Warwick Ball is a Near Eastern archaeologist who has spent over twenty-five years carrying out excavations, architectural studies, and monumental restoration throughout the Middle East. He has led many tours to Syria and has written numerous books and articles on Western Asia.
"...noted archaeologist Warwick Ball asserts that the 'West' is
'ill-defined' and that the Arab 'discovery of Europe' long predates
Islam. He explains that terms such as 'Arab, ' 'West, ' 'Asia, '
and 'Europe' have never been geographically stable despite
Eurocentric narratives that pretend as though they are. Indeed, the
main historical narratives of the United States are so anglophilic
that the British/American twentieth-century partnership is often
assumed to have developed naturally, with only momentary
interruptions during the War of 1812 and the American Civil War. By
challenging similar myths from the ancient world, Ball persuasively
demonstrates the significance, might, and breadth of Arab empires
that spanned today's Middle East and North Africa. Focusing on 'the
layers of civilisation, ' Ball demonstrates that 'Arabs' were
considered a 'distinctive people' to whom 'west' meant west of the
Euphrates, a location certainly not seen as Western today."
"An original and thought-provoking approach to Arab history... most
writers today whose work examines the relationship between Arabs
and 'the West', Ball is determined to avoid an approach purely
focused on confrontation... Whilst he obviously cannot avoid
discussing conflict between Europeans and Arabs - most notably
during the Crusades - Ball is keen to stress the more subtle and
positive ways in which Europe has been affected by its contact with
the Arabs. ... It would be a mistake, however, to view Arab history
entirely within an Islamic context. ... Ball argues strongly that
Islam should be viewed as a 'culmination' rather than a beginning.
Fascinating early chapters examine the history of the Arabs'
forbears, the Phoenicians... some of the outcomes are surprising,
and remain little known today. How many people know, for example,
that for much of the 10th century a large part of Switzerland was
occupied by the Muslim descendents of Arab corsairs? ... Ball
writes in a lively, engaging style that should carry most readers
to the end of the book. More generally, this is a timely and
interesting work that deserves to reach a wide readership. Out of
Arabia is the first of a series of books examining the impact of
'Eastern' cultures on Europe, and I eagerly await the appearance of
further volumes."
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