Although obviously intended for high school level, the text presents a great deal of fascinating historical information on the medeival Islamic world (even including the Bulgars, the Timurids, etc.), often rare to find elsewhere; it marks the inadequacy of Islamic studies in English that there are few scholarly books on Islamic history with the same breadth of scope. Although some statements concerning earlier Islamic history run counter to orthodox Muslim belief, the author is undoubtedly one of the best writers of Muslim history. The pictures and maps are also great.

Although obviously intended for high school level, the text presents a great deal of fascinating historical information on the medeival Islamic world (even including the Bulgars, the Timurids, etc.), often rare to find elsewhere; it marks the inadequacy of Islamic studies in English that there are few scholarly books on Islamic history with the same breadth of scope. Although some statements concerning earlier Islamic history run counter to orthodox Muslim belief, the author is undoubtedly one of the best writers of Muslim history. The pictures and maps are also great.