades, but an overview of the logistical, economic, social and biographical aspects all brought together in one resource for the very first time.
A compilation of facts, figures, maps, family trees, summaries of the major crusades and their historiography, the Companion spans a broad chronological range from the eleventh to the eighteenth century and gives a chronological framework and context for modern research on the crusading movement.
For anyone investigating this fascinating period of time this will be an invaluable text for rapid, reliable consultation.
Average customer rating:
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The Companions of the Prophet: A Study of Geographical Distribution and Political Alignments (Islamic History and Civilization)
Fuad Jabali
Manufacturer: Brill Academic Publishers
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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ASIN: 9004129235 |
Book Description
This book deals with the settlement of te Companions outside Medina, and their involvement in the battle of siffīn, the battle that tore the early Muslim community apart. Based on five major biographical dictionaries written by the traditionists (ahl al-ḥadīth) of the 9th - 12th centuries, two lists are made: that of the Companions who settled in Iraq, Syria and Egypt, and that of those who were involved in the battle. Comparing the background of these two groups of Companions, the volume analyzes dividing line between the two camps. The use of a quantitative approach, and the use of the traditionists' works as the main source in the historical study of classical Islam is an important contribution to the book.
Customer Reviews:
Remarkable work.......2007-03-17
Fuad Jabali has written on a subject which has immense importance in islamic history.Despite this, few works in english have been dedicated to this event and none so far [ as far as i know ] on the attitude of companions in this conflict.There was a great need for a work like this since both sunni and shia books in english rarely mention the minor companions and are obsessed with either a few major ones[sunnis] or Ahlulbayt[shias].
Prof. Jabali writes without sectarian bias and uses the most authentic biographies avalible.His recording the exact arabic expressions used in the primary texts also helps greatly.Use of tables although inconvenient is helpful when comparing between different comapnion groups.It also explodes many popular myths like shia propoganda claiming that companions abandoned Ali and the sunnis claiming that very few sahaba participated in the conflict.
My suggestion would be to add to this book esp. appendix VIII references about their political inclinations from other books of history that would give a more complete picture
e.g Hajjaj b Amr was a spy of Ali in Egypt and an envoy to syria , also a poet who wrote on his behalf
Abu Qatada in Tabari is mentioned as giving support to Ali in Medina
Best to read it with Madelung's "succession to Muhammad" which gives a great account of events during the reign of Ameer-ul-momineen Ali ibn AbiTalib.
Book Description
The Arabian Nights: A Companion guides the reader into this celebrated labyrinth of storytelling. It traces the development of the stories from prehistoric India and Pharaonic Egypt to modern times. It also explores the history of the translation, and explains the ways its contents have been added to, plagiarized and imitated. Above all, the book uses the stories as a guide to the social history and the counterculture of the medieval Near East and the world of the story-teller, the snake charmer, the burglar, the sorcerer, the drug addict, the treasure hunter and the adulterer.
Customer Reviews:
A MUST!.......2007-07-11
The best companion to one of the most fascinating collection of tales in history. Irwin's work is also a great socio-political study of both the times that The Arabian Nights was written in and the times that it was finally translated into the west. If you have the The Arabian Nights and this book then I highly recommend Irwin's other book, Night & Horses & the Desert: An Anthology of Classical Arabic Literature, and Edward Said's Orientalism.
A Facinating Read.......2006-04-10
This is one of the more interesting companion books I have read. It goes into great detail of the history and the formation of the 1001 Nights collection, and provides an interesting window into Arabic culture. However, one thing I found to be really interesting is that the 1001 tales of Arabic culture were primarily oral tales. The professional storytellers who would tell these books would have manuscript versions which they would use as notes, so there were no official versions--each telling would be elaborated and expanded on depending on the audience. The version that we are familiar with in the west was formalized in France in the 17th century, and may have more relevance to the European expectations of Arabic culture than to Arabic culture itself. In fact, several tales which appear in the European version do not appear in any Arabic manuscripts and may have been written by Europeans to fill the demand for fantastic tales. Overall, this book is quite interesting and I really recommend this to those who would like to see how a lose collection of oral tales becomes a work of literature.
A very useful companion........2005-09-24
The history of the Arabian Nights (1001 Nights) is often appended to the various translations available. They tend to be brief and often reflect the focus of the editor and/or translator. The Arabian Nights: A Companion by Robert Irwin is very substantial. The author often makes conclusions but always includes the thoughts of those with whom he disagrees. This is a must for anyone who really enjoys this collection of stories and will be rewarded by its fascinating history and the history of its translation...almost as enjoyable as the stories themselves.
Good companion.......2000-05-03
As someone who loved the "Arabian Nights" since childhood, I eagerly read this book as well. For the most part, I wasn't disapointed. It does a wonderful job of setting the scene, discussing its origins, its distortions, and showing how the stories relate to medieval Arabian life. I was particularly impressed with the section discussing the connections between various story collections in both Asia and Europe. In short, this book helps the reader better understand this complex (and often confusing)work. The chapters are all clearly laid out and well argued, and the book as a whole is easy to read. He has complex ideas, but is able to communicate them fluidly.
One idea I would challenge, however. I believe the scholars who argue that the more "complete" manuscripts probably arose from increased European interest in it. It makes sense that writers would add filler to reach 1001 nights in response to consumer demand.
An interesting read for fans of "Arabian Nights."
Average customer rating:
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Contemporary Issues Companion - The Arab-Israeli Conflict (paperback edition) (Contemporary Issues Companion)
Manufacturer: Greenhaven Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Board book
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ASIN: 0737716169 |
Book Description
In recent years, tensions between Israelis and Palestinians have risen exponentially, with violent outbreaks becoming a frequent occurrence. This timely anthology traces the history of the decades-long conflict, provides personal insights from ordinary people on both sides, and examines various proposals designed to bring about peace.
Book Description
The Medieval World View, 2/e, is an engaging introduction to the people, places, and ideas that shaped the intellectual world of the Middle Ages. The book presents the presuppositions of medieval society in a systematic fashion by integrating brief, self-contained selections from primary texts and carefully captioned photographs into a narrative of the medieval world and its foundations. The text is divided into three parts. Treating both the classical and biblical antecedents of the Middle Ages and ending in Late Antiquity, Part 1 includes a thorough discussion of the monumental figure of St. Augustine. Part 2 deals with the early Middle Ages, beginning with the disintegration of the Roman Empire and continuing through the German invasions, the sixth- and seventh-century founders, and the renaissance associated with the reign of Charlemagne. Part 3 examines the High Middle Ages and beyond, following developments in the Church, in politics, and in arts and culture from the twelfth century through the end of the fourteenth century. This second edition has been thoroughly updated to reflect recent scholarship in the field. It adds a new chapter covering the fourteenth century and pays greater attention to women and gender-related issues. The bibliography has been updated and revised and now provides a useful guide to electronic resources. The Medieval World View, 2/e, handles sophisticated issues with great clarity and ease, making this an ideal text for courses in Medieval history, literature, or art history.
Customer Reviews:
Medieval World View.......2007-09-27
This recently updated (2003) survey of Medieval history from about 0 AD to 1500 AD is by two long-time professors at the State University of New York. Cook and Herzman also tag team in a number of popular video lectures for The Teaching Company which is where I first learned about them. This is easily one of the best surveys I have read, comparable with Morris Bishop's The Middle Ages, Joseph Strayer's The Middle Ages 395-1500 and Norman Cantor's The Civilization of the Middle Ages.
"Medieval World View" is only 278 pages which for medieval surveys is a miracle of economy. It really is pithy, with the most important people, events and places in the big picture. But I think its strongest point is that it explains those elements of Medieval history that beginners have the most trouble understanding. The iconography of the medieval mindset is very foreign for the modern reader and most history books do not explain it very well, probably because its thought too specialized, but its a core foundation to understanding the period, and that is what makes this work most unique.
Cook/Herzman use the wonderful method of not only telling us what things mean, but also showing it, either through pictures or extended block quotes - there is barely a page without at least one extended block quote. I don't know why this is not done by other historians more often, Cook/Herzman are able to demonstrate a great thinkers ideas in their own words with historically well known and significant quotes, it is very effective. For example I now have a much more solid understanding of the Scholastic method and how Thomas Aquinas wrote his masterpiece by actually reading an excerpt from Summa Theologica. I suppose a serious student can find source documents and read them in conjunction, but allowing Cook/Herzman to find short approachable excerpts that demonstrate the idea is priceless and probably something I would never do on my own.
There is no doubt Cook and Herzman focus on Christian topics, for example in a 10 chapter book covering 1000+ years there is an entire chapter devoted to the Franciscan monastic order. To be fair they are up front about the Christian theme from the start, and Medieval history is in many ways church history. Yet strangely, by avoiding much of the political narrative of a longer survey, it simplifies the perspective, for example the events in Italy between roughly 1000 and 1200 can be seen not as a complex web of invasions and feuds but simply secular and church conflict over who has ultimate power.
The bibliography is excellent, it includes not only monographs but web sites, primary sources, and reference works, as well as hints on how to do research. Cook/Herzman even dare to say what other medieval historians should say more often: most monographs are written by specialists for specialists, and most novices (ie. popular reading public) end up laboring to understand without a full grasp of the basics. Titles like "Wanning of the Middle Ages", "The Distant Mirror" and "Making of the Middle Ages" seem to be big sellers, but many people skip the basics before diving into these more difficult and/or controversial works.
Cook and Herzman also have a series of video lectures with The Teaching Company which are excellent and reinforce and expand on many of the ideas discussed in the book.
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- Why Study The Past?: The Quest For The Historical Church
- Witness to Her Art
- Worldmark Encyclopedia of the Nations
- Wrapped in Rainbows: The Life of Zora Neale Hurston (Lisa Drew Books)
- 100 Essential Lincoln Books
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- A Short Guide to Writing About Literature (Short Guides Series)
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