The Arabs in History - Bernard Lewis 'Whoever lives in our country, speaks our language, is brought up in
our culture and takes pride in our glory is one of us.'
Thus ran a
declaration of modern leaders of Arab states. But what exactly is an
Arab, and what has been their place in the course of human history? In
this well-established classic, Professor Lewis examines the key issues
of Arab development - their identity, the national revival which
cemented the creation of the Islamic state, and the social and economic
pressures that destroyed the Arab kingdom and created the Islamic
empire. He analyses the forces which contributed to that empire's
eventual decline, and the effects of growing Western influence. Today,
with the Arab world facing profound social and political challenges, it
constitutes an essential introduction to the Arabs and their history.