Help me out please.

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Help me out please.
OP - December 12, 2009, 06:00 AM

This question primarily is directed to Q-Man and Kafirist. I was impressed by how much knowledge both of you have regarding history--especially Ancient, and Medieval history. I was never interested in history during High School, but now that I'm older, I'm interested. So I want some 101 in the subject.

Would either of you, and anyone else who is well learned in the subject, recommend me some good, non-bias, balanced books and/or websites (aside from Wikipedia).

Also, if anyone can recommend me some great books regarding history of the three Abrahamic religions and the middle eastern culture and history (non-biased, straight facts), I'd really appreciate that too.

Thanks!

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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #1 - December 12, 2009, 07:04 AM

Well which specific area or period of history are you insterested in? I can't really remember everything I've read, I'm a bit of a history nerd and I've read some serious volumes of these dense and rather boring books - most wouldn't want to read that shit. If you have any specific areas your interested in then I can recommend some good books. I even have quite a few e-books I could send you.

Quote from: thinkfree on September 28, 2010, 07:58 PM
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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #2 - December 12, 2009, 07:11 AM

Just anything, I don't really care. I just wanna know the history of mankind from ancient times, to now.

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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #3 - December 12, 2009, 07:24 AM

Have you read "Guns, Germs and Steel" by Jared Diamond? I highly recommend that, its not purely history, but it's simply an exellent analysis of human development and very interesting. There is also a documentary of the same name.
http://www.amazon.ca/Guns-Germs-Steel-Jared-Diamond/dp/0393317552/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260602170&sr=1-1

A recent book I read that I liked was "God's Warriors" it's good and balanced analysis of the Muslims and Christians during the Crusades, its very well written and illustrated.
http://www.amazon.ca/Gods-Warriors-Knights-Saracens-Jerusalem/dp/1846031435/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260602287&sr=1-3

Another excellent book is "Shadows in the Desert". It is a very well written history of the 3 great Persian Empires. I'm a bit of a Perso-phile so this is my area of interest. It's got some interesting content about how ancient persia were really the foundations of later classical Muslim civilization.
http://www.amazon.ca/Shadows-Desert-Ancient-Persia-War/dp/1846034736/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260602387&sr=1-1

For more modern history I highly recommend "Nazi Germany and the Jews". It's the most readable and thorough accounting of antisemitism culminating in the Holocaust. I think it's an important subject and that everyone needs to remember how fragile the rights of any minority truly is.
http://www.amazon.ca/Nazi-Germany-Jews-1933-1945-Abridged/dp/0061350273/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260602491&sr=1-2

These are the ones that come to mind that I read recently. I will post some classics and must-reads when they come to mind.

Quote from: thinkfree on September 28, 2010, 07:58 PM
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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #4 - December 12, 2009, 07:34 AM

I loved "Guns, Germs and Steel". There is a great follow up by him, called 'Collapse'.

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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #5 - December 12, 2009, 07:38 AM

If you are interested in Islamic history that is balanced, then would recommend the three volume series titled:-

"The Venture of Islam"

http://www.amazon.com/Venture-Islam-Classical-Age/dp/0226346838/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260603375&sr=8-1

http://www.amazon.com/Venture-Islam-Expansion-Middle-Periods/dp/0226346846/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260603375&sr=8-3

http://www.amazon.com/Venture-Islam-Gunpowder-Empires-Modern/dp/0226346854/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260603375&sr=8-2
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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #6 - December 12, 2009, 07:42 AM

^those are great. Never read them though.

If your interested in medieval military history (I love that shit!) then I highly recommend the Osprey series. They have some good selections for Muslim history:

Armies of the Muslim Conquest
http://www.amazon.ca/Armies-Muslim-Conquest-David-Nicolle/dp/185532279X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260603589&sr=1-1

Armies of Islam: 7-11th centuries
http://www.amazon.ca/Armies-Islam-7th-11th-Centuries/dp/0850454484/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260603650&sr=1-1

Armies of the Caliphates
http://www.amazon.ca/Armies-Caliphates-862-1098-David-Nicolle/dp/1855327708/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260603650&sr=1-2

Muslim Conquest of Syria: Battle of Yarmuk
http://www.amazon.ca/Yarmuk-AD-636-Muslim-conquest/dp/1855324148/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260603589&sr=1-2

Armies of Muslim Spain
http://www.amazon.ca/Moors-Islamic-West-7th-15th-Centuries/dp/1855329646/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260603589&sr=1-3

These are heavily illustrated books with a strong focus on medieval military tactics and battles. They have other excellent selections on various other periods of history and empires. The above are just related to Muslims. I have some on my computer if you want them.

Quote from: thinkfree on September 28, 2010, 07:58 PM
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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #7 - December 12, 2009, 07:44 AM

Thank you for the recommendations guys. Any further recommendations, I'd appreciate it.

And Kafirist, you can send me those e-books if you want.

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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #8 - December 12, 2009, 07:48 AM

Another great book I forgot to mention:

The Great Arab Conquests: How The Spread Of Islam Changed The World We Live In(Paperback)
http://www.amazon.ca/Great-Conquests-Spread-Islam-Changed/dp/0753823896/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260603891&sr=1-4

Its a pretty good accounting of the Arab invasions of the Christian and Persian worlds and I'd say it's pretty unbiased. It takes into account all the facts in a generally balanced manner without sounding either apologetic for the Muslims or demonising them. It's quite interesting because lots of Muslims are really unaware of the details of how the Arabs seized so much territory. I recommend it.

@Tommy
I'll zip it and upload what I have to my webspace some time soon. Prolly by sunday.

Quote from: thinkfree on September 28, 2010, 07:58 PM
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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #9 - December 12, 2009, 08:33 AM

@Kafirist - Have you read any unbiased sira by any chance?
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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #10 - December 12, 2009, 08:34 AM

Honestly the only sira i've read is the one by Martin Lings. I guess its generally factual. Are there any "unbiased" sirah? Woudln't they always be sourcing the hadiths anyways?

http://www.amazon.com/Muhammad-Life-Based-Earliest-Sources/dp/0892811706

Quote from: thinkfree on September 28, 2010, 07:58 PM
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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #11 - December 12, 2009, 08:53 AM

I've read Martin Lings rendition. It's more of a devotional book. I would read the following:-

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Muhammad-I-Ishaq/dp/0196360331/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1260607915&sr=8-1
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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #12 - December 12, 2009, 10:49 AM

Guns Germs & Steel I stuck up the documentary on youtube

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgnmT-Y_rGQ on a previous thread.

Quote from: IsLame on September 07, 2009, 06:52 PM
Found it on youtube if anyones interested

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bgnmT-Y_rGQ

Also there is the History of Islam done by the National History Channel if you prefer the audio/visual stimuli like me to reading books...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=csojgoZvlz8

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Re: Help me out please.
Reply #13 - January 07, 2010, 12:19 AM

I am also kinda interested in history, though not much. Anybody knows how good are these?
The first 2 look good, the last 2 seem kinda short for a history of the WORLD. Any opinions.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Times-Complete-History-World/dp/0007259271/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=IT84KJLPPHY0Z&colid=G61YVLYKSY7X
http://www.amazon.co.uk/History-Definitive-Visual-Civilization-Present/dp/1405318090/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1JH3GU3WPJAB4&colid=G61YVLYKSY7X
http://www.amazon.co.uk/New-Penguin-History-World/dp/0713996110/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1K49BJ0N0LANP&colid=G61YVLYKSY7X
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Short-History-World-Penguin-Classics/dp/0141441828/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I2RGGPQI7CJOBB&colid=G61YVLYKSY7X
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Little-History-World-E-Gombrich/dp/030014332X/ref=wl_it_dp_o?ie=UTF8&coliid=I1LC08TGSDQ77W&colid=G61YVLYKSY7X

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