Destiny Disrupted

A History of the World through Islamic Eyes

By: Tamim Ansary

Narrated by: Tamim Ansary

Length: 17 hrs and 28 mins

Publisher's summary

Until about 1800, the West and the Islamic realm were like two adjacent, parallel universes, each assuming itself to be the center of the world while ignoring the other. As Europeans colonized the globe, the two world histories intersected and the Western narrative drove the other one under. The West hardly noticed, but the Islamic world found the encounter profoundly disrupting.

This book reveals the parallel "other" narrative of world history to help us make sense of today's world conflicts. Ansary traces the history of the Muslim world from pre-Mohammedan days through 9/11, introducing people, events, empires, legends, and religious disputes, both in terms of what happened and how it was understood and interpreted.

©2009 Tamim Ansary (P)2009 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Informative and thoroughly engaging....A must read." (Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner)

Another World History

A fabulous treatise on world history from a non-western point of view. I learned so much and gained an appreciation for and an understanding of another part of the world.

Really impressive

A really good book. At times it’s dense and difficult to keep track of due to the sheer scope of the events it covers, but a really interesting summary of a lot of history that I, a relative naïf vis a vis Islamic history, found super interesting and informative. He also reads his own writing incredibly well — something that 99% of writers fail to do.

Very Informative

I found Tamim Ansary approach to helping one understand the Islamic early ideal of moral living very interesting. It makes it clear to understand why western culture know so little of Islamic history. Looking forward to part II.

A wonderful perspective to learn.

Where does Destiny Disrupted rank among all the audiobooks you’ve listened to so far?

I read a great deal on the middle east and spent 8 years living in the area as well. Trust me when I say that this book fills a gap that so many other narratives have missed. If you are interested in learning about Islam from a historical perspective this book is a must!!! Trust me BUY IT!

Incisive

The author weaves a good story, which is what the book is all about. Namely, two conflicting cultural and religious narratives which inform and shape many aspects of life. Ansary does a good job depicting a whole tapestry, woven from both religion and culture and the ways in which they interact. He endeavors to retain an almost anthropological degree of objectivity. He provides explanations without necessarily approving of them.
I would recommend this to ANYONE seeking to understand this culture!

An "Everyone Should Read" Book

This book goes a long way to explain the current conflicts - as the author calls them the "intersecting narratives" between the western and Muslim world. It covers a great deal of history of the Muslim world, beginning before Mohammed and bringing us up to its publication date (2009). Mr. Ansary tells it "warts and all" and covers a great deal of time and space as he does so. There aren't many non-fiction books that I wish had been longer, but I wish he had spent more time in India and North Africa - maybe a follow-up? Being Western-centric it was hard not to draw parallels with the development and spread of Christianity, which made the "disruption" stand out very clearly as the East (or the "Middle" as he calls it) and the West diverged. And, oh yes, I have never encountered a history that was written and read in such a very conversational tone. I listened to most of it in the car and it was like he was right there with me - a very welcome guest.

Excellent

The content and narration of this book are both excellent. Author does a superb job of telling a story and educating the listener about history from a different point of view. I was a little apprehensive at first that it might be just a smear of the west in general and the U.S. in particular, but that was not the case at all. A very worthwhile listen.

Essential

Fascinating book. I appreciated hearing it in the author’s voice, as that made any irony or humor clear.

Sweeping history, delightful prose and a vital perspective

This book is a remarkable effort, as the subtitle states, to present great events in world history through an Islamic lens. At the same time, the author offers detailed accounts of historical events in the Islamic world, many of which will be known to the general reader but many more which will not. I finished the book grateful to Tamim Ansary for his heroic effort to make this perspective available in such beautiful prose, with humor and clarity. How needed this book was in 2009 when he wrote it and how much more needed it is today! I’m ready to read it again.

Excellent history of the Islamic world

Would you consider the audio edition of Destiny Disrupted to be better than the print version?

Yes and no. Yes, The narration is full of expression and information conveyed by the author.
No: No maps.

What was one of the most memorable moments of Destiny Disrupted?

The descriptions of the transition from Mohammed to the Abyysids. (sorry, cannot spell)

Have you listened to any of Tamim Ansary’s other performances before? How does this one compare?

N/A

Was this a book you wanted to listen to all in one sitting?

Should not even be attempted. Too much information.

Any additional comments?

It is presented as a history of the world from the Islamic view and it does a great job.
There are some, not exactly inaccuracies, but misplaced emphases but nothing that detracts from the information. Just recall that it is being told from the Islamic point of view but without ideology and pretty objectively.