The Civilization of the Islamic World

Gr 9 Up—This volume provides students with a scholarly overview of art and architecture in the medieval Islamic world, from its beginnings through the Umayyad and Abbasid caliphates and later dynasties, including the Fatimids, Ayyubids, and Mamluks. Also included are discussions of Islamic kingdoms in Spain, North Africa, Iran, Turkey, India, and China. The author's emphasis is on political and military history rather than day-to-day life, and on the artistic achievements of the many cultures of the medieval Islamic world. The discussions of architecture are particularly good, but other arts are also mentioned, including calligraphy, textiles, ceramics, and metalwork. The book is illustrated with numerous color photographs that show these artistic treasures in close-up detail. An excellent resource for students doing research.—Kathleen E. Gruver, Burlington County Library, Westampton, NJ