Destiny Disrupted

A History of the World through Islamic Eyes

De: Tamim Ansary

Narrado por: Tamim Ansary

“A must read for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the Islamic world” (San Francisco Chronicle)

We in the West share a common narrative of world history. But our story largely omits a whole civilization whose citizens shared an entirely different narrative for a thousand years as the Islamic world saw it, from the time of Mohammed through the fall of the Ottoman Empire to the events of 9/11 and beyond.

In Destiny Disrupted, Tamim Ansary tells the rich story of world history as the Islamic world saw it. He clarifies why our civilizations grew up oblivious to each other, what happened when they intersected, and how the Islamic world was affected by its slow recognition that Europe—a place it long perceived as primitive and disorganized—had somehow hijacked destiny.

With sympathy to Muslim and Western perspectives alike, Destiny Disrupted offers a fresh and vital perspective on world conflicts we thought we understood.

Reseñas de la Crítica

"A must-read for anyone who wants to learn more about the history of the Islamic world. But the book is more than just a litany of past events. It is also an indispensable guide to understanding the political debates and conflicts of today, from 9/11 to the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, from the Somali pirates to the Palestinian/Israeli conflict. As Ansary writes in his conclusion, "The conflict wracking the modern world is not, I think, best understood as a 'clash of civilizations.' ... It's better understood as the friction generated by two mismatched world histories intersecting."
—San Francisco Chronicle

"Ansary has written an informative and thoroughly engaging look at the past, present and future of Islam. With his seamless and charming prose, he challenges conventional wisdom and appeals for a fuller understanding of how Islam and the world at large have shaped each other. And that makes this book, in this uneasy, contentious post 9/11 world, a must-read."

—Khaled Hosseini, author of The Kite Runner and A Thousand Splendid Suns

"I'm in the middle of Tamim Ansary's Destiny Disrupted: A History of the World through Islamic Eyes, and it's incredibly illuminating. Ansary pretty much covers the entire history of Islam in an incredibly readable and lucid way. I've been recommending this book to everyone I know. Especially when people are looking for a comprehensive-but-approachable way to look at world history through the lens of Islam, there's no better book."—Dave Eggers, TheRumpus.net

"A lively, thorough and accessible survey of the history of Islam (both the religion and its political dimension) that explores many of the disconnects between Islam and the West."
—Shelf Awareness

Great and captivating history of “the other side of the world”

I thoroughly enjoyed listening Ansary’s thoughts and take of the Islamic world after the revelation of Islam to Prophet Muhammad. It’s a fresh perspective that walks us through the Middle East (and neighboring lands) as time evolves the landscape and populations of those lands. Although he tries to take a neutral stance throughout, there are some instances where he adds his opinions of the events that take place. But, for me, that only added another layer to an already fascinating story.

A Must Read - Especially If New to Islamic History

Ansary covers the entire islamic history in a sweeping narrative that is entertaining and easy to follow, even for someone with no prior knowledge.

He summarizes and connects timelines effortlessly. I will be returning to this book as reference material.

An Excellent Book

I learned so much from this book. It truly shows how Islamic history ties in to the history of the world, and how changing global philosophies influence each other. Very well written and read. I wish I could have this author as a professor. Thank you for your excellent work, Mr. Ansary!

A Big-Picture History That Reset My Mental Map

When Destiny Disrupted was selected for my book club, I wasn’t sure I wanted to spend 18 hours on it. But the more I learned about the premise, the more intrigued I became. This turned out to be a fascinating way to give me a little perspective on the Islamic world and fill some of my historical gaps.

The early chapters were interesting but a little dense, with many unfamiliar names and dynasties. Once the story moves into the rise of the great Islamic empires, though, the book really takes off. I especially enjoyed the sections on the Islamic Golden Age and the cross-fertilization of ideas -- Greek philosophy, Persian governance, Indian mathematics -- moving along vast trade networks. Where the book really shines is in the comparisons between Islamic civilization and the West. Ansary shows how each developed with very different historical reference points. His observation that technology alone doesn’t transform societies --“why reinvent the wheel when the wheel is already sitting on the shelf and priced to move?” -- really stuck with me.

Overall, this is an accessible, provocative big-picture history that helped reset my mental map of the world. And hearing the author narrate his own work adds a ton of nuance that makes the audiobook especially engaging.

Fantastic story and excellent narration

This was a great listen. It is a great introduction to a topic not often covered in western history studies in school. It touches on a lot of information. The author and narrator do a great job of this feeling like someone telling you this information as a story and not a textbook.
It provides a great starting point to learn more on different parts of middle world history.
Definitely recommend!