Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire (1998)

Lords of the Horizons: A History of the Ottoman Empire by Jason Goodwin was first published in 1998 by Chatto & Windus. The edition I read was published by Vintage (Random House) in 1999. My kindle edition comprises of 370 pages and it is divided into three parts, a total of 25 chapters with added Epilogue, a list of Ottoman Sultans, an Ottoman Chronology and Glossary at the end. This review is exceptional and I hesitated whether to write it at all, since I have not finished reading the whole book, and may not ever do so. However, I thought my reasons for halting this read were sufficient enough to be mentioned in a brief review. I will note my intentions for reading it as well as how I found it and why I stopped. 

My sister suggested we start a bookclub during our social distancing and self-isolation practises. With my brother also in the group we decided to read this book as it was on his "to-read" list as he had heard many good things about it and how it provided a good insight into Ottoman/ Turkish history. I agreed to this book because this period of history also interests me, yet I know little to nothing about it. It was also one of the cheaper options on the kindle bookstore (compared to our other candidates). I preferred the kindle option to avoid delivery logistics (waiting and over-burdening the system in this unusual climate). 

An initial critique of the book is that Goodwin failed to describe the context of Europe or Asia prior the Ottoman Empire, thus making it difficult to understand in which environment this empire emerged and how it changed the landscape of these places. We learn that the contemporary world still holds relics of this time gone by but unfortunately there is no real reference to the state of the world before Osman took power. 

In addition to this, it is also a massive shame that the root of the Empire, its values, its raison d'être and the character of its founder are hardly explored. This is apparently due to the seemingly little amount of information there is about Osman I but it seems unusual and like there was not enough justice done to discovering the foundational character of such a significantly powerful and old empire. The first two to three Ottoman leaders were not discussed in any great detail, which would have been of great interest and also would have better marked the distinction between the tribal origins to the sultanate that was later formed.  

It took me a couple of chapters to get into the writing style, but even then I found it less than engaging and far from captivating. I recognise that the Ottoman Empire spans over a vast amount of time (dating from 1300 to 1924) so this book made for an immense project in itself and it would be hardly possible to get into the minutia but even core events in the chronology were not written in a engaging manner. It felt haltingly described and somewhat patched together. In this sense I would disagree with the Time Out review that claimed that this book was "Perhaps the most readable history ever written". My sister also noted that the spelling of the names of the Ottoman leaders were inconsistent between the chronology and the actual book and were thus a tad confusing. 

When we changed books, I considered reading it alongside anyway, to not leave a book unfinished but then I decided against it because of the orientalist attitude and the misinformation shared by the writer. Three core examples of this include: 1) Goodwin attempts to describe the reason for the Sunni-Shi'a conflict and gets it completely wrong: he claims it is due to a disagreement about the Prophetic lineage coming from Ali or Fatima. (They do not disagree on this at all but differ as to whether Ali or Abu Bakr should have been the Caliph after the Prophet's demise). 2) He calls the Kaaba "the weird stone cube", which is highly disrespectful and inappropriate language. This is the direction of worship for all Muslims and marks a sacred geographical, historical and spiritual point in the world. 3) Goodwin describes the Black Stone, a corner stone in the Kaaba, as "God's eye on earth". No sane Muslim has every believed or claimed such a thing, and it is definitely not understood to serve this purpose at all. It is considered to be a sacred stone from the heavens that was initially white then darkened with the sins of mankind. It also is known to have no power, but is revered because the Prophet Muhammad showed respect towards it (i.e. kissed it). 

Since history books are an interpretation of historical events, that are substantiated through documental or other evidence, I felt like I could not really trust Goodwin's interpretation of a history I already know very little about given that he so blatantly made huge gaffes and showed his negative bias in this way. This is the main reason I did not continue reading his work, nor would I recommend it to others.

Admittedly, I only read a small percentage (my kindle told me 20%) of the book, and if my bookclub buddies had decided to proceed with the book, I would have gone along reading it. But since I did not have this commitment, I could not fully trust Goodwin's version of events, nor did I enjoy his writing style, I abandoned ship. 

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Have you read this book? What did you think? Have you ever found yourself abandoning a book? What made you do it? Let me know in the comments. 

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Extreme Economies: Survival, Failure, Future - Lessons from the World's Limits (2019)

I was honoured with a gifted copy of this book as my sister was a research assistant for the author, Richard Davies. I'm reviewing it, as with all my reviews, primarily as a personal record of my thoughts of the book and secondly to share my impressions with others who seek to read or may have already read the book in order to provoke constructive discussion. This non-fiction work was published by Transworld Publishers, Bantam Press (Penguin). I have a hardback copy, which comprises of 337 pages (without Notes and References) although the book is also available as an e-book and audiobook. I will discuss the structure of the book as well as the writing style and recurring themes or "lessons". 

Extreme Economies: Survival, Failure, Future - Lessons from the World's Limits is divided into three main parts, as the title suggests. Each part uses three case studies to illustrate distinct extreme scenarios. The first part explores "Survival: The Economics of Resilience", which is explored through three locations namely Aceh, Zaatari and Louisiana. The second part delves into "Failure: The Economics of Lost Potential", covering Darien, Kinshasa and Glasgow and finally, the third part examines the "Future: The Economics of Tomorrow", taking in example Akita, Tallinn and Santiago. Therefore we are given nine core chapters to discover the workings of poor and successful economies around the world. The heart of the book is dedicated to a collection of photos that Davies took and collected during his travels researching the locations described in each chapter. They are vivid, high-quality photos that add a valuable visual element to his detailed descriptions.

In my brief readings of texts related to economics, I have felt that it is a somewhat "cut-throat" field of study where humans are objects required to produce desired financial results and it only wants to know the statistics and numerical value of things. I definitely had my own bias against the field for such reasons and was thankfully pleasantly surprised when this presumably stats-and-figures book managed to maintain a human connection and relevance. Davies does this primarily by incorporating valuable interviews concerning the economic condition of a place with locals. 

Something I particularly liked about Davies' presentation of an economic scenario is the historical context he provides of the places he visited in order for us to better understand how they became what they are today. I found these historical "flashbacks" to be both interesting and informative. These dips into history are also rich and varied as this research offers a broad and international analysis, since the focus areas are dotted in widely different points in the world. 

I found that Davies actively seeks to find a balance to present a fair analysis of the positives and negatives of each scenario, highlighting where they counter-balance each other, or not. Significantly, Davies also explores the value and utility of informal economies and markets, which are often overlooked or even frowned upon. Often this insight opens up a window into human resilience, creativity and resourcefulness. 

To conclude, I found that it was easy and fascinating to read even for someone with no economics background. If anything, I found myself recommending the book to various people I know because of its relevance and significance to our everyday lives as well as the societies we are living in. An important lesson from this research is to recognise that human bonds are vital for prosperous societies and thus economies. 

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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In the Realm of Hungry Ghosts (2008)

I downloaded In The Realm of Hungry Ghosts: Close Encounters with Addiction after listening to Dr Rangan Chatterjee's podcast interview with the author, Dr. Gabor Maté, In the podcast they briefly discuss this book and it piqued my interest. 2018 marked the ten-year anniversary of the first publication of this work, after it has already been translated into several languages around the world. My edition is the 2018 kindle edition published by Vermilion London, who are related to the Penguin Publishing House. This is a non-fiction study into addiction patterns. The book is divided into seven parts, with a total of 34 chapters. It is 496 pages long. I will provide a little background on the author, then move on to discuss his approach to this topic and the contents of the book before offering my overall thoughts. 

Dr. Maté is a Hungarian-born, Canadian medical doctor who is now retired. He is a Jewish survivor of the Holocaust and has family members who did not survive it. He has primarily worked with heavily drug-addicted patients in his long career, although he has also worked in palliative care among other fields. It is through his research working with drug-addicted patients and also exploring his own addictive tendencies that he explores the deeper causes and potential ways to heal this social phenomena. He is also known for his studies into Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder and generally understands there to be a mind-body connection when it comes to both mental and physical health.

While Dr. Maté consults a range of scientific studies in his exploration of addiction, he does not limit his scope to simply chemical reactions and responses to substances. If anything he elaborates on such research and explores how there are limitations to a chemical-dependent explanation of these disorders. He explores the functions of the human brain in relation to addictive behaviours and also how trauma and/or addictions themselves shape the condition of the brain. This broadens the assumptions of developing addictions as well as notions of how to combat them. 

His research explores patterns at the root of addictions, from as early as when a child is still in the womb, to early childhood and even triggers in adult life. As is expected in his approach, we see him piece together emotional and spiritual health as well as physical health to piece together the puzzle of addictive and compulsive behaviour. While much of the book deals with hard drug addicts, there are many connections made with other types of addictive behaviours, thus broadening the relevance and understanding of such phenomena in the human. 

The book, despite being a form of medical research, is written with a range of explanatory anecdotes of the doctor's patients as well as his own experiences. Not only does this make it easier to read and understand the concepts being described, they also serve to contextualise and humanise the scientific research and a demonised segment of society. In this book Maté critiques modern society for nurturing addicts in the first place and then ignoring or punishing the consequent behaviours and people trapped in negative cycles. Therefore Maté ultimately argues for compassion at a basic level as well as at an institutional level in order to minimise the suffering of an already vulnerable community. 

Overall, I have found myself recommending this book to several people quite simply because it develops a deeper understanding of the hurt experienced by people at a personal and social level. The variety of addictive tendencies we see around us are vast and not unrelated to what Dr. Maté discusses in this piece of work. While not a "how to overcome addiction" book, it opens many doors and puts you on the right track. His approach is holistic and meaningful, in such a way that we can take away lessons on how to better treat ourselves and those around us struggling with internal battles. 

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Have you read this book? What did you think of it? How did you come across this work? Comment your thoughts below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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The Monk of Mokha (2018)

The Monk of Mokha is a non-fiction and true account of Mokhtar Alkhanshali's attempt to revive the Yemeni coffee trade and find his own place in the world. Alkhanshali is a Yemeni American and this book was written by Dave Eggers following years of interviews and research. The book was published in 2018 by Hamish Hamilton (Penguin) and the hardback edition is 323 pages long. Eggers divides this work into a prologue, five "books" (which comprise of a total of 42 chapters), and an epilogue. I will share some of the different components that make up this account as well as my thoughts on this type of writing.

The book begins by introducing the reader to Mokhtar Alkhanshali. We quickly learn about his childhood, immigrant background and his general upbringing, which contribute to his developing a quick-witted character. Eggers smoothly describes the series of events that result in Alkhanshali's transition into the coffee world. And yet trying to establish oneself with the intention Mokhtar had, is shown to be hardly a piece of cake. Alkhanshali is not only introduced to this idea somewhat coincidentally, he also has a lot to lose if he chooses to pursue this vision and he is, for the majority of this book, quite a desperate fellow. 

The reader, like Mokhtar himself once was, is immersed into the history and origins of coffee, which comprise of spirituality (Islamic ascetics), politics (colonisation) and criminality. This background not only shows how far coffee has come since its humble beginnings but also the extent to which the coffee trade has expanded and been exploitative on a global level. This history is fascinating in and of itself but even more so when we consider ethical trading and historical practises. 

We also learn about the delicate process of producing coffee as we know it today. Mokhtar Alkhanshali had to learn about the nature of coffee agriculture as well as the whole processing procedure and how to prepare coffee for roasting, grinding and finally preparation. As we learn the delicate nature of coffee production from his research and experiences, it reestablishes an increased level of respect for this "common" beverage. In fact, good coffee is far from common and if anything a privilege to drink. Of course coffee, as with anything in the world, comes in all shapes and sizes (and qualities) but Mokhtar learns and Eggers explains the labour intensive work behind this beverage. In some ways it explains that the "hipster" obsession with coffee connoisseur-ship is no joke.

Eggers also places these events in the context of contemporary American politics, and recognises the significance of islamophobia in the the US for Muslim Americans. In addition, Alkhanshali's adventures happened to take place while the Yemeni war began to develop, and he intended to visit Yemen to realise his project. In one of his visits he found himself stuck in the Yemeni war and had to try to get out for the sake of his life and business. Eggers does not ignore the social distinction Alkhanshali felt due to his background, and the implied privilege white Americans enjoy in the world. This is not elaborated on in detail as we also see how Mokhtar also experiences the privilege of holding an American passport when he is in Yemen, highlighting international hierarchies and bias. 

For much of the book, the events Alkhanshali experiences create much of the tension and suspense, as they are extremely delicate situations that vary from theft and poverty to matters of life and death. However, Eggers conveys the urgency of each situation accordingly and does not overly dramatise or exaggerate in a way to make you feel like you're reading a piece of fiction. The reader is very much reading about the real world, which is not short of its own dangers. Eggers' writing style is clear and engaging. I personally found the cultural insight into Yemeni society (as tribal as it is) quite fascinating and Eggers, an "outsider" himself, effectively conveys cultural distinctions so as to explain the reasons behind uncommon behaviour for Westerners. 

This is my first time reading a book by Eggers and even reading non-fiction about something so contemporary. Both the book and the company are so new (and real) that it is quite a new experience for me as a reader, especially for someone who is more attracted to historical works. The book was a birthday gift to me from my siblings, and definitely made for a change in my reading. I find Alkhanshali's cause (to revive Yemeni coffee trade and value its labourers) to be noble and his chosen approach to be befitting. At the very least this book offers readers the opportunity to learn a little more about the complexity of an "everyday" hot beverage but it otherwise has the potential to spark a little motivation in being more ethical about our coffee selection and seek quality where possible. 

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Have you read this book? What did you think of it? Comment your thoughts below, I'd love to hear what you thought. 

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Homosexuality in Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims (2010)

Homosexuality n Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims by Scott Siraj al-Haqq Kugle was published by Oxford Oneworld in 2010. It is a non-fiction text that comes to 275 pages (main body) but goes up to 335 including the notes, bibliography. glossary and index, which illustrates the extent to which this text is well-researched and comprehensive. I will highlight some of the key arguments in the text, divided by chapter, and provide my own thoughts on how convincing Kugle's argument is. 

Kugle begins his work with a case study to contextualise the need for this research and the social repercussions of publicly acknowledging a gay sexual orientation. By the end of the book he brings to the fore his engagement with contemporary realities (in terms of the legalisation of same-sex marriage in secular countries) and how Muslims of different sexual orientations and gender identities live and negotiate their life and faith in relation to these matters. 

He highlights the methods of coming to Islamic legal rulings and how they are negotiated, from Quran, hadith (reports of the Prophet Muhammad's words and actions) and reasoning of the various major schools of thought. These are divided into separate chapters. He makes the following significant points made in the respective chapters. "Liberating Quran: Islamic Scripture" points out that the story of Lot does not condemn gay people, as the crimes of Lot were not limited to sodomy and if their crimes included this element, it condemns rather the violence of the action. Furthermore, laws of previous nations are not necessarily applicable to Islamic law, as is the case for many other matters. "Critiquing Hadith: Islamic Oral Tradition" notes that there is no prophetic example to follow in terms of same-sex relationships (punishments or otherwise). It also highlights the prevalence of weak or fabricated hadiths. "Assessing Fiqh: Islamic Legal Reasoning" competently compares the logical reasoning behind the various schools of thought and thus explains their differing stances on same-sex sexual acts in relation to illegal heterosexual sex. Through these chapters he deals with the notions of prejudice, bias and inconsistency which then inform legal interpretations. 

From these criticisms and analyses, Kugle goes on to offer his own suggestions on how to address same-sex relationships in contemporary society. In his chapter "Reforming Shari'a: Islamic Ethics of Same-Sex Marriage" he offers the possibility of legalising same-sex marriage in the Muslim community and argues how such a shift in approach to nikkah contracts will also benefit women (and feminists) as well as gay Muslims. His argumentation is compelling and informed, as he deconstructs the reasons not to do so competently. 

Kugle's transgender argument is much shorter, being limited to the one chapter: "Reviving Spirit: Islamic Approaches to Transgender Experience" and is, for me, less convincing outside the frame of hermaphrodites. When I say "less convincing", that is not to contest Kugle's case for fair, human and compassionate treatment of people who choose to identify with another gender (and even surgically change their body with this intention), rather I mean that I do not know how such a decision can be deemed more than a "whim" in the Islamic perspective, and correspond to the essentialist notion of sexuality and gender that Kugle adopts. It is a complex matter and it requires more study, which Kugle at least offers a starting point for. 

To conclude, Homosexuality in Islam: Critical Reflection on Gay, Lesbian, and Transgender Muslims that provides essential insights into the contemporary reality of homosexual and transgender Muslims in the light of Islamic understanding. It explores the conflicts gay Muslims face due to cultural and social forces prejudicing Islamic interpretation and consequently human treatment of homosexuals. He offers strong and convincing arguments for his case, especially for gay Muslims, and does so by breaking down the multiple components that inform Islamic legal jurisprudence. Due to this, this book also provides much information and insight, for those who do not know, into the workings of the Islamic law (or shari'ah) and its many nuances- obviously with a limited focus on this topic. 

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Sexual Ethics in Islam and in the Western World (2011)

Sexual Ethics in Islam and in the Western World by Ayatollah Murtada Mutahhari is a compilation of articles published in Maktab-e-Islam, the leading religious journal in pre-revolutionary Iran. They were translated into English by Khurshid Ali and published by the Islamic Centre of England in 2011. The book is extremely short and concise, at only 67 pages and 7 chapters plus an Introduction by S. Khalil Toussi. I will share a brief description of the author, provided by Toussi, before mentioning the key arguments presented in the book. 

Mutahhari, considered a reformist of his time, was born in 1919 to a clerical family in a village near the city of Mashhad. He began basic Islamic training in Mashhad and later went to Qom for advanced education in the Islamic sciences, where he stayed for fifteen years. He attended lectures by Ayatollah Ruhullah Khomeini on Mulla Sadra's philosophy, mysticism, ethics, and principles of jurisprudence amongst many other disciplines. He was also involved in socio-political activities and his theological writings aimed to debunk Marxism and atheism, which were influencing Iranian intellectuals of the time. He was assassinated in 1979. 

Mutahhari compares former Western concepts of sexuality, which were strongly influenced by a Christian culture, to contemporary thought and modern approaches to sexuality (i.e. a more libertarian approach). These offer two opposing approaches to sexuality. The Christian-influenced approach glorifies celibacy over sexual activity (because sexual activity is base), while maintaining that marriage and sex are necessary for reasons of pro-creation. The contemporary Western approach to  sexuality is one of fulfilling one's desires to the utmost and is greatly hedonistic and indulgent, and often associated with freeing oneself from the chains of institutions like marriage or concepts like chastity. 

Mutahhari notes the influence of Western thought on Muslim communities, since there has been an exchange of culture and ideas between Islamic thinkers and Western philosophers for centuries. Consequently, he describes in which ways Islamic thought and Western thoughts on sexuality are distinct. One way in which he does this is by underlying the importance of marriage in Islam and the goodness that lies in engaging in sexual relations. This is supported by the practice of the majority of the Prophets, who had wives and this was not a hinderance to their worldly or spiritual success. He links the spiritual virtues of sexual activities to a wholesome way of living and is not merely a union required for procreation. He argues that Islam does not advocate self-denial nor does it condone lustful activity.

Mutahhari distinguishes between love and lust and consequently finds flaws in the arguments offered by the Western thinkers Bertrand Russell and Will Durant. He also briefly engages with some of Freud's thoughts on the subject. Mutahhari argues that the institution of marriage aims to nurture love rather than encourage lustful behaviour. 

I found this short book to be extremely insightful because it competently engages with Western thinkers as well as offers comparisons and reasoning that reflect the changing attitudes to sexuality as I've noticed them (as well as the trends that we have been taught) through my literary studies. Yes, it promotes Islamic values and marriage, but it also highlights what elements of Western thoughts Muslims are prone to being influenced by and how Islam relates to these matters. The collection of articles are informative and worthwhile read for those interested in comparing Western sexual ethics to those in Islam. 

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The Good Immigrant (2016)

The Good Immigrant is a collection of 21 essays by people of colour (POC) that recount their immigrant/ diaspora experiences and/ or concerns in Britain. This collection was published by Unbound and edited by Nikesh Shukla; it is 234 pages long if I exclude the list of acknowledgements and supporters, of which there are many. It was produced thanks to the support of the public. My sister lent me her copy of this book after I told her I wanted to buy Reni Eddo-Lodge's Why I'm No Longer Talking to White People About Race, since Eddo-Lodge contributed an essay to this collection. Along with my personal reflections, I will briefly describe some recurring themes in the collection. 

This book's strongest feature (for me) is that it addresses and gives voice to a whole spectrum of ethnic narratives and experiences. It obviously cannot cater for every immigrant experience in Britain but it definitely provides a solid variety with which POC can identify with and/or learn from. It covers several continents and takes varied approaches to the subject. I personally felt that it provided me with valuable windows into other worlds and cultural experiences, such as that of the Chinese minority and the Black community, while simultaneously showing me mirrors where I read narratives very close to my own. This combination creates a sense of solidarity with people from other cultural backgrounds, since we may experience discrimination differently depending on our race, and we can thus identify wider social issues that need to be resolved. 

While each essayist brought his/ her own perspective to the fore, a recurrent theme was the complexity and richness of each person's lineage (and consequently the experiences that come with it). Highlighting these complexities not only humanises us but also underlines to what extent our lives have been simplified for the "White man", whether it be on administrative forms or in the media. I sensed both a personal and analytical approach in the writings, which raise it above pure anecdotal sentimentality. The collection discusses the effects of living in the diaspora in the context of politics, culture, the education system, the media and even sex. 

Another recurrent theme is that of representation, especially in the media (including literature), to the extent that POC children (and maybe even adults) have internalised that stories are about White people, with White people representing the "universal" by default. Several essayists discuss the role of media and pop culture on upbringing and self-perception. This issue is being increasingly voiced on social media but I do not know to what extent it is being addressed in the real world- though I believe there is an active attempt for greater diversity in literature in terms of characters and authors. Nevertheless, it shows the bias we face from early on and the bias we expose our children to. 

To be clear, this book is far from being an emotional diatribe of 21 bothered Britons. It is an assessment and critique of multicultural Britain that raises important issues that need to be addressed in order to create an empowering, healthy and representative environment for the various communities that make up Britain today. The Good Immigrant explores the burden of Empire and living in the wake of colonisation while still being expected to conform to white standards like our ancestors while our White counterparts do not live with the same pressure to rectify the wrongs of the past. The ideas in this book are well articulated and the writing is quite beautiful; it is funny, shocking, sad and eye-opening. This is an important read for anyone in the diaspora- or whoever is considered an immigrant. 

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Another little shoutout and thank you to my little sister for loaning this book to me. It's a great piece of work and I'm so close to ordering my own copy!

Have you read this book? What did you think of it? If you haven't read it yet, do these issues interest you?