Bernard Lewis Libri

OSANNA O CRUCIFIGE: sembra che, quando si parla di globalizzazione, non si riesca a sfuggire da questi opposti atteggiamenti. Opportunità infinite, crescita costante, emancipazione continua, da un lato, oppressione, degradazione, mercificazione, dall’altro. Perché? Che cosa ha di intrinsecamente buono o cattivo questo fenomeno tanto da dividere gli studiosi e i cittadini, da creare profeti di benessere e predicatori di sventure, da produrre speranze ottimistiche e contestazioni radicali? E che cosa ha di nuovo rispetto, ad esempio, ad alcuni suoi predecessori, come la rivoluzione scientifica, quella tecnologica, quella industriale? E se non è nuova, la globalizzazione, ma è una rinnovata sfida della conoscenza e del progresso, come affrontarla, affinché siamo noi, che consapevolmente o inintenzionalmente l’abbiamo creata e voluta, a goderne i maggiori benefici per il maggior numero di popoli e persone?Insomma: il mondo si allarga. Si allargano i commerci, i rapporti economici, le relazioni politiche, le integrazioni culturali, e, dietro a questo allargamento, i valori, i princìpi, i diritti, le aspirazioni, le visioni. Che cos’è che non va in questo processo? Che cosa c’è da correggere? Perché lo si dovrebbe fermare? Il mondo largo è da restringere o espandere ancora?Le lezioni sull’argomento tenute nella Sala Zuccari di Palazzo Giustiniani e qui raccolte in volume trattano esattamente queste questioni. Esse hanno autori di indiscusso prestigio: dal compianto Senatore Giovanni Agnelli a Henry Kissinger, da Václav Havel a Valéry Giscard d’Estaing, da Bill Gates a Bernard Lewis. A leggerle tutte assieme, si scopre che esse offrono un punto di vista prezioso e originale per la conoscenza del fenomeno, e ne forniscono una descrizione articolata e multidisciplinare, dall’economia alla politica alla cultura alla storia.

The astonishing story of Henry Coombe-Tennant (1913-89), who served in the British Army in World War II, escaping from a POW camp, joining Special Forces and aiding the French Resistance, before working for the British Secret Service in Baghdad and ending his days as a Benedictine monk!

From the time of Moses up to the 1960s, slavery was a fact of life in the Middle East. This study explores how Islam's image of racial harmony is set at odds with the area's late renouncement of slavery.

The Great War left an indelible mark on almost every town and village in Britain and this extensively researched book looks in detail at how that war affected the town of Swansea and its people. Themes covered in the book include recruitment and the treatment of conscientious objectors, how Belgian refugees were cared for, and what happened to foreign nationals who were living in Swansea at the outbreak of war. How the war affected the trade of the town, especially the docks, is examined, as well as the fate of numerous Swansea ships that became targets for the German U-Boat campaign. The organisation of medical aid for wounded servicemen and the effect of food shortages, and its subsequent rationing in Swansea, are covered. The new roles performed by women and the efforts made in the town to provide support for those left at home, or serving at the front, are also examined. Away from the Home Front, the actions of both of the Swansea Victoria Cross winners are recounted, as are the stories of some of those who served on land, on sea, or in the air. These include a Swansea airman who was downed by the famous Red Baron, another who flew again after losing a leg in combat, a Swansea sailor who was lost in an encounter with a German U-Boat, the Swansea officer who twice escaped from a POW camp, and several former Swansea men who returned with Canadian, Australian or South African units to fight the common foe, with often tragic results. There are also stories of a Swansea nurse captured by the Austrians in Serbia, and a Swansea doctor at Gallipoli. Swansea in the Great War is a welcome and long overdue look at how the Great War affected the town and its people. How did the experience of war affect Swansea and the surrounding area? - From the initial enthusiasm, to the gradual realization of the enormity of human sacrifice the families of Swansea were committed to as the war stretched out over the next four years. A record of the growing disillusion of the people, their tragedies and hardships and a determination to see it through. The Great War affected everyone. At home there were wounded soldiers in military hospitals, refugees from Belgium and later on German prisoners of war. There were food and fuel shortages and disruption to schooling. The role of women changed dramatically and they undertook a variety of work undreamed of in peacetime. Extracts from contemporary letters reveal their heroism and give insights into what it was like under battle conditions, including the disastrous first day at the Somme for the Swansea Pals

Exploring Islamic political thought, this collection features 11 essays by Bernard Lewis, a prominent figure in Middle Eastern studies. Renowned for his accessible writing, Lewis engages a diverse audience, including scholars, politicians, and journalists, making complex historical insights approachable for the general public. The essays reflect his deep understanding of the subject, offering valuable perspectives on the interplay between Islam and politics.

There are few historians like Bernard Lewis, who end up as historical actors in their own right. When we think of the Middle East, we see it in terms that he defined and articulated. In this exceptional memoir, the bestselling author of What Went Wrong? shares stories of his wartime service in London and Cairo as an intelligence officer for MI6. After the war, he was the first Western scholar to enter the Ottoman archives. He explains how he coined the phrase "clash of civilizations" in the 1950s, long before anyone imagined that political Islam would one day pose more of a threat than communism. Then September 11 catapulted him onto the world stage. Notes on a Century chronicles a time of spectacular upheaval in the Middle East-from the Second World War and the founding of Israel to the Iranian Revolution and the Arab Spring. Book jacket.

In times of war and in peace, from the earliest days of the Roman Empire to our own, Westerners have traveled to the lands of the Middle East, bringing back accounts of their adventures and impressions. But it was never a one-way journey. In this spirited collection of Western views of the Middle East and Middle Eastern views of the West, Bernard Lewis gives us a rich overview of two thousand years of commerce, diplomacy, war and exploration. We hear from Napoleon, St. Augustine, T. E. Lawrence, Karl Marx and Ibn Khaldun. We peer into Queen Elizabeth's business correspondence, strike oil with Freya Stark and follow the footsteps of Mark Twain and Ibn Battuta, the Marco Polo of the East. This book is a delight, a treasury of stories drawn not only from letters, diaries and histories, but also from unpublished archives and previously untranslated accounts.

Portrays the Judaeo-Islamic tradition - a cultural relationship parallel to the Judaeo-Christian heritage. This book traces its origins in the early Middle Ages, its flowering, and its ending, followed by the incorporation of most of the Jews of Islamic countries into the state of Israel. It examines the relations of Islam and other religions.

The book explores the challenges facing the Middle East in a post-imperial context, emphasizing the region's need to independently tackle its political, economic, cultural, and societal issues. Bernard Lewis argues that a blend of traditional Islamic culture and contemporary experiences of Muslim peoples can form a foundation for genuine progress toward freedom. The analysis highlights the potential for advancement in civilization through a deeper understanding of these intertwined influences.