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Destiny Disrupted

A History of the World through Islamic Eyes

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Destiny Disrupted

By: Tamim Ansary
Narrated by: Tamim Ansary
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“A must read for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the Islamic world” (San Francisco Chronicle)

In Destiny Disrupted, Tamim Ansary tells the rich story of world history as it looks from a new perspective: with the evolution of the Muslim community at the center. His story moves from the lifetime of Mohammed through a succession of far-flung empires, to the tangle of modern conflicts that culminated in the events of 9/11. He introduces the key people, events, ideas, legends, religious disputes, and turning points of world history, imparting not only what happened but how it is understood from the Muslim perspective.

He clarifies why two great civilizations-Western and Muslim-grew up oblivious to each other, what happened when they intersected, and how the Islamic world was affected by its slow recognition that Europe-a place it long perceived as primitive-had somehow hijacked destiny.

With storytelling brio, humor, and evenhanded sympathy to all sides of the story, Ansary illuminates a fascinating parallel to the world narrative usually heard in the West. Destiny Disrupted offers a vital perspective on world conflicts many now find so puzzling. Middle East World Islam Asia Ottoman Empire Iran Central Asia Royalty Imperialism Ancient History Witty Africa Middle Ages Crusade

Critic reviews

"A must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the Islamic world. But the book is more than just a litany of past events. It is also an indispensable guide to understanding the political debates and conflicts of today, from 9/11 to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, from the Somali pirates to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. As Ansary writes in his conclusion, "The conflict wracking the modern world is not, I think, best understood as a 'clash of civilizations.' ... It's better understood as the friction generated by two mismatched world histories intersecting."
—San Francisco Chronicle
"Ansary has written an informative and thoroughly engaging look at the past, present and future of Islam. With his seamless and charming prose, he challenges conventional wisdom and appeals for a fuller understanding of how Islam and the world at large have shaped each other. And that makes this book, in this uneasy, contentious post 9/11 world, a must-read."

—Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns
"I'm in the middle of Tamim Ansary's Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World through Islamic Eyes, and it's incredibly illuminating. Ansary pretty much covers the entire history of Islam in an incredibly readable and lucid way. I've been recommending this book to everyone I know. Especially when people are looking for a comprehensive-but-approachable way to look at world history through the lens of Islam, there's no better book."—Dave Eggers, TheRumpus.net
"A lively, thorough and accessible survey of the history of Islam (both the religion and its political dimension) that explores many of the disconnects between Islam and the West."
—Shelf Awareness
All stars
Most relevant
Ansary covers the entire islamic history in a sweeping narrative that is entertaining and easy to follow, even for someone with no prior knowledge.

He summarizes and connects timelines effortlessly. I will be returning to this book as reference material.

A Must Read - Especially If New to Islamic History

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I thoroughly enjoyed listening Ansary’s thoughts and take of the Islamic world after the revelation of Islam to Prophet Muhammad. It’s a fresh perspective that walks us through the Middle East (and neighboring lands) as time evolves the landscape and populations of those lands. Although he tries to take a neutral stance throughout, there are some instances where he adds his opinions of the events that take place. But, for me, that only added another layer to an already fascinating story.

Great and captivating history of “the other side of the world”

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This was a great listen. It is a great introduction to a topic not often covered in western history studies in school. It touches on a lot of information. The author and narrator do a great job of this feeling like someone telling you this information as a story and not a textbook.
It provides a great starting point to learn more on different parts of middle world history.
Definitely recommend!

Fantastic story and excellent narration

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Recontextualized events while telling a captivating narrative. Nailed everything it set out to do imo. highly recommend it to anyone interested in History in general.

Narrative Weaving

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I learned so much from this book. It truly shows how Islamic history ties in to the history of the world, and how changing global philosophies influence each other. Very well written and read. I wish I could have this author as a professor. Thank you for your excellent work, Mr. Ansary!

An Excellent Book

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