Description: Islamic civilization was once the envy of the world. From a succession of glittering, cosmopolitan capitals, Islamic empires lorded it over the Middle East, North Africa, Central Asia and swathes of the Indian subcontinent, while Europe cowered feebly at the margins. For centuries the caliphate was both ascendant on the battlefield and triumphant in the battle of ideas, its cities unrivalled powerhouses of artistic grandeur, commercial power, spiritual sanctity and forward-looking thinking, in which nothing was off limits.
Brief description: Justin Marozzi is a former Financial Times and Economist foreign correspondent. He is the author of several books, including Baghdad: City of Peace, City of Blood won the Royal Society of Literature's Ondaatje Prize, and Islamic Empires: The Cities that Shaped the Modern World, also available from Pegasus Books.
Review Quotes: "Marozzi combines travel writing and history in this fluid, enriching series of vignettes about the great cities of Islamic civilization. The range and detail of Marozzi's research brings a welcome variation on the standard view of Islamic history."-- "Publishers Weekly"