The World History Shelf

The Ottomans: A Cultural Legacy
Diana Darke
Thames & Hudson, Inc.
500 Fifth Avenue, New York, NY 10110-0017
www.thamesandhudsonusa.com
9780500252666, $39.95, HC, 288pp

https://www.amazon.com/Ottomans-Cultural-Legacy-Diana-Darke/dp/0500252661

Synopsis: One hundred years after the abolition of the Ottoman sultanate on=
November 1, 1922, enough time has passed to reexamine the Ottomans and rea= ssess their legacy. "The Ottomans: A Cultural Legacy" by Diana Darke is an = illustrated volume that deftly explores their unique achievements in archit= ecture, cuisine, music, science, and medicine, as well as the political cha= llenges they met.

The Ottoman Empire faced issues shared by modern European and Middle Easter=
n countries: how to maintain a balance between religious ideology and secul=
ar politics and how to promote fairness and equality among citizens in a mu= lticultural society.

While many still equate the Ottomans with the decadence of Istanbul (extrav= agant architecture, harems, and hookahs) they are unaware that the secrets =
of Ottoman success lay in a disciplined bureaucracy and a standing army tha=
t both awed and seduced its opponents.

The Ottomans harnessed the talents of their diverse populations and quickly=
buttressed the crumbling edifice of Byzantine Christianity. Their dynamism=
and resilience helped fuse the cultures of Asia, Europe, and Africa, from = the Himalayas to the Sahara, absorbing whatever impressed them, from Mongol=
armor to Persian tile work.

Alongside their essential rigor, they enjoyed the finer aspects of life: in=
music, cuisine, and art, unafraid, even as rugged fighters, to display the=
ir love of flowers and gardens, especially tulips and roses. Behind the fin=
e robes, carpets, and ceramics on display today in their great architectura=
l monuments, Istanbul's Topkapi Palace and Hagia Sophia, lie centuries of m= igration, trade, and struggle.

An original and beautifully illustrated volume, "The Ottomans: A Cultural L= egacy" reveals a radically new picture of the Ottoman Empire.

Critique: Exceptionally well researched, written, organized and presented, = "The Ottomans: A Cultural Legacy" by Diana Darke is informative enhanced fo=
r the reader with the inclusion of a four page Select Bibliography, five pa= ges of Notes, a one page listing for Sources of Illustrations, and a three = page Index. "The Ottomans: A Cultural Legacy" is an impressive and unreserv= edly recommended addition to personal, professional, community, and academi=
c library Ottoman History collections and supplemental curriculum studies l= ists.

Editorial Note: Diana Darke (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diana_Darke) is = the author of Stealing from the Saracens: How Islamic Architecture Shaped E= urope, which was one of BBC History Magazine's best books of 2020. Her othe=
r books include The Merchant of Syria, My House in Damascus, and The Last S= anctuary in Aleppo.

The King in the North
Gordon Noble, author
Nicholas Evans, editor
Birlinn
c/o Casemate Publishers
1940 Lawrence Road, Havertown, PA 19083
www.casematepublishers.com
9781780275512, $21.99, PB, 208pp

https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-king-in-the-north-gordon-noble/1131287= 380?ean=3D9781 788851930

Synopsis: Some years ago a revolution took place in Early Medieval history =
in Scotland. The Pictish heartland of Fortriu, previously thought to be cen= tred on Perthshire and the Tay found itself relocated through the forensic = work of archaeologist Alex Woolf to the shores of the Moray Firth. The impl= ications for our understanding of this period and for the formation of Scot= land are unprecedented and still being worked through.

"The King in the North: The Pictish Realms of Fortriu and Ce" by Gordon Nob=
le (and edited by Nicholas Evans) is the first account of this northern hea= rtland of Pictavia for the non-specialist reader with an interest in the su= bject to take in the full implications of this and of the substantial recen=
t archaeological work that has been undertaken in recent years.

Part of the The Northern Picts project at Aberdeen University, "The King in=
the North: The Pictish Realms of Fortriu and Ce" represents an exciting cr= oss disciplinary approach to the study of this still too little understood = yet formative period in Scotland's history.

Critique: Nicely illustrated throughout, "The King in the North: The Pictis=
h Realms of Fortriu and Ce" is comprised of nine informative essays, plates=
, figures, a list of Abbreviations, Acknowledgments, a seven page listing o=
f Sites To Visit, a twenty-one page listing of References, and a six page I= ndex. Exceptionally well organized and presented, "The King in the North: T=
he Pictish Realms of Fortriu and Ce" is a singularly recommended addition t=
o personal, professional, college and university library Scottish Archaeolo=
gy & History collections. It should be noted for the personal reading lists=
of students, academia, and the general public that "The King in the North:=
The Pictish Realms of Fortriu and Ce" is also available in a digital book = format (Kindle, $14.49).

Editorial Note #1: Gordon Noble (https://www.abdn.ac.uk/geosciences/people/= profiles/g.noble) is Senior Lecturer in Archaeology and Honorary Curatorial=
Fellow to the University Museums at the University of Aberdeen. He has als=
o been director of the Rhynie Environs Archaeological Project. He is author=
of a number of books, including Neolithic Scotland: Timber, Stone, Earth a=
nd Fire.

Editorial Note #2: Nicholas Evans is a Research Fellow at the University of=
Aberdeen School of Geosciences (https://www.abdn.ac.uk/geosciences/people/= profiles/nicholas.evans#about)

Military History of Late Rome 602-641
Ilkka Syvanne
Pen & Sword Books
c/o Casemate (US distribution)
www.casematepublishers.com
https://www.pen-and-sword.co.uk
9781399075671, $52.95, HC, 352pp

https://www.amazon.com/Military-History-Late-Rome-602-641/dp/1399075675

Synopsis: With the publication of "Military History of Late Rome 602-641", = Ilkka Syvanne provides a fresh analysis of the Roman Empire from the reign =
of Phocas (602-10) until the death of Heraclius (610-41).

This was an era of unprecedented upheavals which is usually considered to h= ave resulted in the end of antiquity. The usurpations of Phocas and Heracli=
us led to the collapse of the Roman defenses; The Persians conquered Syria,=
Lebanon, Palestine and Egypt; The Avars and Slavs ravaged the Balkans; The=
Lombards held the upper hand in Italy; the Visigoths conquered Spain; But = then happened one of the most remarkable reversals of fortune in the histor=
y of mankind. Heraclius began his holy war against the fire-worshippers. He=
launched a very effective counterattack against the Persians as a result o=
f which the Romans not only defeated the Persians but actually even extende=
d their domains at their expense, and not only this, because by 633 Heracli=
us was already restoring the Roman fortunes in the Balkans.

"Military History of Late Rome 602-641" revises many of the previously held=
views of how this took place and what actually happened. The Roman armies = seemed invincible and then happened yet another great reversal of fortune -=
- the Muslims began their jihad to conquer the world.

Author Ilkka Syvanne provides a fresh analysis of all of these upheavals; e= xplaining in detail why these reversals of fortune happened; what enabled t=
he Romans to defeat the Persians; and why the Romans lost when they fought = against the Muslims and, conversely, why the Muslims were so successful.

This was an era of epic campaigns and battles all of which are explained in=
unprecedented detail. The epic campaigns needed equally talented commander=
s who include, for example, Heraclius, Chosroes II Parwez, Shahrbaraz, Shah= in, Abu Bakr, Umar, Abu Ubaydah, and Khalid b. al-Walid, the Sword of Allah=
..

Critique: Part of the seven volume 'Military History of Ancient Rome' serie=
s from Pen & Sword Books, "Military History of Late Rome 602-641" is inform= ative enhanced with the inclusion of color plates, b/w illustrations, maps,=
three appendices, forty-two pages of Notes, a six page Bibliography, and a=
n eight page Index. A fascinating, informative, thoughtful and thought-prov= oking history, "Military History of Late Rome 602-641" is exceptionally wel=
l written, comprehensively detailed and documented. While a critically impo= rtant addition to personal, professional, community, and academic library R= oman History collections and supplemental curriculum studies lists, "Milita=
ry History of Late Rome 602-641" is also available in a digital book format=
(Kindle, $32.99).

Editorial Note: Currently residing in Kangasala, Finland, Ilkka Syv nne gai= ned his doctorate in history in 2004 from the University of Tampere in his = native Finland. Since then he has written extensively about ancient and med= ieval warfare and his publications include: 'The Age of Hippotoxotai, Art o=
f War in Roman Military Revival and Disaster 491-636' (Tampere UP 2004), 'T=
he Reign of Gallienus' (Pen & Sword, 2019), the multivolume 'Military Histo=
ry of Late Rome' published by Pen & Sword and the critically acclaimed Cara= calla. He is the co-author with Professor Katarzyna Maksymiuk of the 'Milit= ary History of Third Century Iran' (Siedlce UP, 2018) and the 'Military His= tory of Fifth Century Iran' (Siedlce UP, 2019). He was Vice Chairman of the=
Finnish Society for Byzantine Studies from 2007 until 2016. He has been an=
Affiliated Professor of the University of Haifa since 2016.

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