Richard Fletcher
1 brilliantly written without pedantry
This book is one of those books that makes you wonder why you bother with fiction. Fletcher has created such brilliant characterizations, and his writing is so witty and fine, that it is a sensual pleasure to read. This kind of book is why one bothers to read at all; truly lovely.
2 engaging
700 years of slaughter nicely summarized in a consise 175 pages. I enjoyed the read so much that i looked up the author's university website where I found his office phone number. I called England, but he wasn't in (which was probably good, because what was i going to say?).
3 A lucidly informative account
Dealing with the 700 years of Muslim civilisation in Iberia, this is a gem of popular history, entertaining without sacrificing scholarly attention to detail. The prose is sharp, evocative, and eminently easy to read; the pages are filled with ancedotes and stories that bring this lost world to life. A taster rather than comprehensive, this is an essential companion to travels in Spain, or an ideal way to begin learning more about this oft-overlooked period.
4 Richard Fletcher is the Bernard Lewis of Moorish Spain
Any casual reader traveling to Southern Spain for the first time should read Fletcher's book before departure. Simply put, it is one of the best summaries of the 700 years of Islamic rule in Moorish Spain. Fletcher's sharp analysis and story-telling skills make this book a real stand-out. If you are familiar with the work of Bernard Lewis, the gifted and prolific Middle East historian, I suspect you will appreciate the efforts of Richard Fletcher.
My wife and I own a home in one of the oldest Moorish & Jewish quarters in Southern Spain, have visited many significant Moorish sites and have read dozens of books about Spain's Islamic period, including Maria Rosa Menocal's "Ornament of the World: How Muslims, Jews and Christians Created a Culture of Tolerance in Medieval Spain."
We want you to know Fletcher's book remains one of the most dog-eared, and borrowed books about Spain in our library today. If you are a fan of Moorish architecture, history, music, poetry and art, I suspect Fletcher's book will become an important companion for many years to come.
5 Not for the seeker of enlightenment in the subject
Although the book may be engaging and interesting to some, and has on occasion been used in University courses (with due precaution and warnings), it does contain some bias and factual mistakes. If you are looking for an interesting read that'll give you some insight into the history without expecting academic accuracy, then go ahead. I personally did not enjoy reading it, because of its lack of accuracy and the sometimes obvious bias. Nevertheless, the author does not make claim to be writing a strictly academic book, but rather a leisurly one that would interest the traveller to the region. As long as you don't take it too seriously, and don't rely on it too heavily, then you might enjoy its fluid style.
6 An effective work about life in Medieval (Andalucia) Spain
I have been fortunate enough to live near and visit the sights presented in this book. The author gives insightful and consise analogies to the everyday life, economic, religious, cultural, artistic, military power of the Moors of Medieval Southern (Andalucian) Spain. Visiting the cities of Valencia, Granada, Sevilla, Cordoba, Jerez, Cadiz, Puerto de Santa Maria, Rota etc. This book compliments these grand and old cities excellently. If one wants to see what the Moorish/Muslim influence of the past and present of Spanish Culture were and are today. I highly recommend this book.
7 A very interesting and engaging book.
After spending three and a half weeks in Andalucia Spain this book helped me form a more cohesive picture of the Iberian peninsula during the time of the Moors. It fits the bill for someone who is interested in more than a cursory introduction but not wanting to get bogged down in data that a critical analysis would entail. Written chronologically, I found myself fascinated and wanting to find out "what happened next." This book gives an understandable and presumably balanced historical account of Moorish Spain.
8 Great read for curious, non-specialist.
Fletcher's goal is to serve the "inquisitive traveller." That's a perfect description of me. I'm going to Spain next year and have been trying to learn more about the country and its history. I've already read a book on medieval/Visigoth Spain. It was OK, but it was more detail than I need and it was not written in a very engaging style. Fletcher's book, in contrast, fit my needs perfectly. He treats the topic broadly--but you never feel that he's trying to tell you everything there is to know. He illustrates issues with vivid, but select, examples. His style is easy and inviting. As a former history major, I appreciate how he discusses what kind of evidence exists for the period and how he evaluates it. But these musings are never a barrier to his just telling a good story about an interesting period in Spanish history.
