Lost Enlightenment

Central Asia's Golden Age from the Arab Conquest to Tamerlane

De: S. Frederick Starr

Narrado por: Kevin Stillwell

In this rich and sweeping history, S. Frederick Starr tells the fascinating but largely unknown story of Central Asia's medieval enlightenment through the eventful lives and astonishing accomplishments of its greatest minds - remarkable figures who built a bridge to the modern world. Because nearly all of these figures wrote in Arabic, they were long assumed to have been Arabs. In fact, they were from Central Asia - drawn from the Persianate and Turkic peoples of a region that today extends from Kazakhstan southward through Afghanistan, and from the easternmost province of Iran through Xinjiang, China.

Lost Enlightenment recounts how, between the years 800 and 1200, Central Asia led the world in trade and economic development, the size and sophistication of its cities, the refinement of its arts, and, above all, in the advancement of knowledge in many fields. Central Asians achieved signal breakthroughs in astronomy, mathematics, geology, medicine, chemistry, music, social science, philosophy, and theology, among other subjects. They gave algebra its name, calculated the earth's diameter with unprecedented precision, wrote the books that later defined European medicine, and penned some of the world's greatest poetry.

One scholar, working in Afghanistan, even predicted the existence of North and South America - five centuries before Columbus. Rarely in history has a more impressive group of polymaths appeared at one place and time. No wonder that their writings influenced European culture from the time of St. Thomas Aquinas down to the scientific revolution, and had a similarly deep impact in India and much of Asia.

Lost Enlightenment chronicles this forgotten age of achievement, seeks to explain its rise, and explores the competing theories about the cause of its eventual demise. Informed by the latest scholarship yet presented in a lively and accessible style, this is a book that will surprise general listeners and specialists alike.

©2013 Princeton University Press (P)2013 Audible, Inc.

Legendary unique in both prospect and details

This masterpiece surpassed all my expectations in all aspects of Central Asian intellectual history. Truly a MUST read!

Great

Loved the history and brought me back to college days when I studied this stuff.

Impressively follows up an interesting claim

What made the experience of listening to Lost Enlightenment the most enjoyable?

Mr. Starr paints a very interesting picture of Central Asia (say, modernly, eastern Iran through the -stan countries and western China) and for very many centuries. He does not fail his claim that the region has a "Lost Enlightenment." The numerous parallels to the better known European Enlightenment are most striking: right down to the Brethren of Purity as a rough counterpart to the 18th century Masons (my comparison, not his). The huge debt which world civilization would seem to owe the nowadays-obscure region is most impressive. And at any rate you can be confident it's a good read if you did click for pre-modern Central Asia with any idea that the subject could interest you.

What did you like best about this story?

It's always particularly titillating to learn about a time and place you know little about.I'd wonder that any Central Asian specialists browse the book on audible, so I think it's sure to be fresh to anyone who might hear it.

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

I had not heard Mr. Stillwell before. I thought his intonation was maybe the slightest bit idiosyncratic in how often it gave a questioning lilt, but it certainly wasn't anything objectionable: endearing after a while, even.

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

I think this question disregards the length of the work. I listened to it without listening to anything else.

Enlightening

This book probes into the vibrant intellectual traditions of Central Asia during the medieval period. It highlights the contributions of scholars and thinkers who shaped science, philosophy, and culture. Through compelling narratives, it illustrates how this region was a crossroads of knowledge, linking East and West, and ultimately emphasizes its profound influence on the modern world. A captivating read for those interested in history and intellectual heritage.

Well done summary of the intellectual history of an over looked region

With some exceptions, both the author and narrator avoid tendentious characterizations and emotionally derived hyperbole. The material is, in the main, well researched and clearly presented.