The Book of Contemplation
by Usama ibn Munqidh, Paul M. Cobb (Translator, Introduction by, Notes by)
ISBN-10: 0140455132
ISBN-13: 9780140455137
$18.00
Book Specs
UK-B Format Paperback
Penguin Classics
Published on
Sep 30, 2008
Edition
1st Edition
Dimensions
5.08x0.87x7.79 Inches
Weight
0.64 Pounds
About the Book
Islam and the Crusades contains the autobiographical works of Usama ibn Munqidh, a twelfth-century Arab aristocrat. Full of detail, wit and melancholy, Usama's narrative anecdotes illustrate the inscrutability of God's will in life, as well as providing a memorable record of Islam's long encounter with the Crusaders, known to Usama only as the Franks. This edition focuses on The Book of Contemplation, but also uses extracts from The Book of the Staff and Kernels of Refinement to produce a complete and human portrayal of Islamic perspectives on a day-to-day existence, warfare, and the curious European invaders.
Paul M. Cobb's accessible translation is accompanied by an introduction that places Usama's writings in their historical and literary context, explains the poetry of his language and examines the divisions between Islamic sects at the time. This edition also contains maps, a chronology of the author's life, a family tree, suggested further reading and a glossary.