Tim Mackintosh-Smith is an eminent Arabist, translator, and traveler whose previous publications include Travels with a Tangerine and Yemen. He has lived in the Arab world for thirty-five years and is a senior fellow of the Library of Arabic Literature.
“Although Mackintosh-Smith’s book is perfectly scholarly, it is not
a dutiful plod through a succession of slaughtered sultans and
viziers or a tallying of gains and losses in forgotten battles in
unpronounceable places. On the contrary, Arabs keeps throwing out
brilliant insights, like sparks from a Catherine wheel.”—Robert
Irwin, Literary Review
“A fascinating and richly detailed chronicle of Arab language and
culture offers some thought-provoking historical parallels”—Ian
Black, The Observer
“Commanding erudition and a swashbuckling style define this history
of the Arabs”—Justin Marozzi, The Sunday Times
"Sweeping book [. . .] It addresses vital questions of Arab
identity and nationhood. There can hardly be a better guide than
Mackintosh-Smith, who has near- mythical status among western
observers of the Middle East"—Richard Spencer, The Times
Ireland
"[Mackintosh-Smith] is ideally positioned to make the tangled past
vividly present. . . . [He] handles his complex account with
great aplomb."—Eric Ormsby, Wall Street Journal
“A long time in the making, Tim Mackintosh-Smith’s erudite study,
Arabs: A 3,000-Year History of Peoples, Tribes and Empires was
worth the wait”—Justin Marozzi, Evening Standard (Best summer
holiday reads)
“[An] extraordinary new survey” —Shiraz Maher, New Statesman
“Extraordinarily comprehensive history of the Arabs and their
culture, which covers 3,000 years and explains why unity in the
Arab world “remains a mirage”. Sumptuous package, with gold foil on
the jacket.” —The Bookseller (Editor’s Choice)
“One of the many significant achievements of Mackintosh-Smith's
brilliant new book is to put this current moment into a long and
rich context, explaining how it fits into the 3,000- year history
of peoples, tribes, empires and a language [. . .] An important
book” —Anthony Sattin, Spectator
“A long-term resident of Yemen, the author is duly famous for his
brilliant travel writing. He is also among the most gifted Arabic
translators alive today. These qualities make him an ideal guide to
the vicissitudes of the Arabs throughout history, from the first
moment they appear in the historical record [. . .] to the painful
present of civil wars, refugees and would be caliphates”— Christian
Sahner, Times Literary Supplement
“The bulk of this astounding book portrays grand personalities,
national journeys and thrilling adventures, all seen through the
prism of Arabic language” —Steve Donoghue, The National
“[A] discursive and fascinating analysis of ‘Arabness’”—Alan
Mackie, Asian Affairs
“Superb. What really distinguishes this book from others is the
sheer number of its insights into Arab history, all of which are
tantalizing. There is also a poignancy to the telling of the
complex story of the Arabs because of the circumstances
Mackintosh-Smith finds himself in while writing, in virtual
lock-down in Sana’a during the ongoing civil war and invasion of
Yemen by Saudi Arabia and the UAE.”—Steven C. Caton, Professor of
Contemporary Arab Studies at Harvard University
“This controversial new work by Mackintosh-Smith strips away
centuries of erroneous myth-making and returns the turbulent
history of the Arab peoples to the secure bedrock of their
language. Anyone hoping to understand, let alone write about the
Middle East, will need to read and inhale this profound, witty and
scholarly achievement.”—Barnaby Rogerson, author of The Last
Crusaders
“Arabs is a refined and pleasing tour through the history of a
remarkable people, civilization and language. It’s in touch with
the poetry of the desert a millennium and a half ago and the trauma
of war in the mountains today"—Jonathan A.C. Brown, Alwaleed bin
Talal Chair of Islamic Civilization at Georgetown University
"Masterly and brilliant. Arabs is a beautifully
written narrative and acute analysis, both fresh and
original, filled with fascinating characters and ideas,
with as much depth before Islam as after and a true feeling
not just for the Arab experience in history and faith but also for
its language and culture. This book could only be written by a
writer with a knowledge of the geography of the Arab soul as well
as the Arab land."—Simon Sebag Montefiore, author of Jerusalem
"Quite brilliant. Arabs is well written with personal
touches of someone who has experienced the last thirty years of
Arab history at the very centre of things. I am full of
admiration for this inspiring book, with its quite original and
timely view of Arab historical identity, and cannot wait to see it
on the shelves."—Philip Kennedy, author of Recognition in
the Arabic Narrative Tradition
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