Splendours of an Islamic World: The Art and Architecture of the Mamluks

Book Description

Few know of the reign of the Mamluks, but all will appreciate the beauty of the art and architecture they left behind. The reign of the Mamluks marked a breathtaking flowering of Islamic art. Their control of trade across much of the Middle East ensured a steady flow of funds into Mamluk coffers, which supported the artistic output that made Cairo, in the words of Ibn Khaldun, "the center of the universe and the garden of the world." This book shows off the majestic domes, courtyards, and soaring minarets that won Cairo its high praise. Those interested in Islamic history will be enthralled by the examination of sites, and general readers will enjoy learning more about this little-known facet of the world's cultural heritage.

Customer Reviews:

Splendours of the Mamluks.......2005-12-04

The previous one-star reviewer is reviewing Islam and not the book! It seems he never read more than the book's title which was sufficient to provoke another defamation against Islam to be added to the deluge that has been flooding Amazon reviews and the media in general since 9/11.

This book does not discuss Islam's contribution to human civilization and arts - this is covered in other books that would fill entire libraries. If you're not into books then just look around at the numerous monuments that keep attracting millions of tourists every year from Alhambra in the West to Taj Mahal in the East. Unless you are blinded by prejudice, you cannot help but admire the stunning beauty of this original, highly refined and breathtaking art form which was born with Islam. Needless to say that the bulk of Islam's architectural heritage was built when most Europeans were living in primitive huts and the only art they knew was the art of burning heretics.

Regarding music, it is sufficient to say that the guitar (from the Arabic "Kithara") was invented by Zyryab, the great Arab musician, in 8th century Baghdad (remember, Beethoven was born a thousand years later!!) This Islamic instrument and many others such as rebec, lute, psaltery, cithara, tabor, timbale...etc were later used by Europeans as prototypes for virtually all the instruments of the symphonic orchestra except wind (i.e. piano, violin, cello, bass, percussions...etc.)

The Islamic civilization produced a flowering of artistic output on a scale and variety not seen in any of the world civilizations that preceded it - not only in architecture and music but in all artistic domains known in the pre-Renaissance period: from pottery that rivalled China to the most dazzling carpets, textiles & costumes, not to mention the stunning metalwork (inlaid brasses, bronze and silver); glassware & crystal; enamelled jewellery; woodwork; tile & Arabesque; paintings & miniatures; lacquer; calligraphy & book illuminations; landscape gardening;....and dancing, yes dancing, both religious (Sufi) and profane such as the art of belly-dancing which for centuries didn't seem to have been affected by any "modesty restrictions". Islamic art extended also to the art of gastronomy and produced ground-breaking innovations that permanently left their mark on the world such as eating dessert (Sugar from the Arabic "Sukkar") and drinking alcohol!!! (from the Arabic "Al-Kohol". Yes, Muslims invented the process of alcohol distillation and in their lands the world's finest alcoholic concoctions were made). Art permeated all aspects of Islamic life the same way it permeated every inch of Islamic buildings and monuments - even the weapons carried by Muslim warriors were "damascened" artistic marvels examples of which can be seen in museums around the world.

Those whose full time job is to malign Muslims and falsify their history find it convenient to direct their lies at the uncultured and ignorant masses whose knowledge about Islam comes from Fox News and Hollywood movies. It is therefore not surprising that absurd statements, which would normally cause laughter, such as "Art is virtually prohibited by Islam" find receptive ears in societies where the Fox-News level of culture and education is most prevalent, especially among those who cannot point out Texas -let alone Iraq- on a map. It should be noted, however, that those who deny the existence of Islamic art grudgingly exclude architecture and the reason is obvious: Islam's architectural splendours are too famous, their existence cannot be denied or hidden from even the guests of the Jerry-Springer show. Magnificent mosques and palaces are not kept in museums but have been standing in the open for centuries - decorating the skylines for everyone to see - as a testament to Islam's past glory and a source of mental depression for many pseudo historians and writers. They know that no amount of lies can prevent the millions of tourists from flocking to see these artistic wonders or make the queue outside the Alhambra any shorter so they are sadly compelled to add a caveat about the "architectural exception". Similarly, we often hear pathetic figures like Oriana Fallaci say "Muslims have always been primitive" then comes the caveat "but they were good at maths" only because Arabic numerals are in your face everyday.

Unlike architecture, other objects of art can be moved and it happens that the output of Islamic art has spread all over the globe so you can familiarize yourself with the less known but no less stunning examples of Islamic art by visiting the Islamic section of any of the world's major museums (Hermitage, Berlin, Louvre, British, V&A, Metropolitan....etc). You can also buy some of these books from Amazon:

"The Metropolitan Museum of Art: The Islamic World" by Stuart Cary Welch, "Islamic Metalwork" by James Allan, "Oriental Carpets in the Museum of Islamic Art, Berlin" by Friedrich Spuhler, "Islamic Textiles" by Patricia Baker, "Glass of the Sultans" by Stefano Carboni, "Islamic Jewelry in the Metropolitan Museum of Art" by Marilyn Jenkins, "Splendor of Islamic Calligraphy" by Abdelkebir Khatibi, "The Arts of Islamic Spain" by Jerrilyn D. Dodds, "Gardens in the Time of the Great Muslim Empires" by A. Petruccioli (ed.), "THE ART OF ISLAMIC TILE" by GERARD DEGEORGE *** "Dome of the Rock" by Oleg Grabar - this one will blow your mind away***, "Heavenly Art Earthly Beauty" by Mikhail Piotrovsky, "The Tale and the Image" by Eleanor Sims, "Peerless Images" by Boris I. Marshak, "Figurative Painting in Medieval Islam" by Michael Barry, "Mostly Minatures" by Oleg Grabar, "Lacquer of the Islamic Lands" by B.W. Robinson, "The "Splendors of Islam" by Dominique Clevenot, "The Islamic Arts of War" by David Alexander, "Music in the World of Islam" by Amnon Shiloah, "Paper before Print" by Jonathan M. Bloom, "Rediscovering the Oldest Dance" by Tazz Richards (ed.), "Islamic Trade and Italian Art" by Rosamond E. Mack, "Venice & the East" by Deborah Howard.

The book we are reviewing is specialized and limited in scope as it covers a very specific period (1250-1517) and a very specific art form (Mamluk architecture) which is most visible in old Cairo and Jerusalem (the book only covers Cairo). Therefore it will only give you a glimpse of a rich civilization that once stretched from the Pyrenees Mountains in Europe to the great walls of China, encompassing peoples from all races and colors. A civilization whose rulers were studying ancient Greek philosophy at the same time Charlemagne and his advisors in Europe were trying to learn to write their names. A civilization of unrivalled power at the time yet, according to most historians, was by far more humane and tolerant than anything that ever existed before it or followed it for many centuries. A civilization whose language and vocabulary were free from words such as Inquisition, pogroms, genocide, Nazi, holocaust, fascism, concentration camps, gulags, extermination...etc. A civilization that rescued the great heritage of ancient Greece from oblivion and went on to develop unprecedented breakthroughs in all domains be it agriculture, astronomy, biology, chemistry, engineering, geography, mathematics, medicine, philosophy, physics ...etc. A civilization that eventually changed the course of human destiny when it spread into Europe through Spain and Sicily and was the major factor that salvaged Europe from the dark ages and sparked the renaissance. A civilization that, unfortunately, went into the decline before its boundaries could reach the New World, otherwise 16 million Native Americans would never have been exterminated..

Narrow splendors.......2002-05-25

Given the myriad of restrictions on humanity imposed by Islam this book manages to find some splendors. Art is virtually prohibited with the exception of architecture as Mohammed declared "image makers" unholy. In addition to elimination painting and sculpture, dance is made impossible by "modestry restrictions" as is sport. Polyphony was developed in the West so musical forms are quite limited.
What is left is covered with some skill by this book.

Magical World.......2000-06-08

This is a beautiful collection of color photographs depicting Mamluk-era (1250-1517) architecture in Cairo. The author gives a detailed history of the Mamluks and their reign as well as background on the social and cultural life of Cairo at the time.

A variety of images are used to document the buildings and their architectural details: old watercolors and prints from the 18-19th centuries depict the buildings in a less congested Cairo, the Stierlin's color photographs show the buildings as they are today and floor plans assist the reader in visualizing the totality of the building, something no series of photographs can do. The very up close and detailed photographs of exterior architectural elements are exquisite.

For myself the highlight is the collection of interior shots showing the chiaroscuro and dappled light effect achieved in the interiors of Mamluk buildings. Photos showing the play of light through colorful stained glass windows are breathtaking. Other photos concentrate on the patterns created by streaming light coming through wrought iron grillwork. It is clear that many of the photos must have been taken with a wide-angle lens while the photographers were lying down on the ground looking upward. The effect is magnificent! And since the book format is very large you get the feeling you are actually looking up at the ceiling yourself.

An extremely well rounded book covering history, social life, and architecture, it includes a Bibliography, Glossary, a profusely illustrated checklist of pre-Mamluk Islamic architecture, and a chronological table of political and cultural events covering the 10th thru 16th centuries. There are excellent reference maps, one of the Middle East during the Mamluk period and a full-page Cairo street map keying each cited monument to the map and giving the building's dates. Although there is no Index, the Table of Contents is detailed in a way that makes one unnecessary.

This is a book you will treasure and enjoy for years to come.

Product Description

The career of legendary comic book artist GEORGE TUSKA, best known for his work on Marvel Comics Iron Man, spans over fifty years. The Art of George Tuska is a comprehensive look at the personal and professional life of Tuska, including his early work with the Eisner-Iger studio, his involvement with the controversial crime comics of the 1950s, and his tenure with both Marvel and DC Comics, as well as each of the independent publishers Tuska worked with. The book includes extensive coverage of his definitive work on Iron Man, X-Men, Hulk, Justice League, Teen Titans, Batman, T.H.U.N.D.E.R. Agents, and many more. A gallery of commission artwork by George and a thorough index of his extensive body of work are also included, and each section of the book is filled with examples of original artwork and photographs, as well as sketches and previously unpublished artwork. Interviews and anecdotes from his peers and fans, plus the very personal and reflective words of ! George himself, make this book a testament to the tremendous influence Tuska has had on the comic book industry and his legion of fans.

Customer Reviews:

A tribute to a fifty-year seasoned veteran .......2005-05-13

The collaborative effort of Dewey Cassell, Aaron Sulton and Mike Gartland, The Art Of George Tuska examines the artistic and creative legacy of comic book artist George Tuska, best known for his work on the Marvel Comic series "Iron Man" but who has worked for every major comic book publisher and illustrated hundreds of stories. A tribute to a fifty-year seasoned veteran of a demanding and competitive industry, The Art Of George Tuska traces Tuska's earliest work, his service during World War II, his work for the hotly controversial crime comics of the 1950s, and his tenure with both Marvel and DC comics. Filled cover-to-cover with black-and-white photographs and samples of Tuska's art, The Art Of George Tuska a fine survey of Ruska's dedication and talent, and includes interviews and anecdotes from Will Eisner, Jim Mooney, Nick Cardy, Marie Severin, John Romita, Gene Colan, Joe Simon, Mike Esposito, Bob Layton, Paul Levitz, and Roy Thomas, and Featuring a foreword by Marvel Comics paragon Stan Lee. Highly recommended especially for classic superhero comic book fans.

Book Description

A true American pioneer....

Born in Connecticut, orphaned at age ten, Charles G. Parker travelled all the way to Chihuahua in his nearly twenty years on the Santa Fe Trail. His adventures in Santa Fe also included a stint as proprietor of the famous Exhange Hotel at the end of the trail. Retiring from the trail, he founded the village of Parkerville, KS, which still bears his name today.

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Journal of Michael F. Hanley IV: Serving As Wagonmaster
Michael F. Hanley
Manufacturer: Owyhee Publishing
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000KE6DP2

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Killoe

Manufacturer: Bantam Books Inc.
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: 0553200836

Product Description

Dan Killoe --Over six feet of tough, raw,lightning-fast man. He had a trail herd and a mess of settlers to get across unknown territory to a new land. Then he gave shelter to a stranger being hunted by Felipe Soto, scar-faced leader of the renegade Comancheros. This time Killoe was borrowing more trouble than he wanted to handle.

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Wagonmaster
Robert Turner
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000TZ4P2U

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The Wagonmaster
Don Lepard
Manufacturer: American Literary Press
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

Book Description

Perhaps no other era in American business history is as colorful as the birth and boom of the American automobile industry during the first half of the 20th century. Author Don Le Pard captures the excitement and drama of some of the most pivotal events of that time in The Wagonmaster, a fictionalized account of Billy Durant's rise and fall as founder of the General Motors Corporation.

History buffs, automobile aficionados, and business enthusiasts alike will be mesmerized by this intriguing story of Durant's extraordinary business finesse to his fast living and unconventional workplace innovations. Fast-paced dialogue and an assortment of period photos add to this historical piece of fiction.

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Wagonmaster
Robert Turner
Manufacturer: Pocket
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Mass Market Paperback
ASIN: B000DEMRAO

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wagonmaster
turner robert
Manufacturer: Pocket Books
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000K5SC9Q

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Wagonmaster

Manufacturer: Pocket Book
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
ASIN: B000BGSYE2

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Wagonmaster (RKO Classic Screenplays)
John Ford , and Frank S. Nugent
Manufacturer: Continuum International Publishing Group
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback

General | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Screenplays | Movies | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
General | Arts & Photography | Subjects | Books
ASIN: 080446166X

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Lots of fun info but some annoying errors

Great Details!

An invaluable book for those who love the standards.

America's Songs

The inside story about many great American Songs!

America's Songs: The Stories Behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood, and Tin Pan Alley
Philip Furia , and Michael Lasser
Manufacturer: Routledge
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover

General | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
History & Criticism | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Musicals | Musical Genres | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Popular | Musical Genres | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
Instruction & Study | Theory, Composition & Performance | Music | Entertainment | Subjects | Books
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The American Songbook: The Singers, Songwriters & The Songs

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The Poets of Tin Pan Alley: A History of America's Great Lyricists (Oxford Paperbacks)

Classic American Popular Song: The Second Half-Century, 1950-2000

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ASIN: 0415972469

Book Description

America's Songs tells the "stories behind" the most beloved popular songs of the last century. We all have songs that have a special meaning in our lives; hearing them evokes a special time or place. Little wonder that these special songs have become enduring classics. Nothing brings the roarin '20s to life like "Tea for Two" or "I'm just Wild About Harry"; the Great Depression is evoked in all of its pain and misery in songs like "Brother Can You Spare a Dime?; "God Bless America" revives the powerful hope that American democracy promised to the world during the dark days of World War II; "Young at Heart" evokes the postwar optimism of the '50s. And then there are the countless songs of love, new romance, and heartbreak: "As Time Goes By," "Always," "Am I Blue"...the list is endless.
Along with telling the stories behind these songs, America's Songs suggests, simply and succinctly, what makes a song great. The book illuminates the way each great song melds words and music - sentiment and melody - into a seamless whole. America's Songs also traces the fascinating but mysterious process of collaboration, the give-and-take between two craftsmen, a composer and a lyricist, as they combined their talents to create a song.
For anyone interested in the history of the songs that America loves, America's Songs will make for fascinating reading.

Customer Reviews:

Lots of fun info but some annoying errors.......2007-01-16

There was a lot of great info in this book, especially covering songs from the first half of the 20th century. But there were also some annoying errors and omissions. Among the errors: a photo of the original star of Cabaret (Jill Haworth) is labeled as Jan Clayton (who was the original star of Carousel several decades earlier). The authors write that Comden and Green only had three standards, and yet they include four in this book (New York New York, The Party's Over, Just in Time and Make Someone Happy). There are some odd choices, such as "It's Not Where You Start" (from Seesaw) that is not remotely a standard, but they omit "If He Walked Into My Life" (from Mame) and "The Way We Were." And much as we all love the musical Chicago, I don't think it merits a page-and-a-half (I'm not even sure "All That Jazz" qualifies as a standard) but there's no coverage of "Tomorrow" (from Annie) or "What I Did For Love" (A Chorus Line). The authors probably would have been smarter to just stop coverage in the 1950s or 1960s.

Great Details!.......2006-09-29

You really can read this book cover to cover...or the information on each song's background can stand alone. If you're interested in modern musical history, you won't want to miss this.

An invaluable book for those who love the standards........2006-08-31

America's Songs is a wonderful source of fascinating information on the lyricists and composers of the great standards. Anyone who loves those songs will find this book invaluable. Writers Furia and Lasser have produced a tour de force.

America's Songs.......2006-08-01

A delightful journey in melodic nostalgia. Philip Furia and Michael Lasser use their long experience with American popular music to tell us with insight and humor how more than 600 songs dating from 1910 to 1977 came to be written, how they were received, how they touched American culture. The surprise for the reader is the discovery of how many of the songs linger in one's memory, how many of the words one can recall, how many of the tunes one can still sing. Then the message of the place of the songs in American life comes home, how much they say about the way we lived.

Not a book to be read from cover to cover but rather one to be browsed for favorite parts, one to be returned to time and again.

The inside story about many great American Songs!.......2006-06-19

This delightful and informative book caught my eye when I noticed that the much-esteemed songwriter,Ray Evans, wrote a blurb on the back. The book is arranged chronologically, and gives fascinating glimpses into what lead to the creation of many fantastic songs, and also explains what makes these great songs great. To me, the star of the book is Irving Berlin, who really had an incredible genius for songwriting. The clever crafting of Berlin's lyrics hadn't been adequately appreciated by me, until that exciting book showed me the craft and the art which Berlin applied to his songs. Not that other greats are glossed over, Furia and Lasser really give a wonderfully expansive collection of (mostly) fellas, who made American music what is was, and influenced what it is. Highly recommended for those who love, theatre and music.

America's Songs: The Stories behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood, and Tin Pan Alley.(Book review): An article from: American Music Teacher

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America's Songs: The Stories behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood, and Tin Pan Alley.(Book review): An article from: American Music Teacher
Jason Sifford
Manufacturer: Thomson Gale
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Digital

Book Description

This digital document is an article from American Music Teacher, published by Thomson Gale on December 1, 2006. The length of the article is 419 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: America's Songs: The Stories behind the Songs of Broadway, Hollywood, and Tin Pan Alley.(Book review)
Author: Jason Sifford
Publication: American Music Teacher (Magazine/Journal)
Date: December 1, 2006
Publisher: Thomson Gale
Volume: 56 Issue: 3 Page: 76(2)

Article Type: Book review

Distributed by Thomson Gale

Book Description

Ten realistically rendered denizens of the deep: zebra fish, blue crab, octopus, sea nettle, northern sea star, and 5 others.

Customer Reviews:

Colorful and fun.......2001-02-07

There are ten fascinating tattoos of sea creatures in this little book. There's an ultra-colorful blue crab, a stately nautilus, a sprawling octopus, a graceful zebra lionfish, a lovely little blue spotted stingray, an ephemeral sea nettle, a tiny anemone, a sturdy northern sea star, a spiky northern lobster, and a whelk shell.

A beautiful set of temporary tattoos.......1997-04-10

My three-year old boy got this as a birthday present. Once he saw it demonstrated on "daddy's" stomach (i.e., one temporary tattoo applied), he wanted one. We add one new tattoo each five days or so, just as the previous one wears out. He loves them, is learning the names of sea creatures and giggles like crazy when asked to show off his "lobster" or his "nautilus". I'm here to buy another copy!

Book Description

Toyota's sustained growth attracts the attention of economists and industrialists around the world eager to learn the secrets of Toyota's lasting success.

In Inside the Mind of Toyota: Management Principles for Enduring Growth, Satoshi Hino examines the source of Toyota's strength: the fundamental thinking and management structures that lie beneath the creation of its famed Toyota Production System. From the perspective of a professional with 30 years experience in the auto industry, Hino presents a fresh and detailed analysis of Toyota's essential management system, from its very beginnings into the 21st century.

This book:

Presents a comprehensive and systematic analysis of the Toyota management philosophy.

Clarifies the mechanisms used to transmit its winning system from generation to generation.

Gives a historical perspective on the structural anatomy of Toyota's management foundation.

Provides analysis emphasizing research, product planning, design, and development functions.

The ultimate goal is not simply to mimic Toyota's formula, but to learn from it and, in doing so, surpass it.

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