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)

A thoroughly excellent audio book

Would you listen to Destiny Disrupted again? Why?

Author Tamim Ansary narrates his book in a pleasant, well paced, conversational tone. It is easy listening. Occasional use of common slang makes the presentation more like a well rehearsed speech than a book reading.There is plenty of information for many repeat listenings.

What does Tamim Ansary bring to the story that you wouldn’t experience if you just read the book?

Ansary is of Afghani-American heritage. His early years were at an English language school in Afghanistan. The topic is of current interest - Islam in the core geographic area of Egypt through Afghanistan. Coverage is from the life of Mohammad through the middle ages, colonialism, to the current spectrum of Islam beliefs.The book presents history from the perspective of the middle empire - Persian and Turkic peoples - and the fundamental paradigms of Islam. (Not perhaps views to which Ansary personally adheres, but which he can credibly present.)

deep background of Islam's history

fascinatingly different view of world history. being read by the author gives a special flavor.

Much Wanted Inside Information

An honest viewpoint telling the other side of the story. Very refreshing! Of course, the thought is, "Why can't we discuss the differences calmly?".

I really like hearing the author read his own book. Tamim Ansary is very easy to listen to and he tells a good story. We are listening to all of his books and feel fortunate to have found him. I would recommend Tamim Ansary's books to anyone interested in Middle Eastern Islam and how it affects us Americans.

Islamic world chronology

Ansary writes objectively with great insight about how the regions of the different parts of the Islamic world perceived itself and others. Best chronological reference of Islamic history.

Very Educational

This is an outstanding summary of a culture. It isn't in any way an apology, it doesn't preach, and is quite objective. It provides a clear and interesting summary for those who aren't part of that culture. And as such hopefully contributes a bit more to some perspective and understanding.

Outstanding historical viewpoint

This book presents a view of history that appears very valid and important!! It has a viewpoint that is significantly different than anything I've heard/read before. Thanks to the author for doing this!!

Hey! the Middle World is not Europe, writes Ansary

Ansary takes the common assumption of English-language histories -- that the world is on a trend towards European-style democracy and industrialization -- and says 'sure, that's true for Europeans. But Islam and its people mostly aren't European.' His goal is to make a Euro-American audience understand just how the people in the Middle World (his favored alternative to "Middle East") are different, by describing where the social, political, and cultural force that is Islam began, how it unified people, and how that path it has set is just plain different from the Western view of the arc of history.

I don't agree with many of his implications, and I'm not happy that he skips over the East (China, India, etc.) and the pre-Columbian Americas in a world history unless Islam touches them, but I love that Ansary has brought this kind of book to our kind of audience. He writes about the world as a Muslim may see it and may have seen it since the Hegira, instead of the world as an American might.

This is not a full world history -- it is a history of the Middle World and a riposte to the Western descriptions of it. I try to read books that challenge my perspectives and assumptions, and which teach me to respect differences more thoroughly. Ansary nails that. You should get this book.

Enlightening world history perspective

This book presents world history from a perspective generally ignored in the western world. Very thought-provoking and informative. A must read.

Yes. I really liked the book.

Destiny (for short) tells great stories. And it is read by the author, so you get all of the pronunciations, and inflections, and emotional meanings that he intends.

He was born in “the mid-east”, so he knows that religion, that culture, and that history. But he’s lived in The States for decades so he knows American and European history, culture, and religion too. As he tells the history, the reader realizes that tragedy, cruelty, and stupidity happen in both cultures. Genius, compassion, and triumph, too.

Destiny is easily accessible to me as an American white guy. His humor, his language, and his writing, are all easy for me to understand. If we can understand one another then, hopefully, with understanding, will come peace.

I loaned Destiny to my neighbor, an older guy who had Catholic school all the way. He would not give the book back to me until he had listened to it three times. So either the book is really interesting, or my neighbor’s Alzheimers’ is getting worse -- and he just listens again and again without remembering.

I guess I mostly liked the book because I feel better equipped to make peace and prosperity with the Billion people who hail from these traditions. I still feel proud of the remarkable things that America has done, since its founding, to create human liberty. I think that the author would agree. But, reading Destiny we get to walk in the shoes of some people from the Mid-east, and consider what Americans would do differently, if we could do it over again. And maybe know better what we should do today and tomorrow.

Easy way to get up to speed on the world view of the Islamic world

From the beginning of Islam to after 9/11, the major world events are described from the Muslim perspective. A must read for anyone concerned with world issues. This book covers religious history, the Shia/Sunni split, and the theological roots of the many trends in Islamic thought. Well narrated by the author. Very even handed on the Israeli-Palestinian issue.