A Fascinating Collection
Irwin is a leading historian of the Arab Middle East and a thoroughly entertaining writer. This is a thoughtful yet madcap excursion down the alleyways of the Middle Ages, with a focus on the neglected 10th and 11th centuries. It is an anthology of extracts, both prose and poetry. Irwin reminds us that some of the most celebrated works of medieval Arabic literature were 'collections of other men?s flowers.' His goal is to give English readers 'a taste of the authentic strangeness' of this particular corner of the medieval past. He does that exceptionally well.