The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise, Dario Fernandez Morera
The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise, Dario Fernandez Morera
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The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise
Muslims, Christians, and Jews under Islamic Rule in Medieval Spain

Author: Dario Fernandez Morera

Narrator: Bob Souer

Unabridged: 9 hr 31 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Publisher: Tantor Media

Published: 07/12/2016


Synopsis

Scholars, journalists, and politicians uphold Muslim-ruled medieval Spain—"al-Andalus"—as a multicultural paradise, a place where Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived in harmony. There is only one problem with this widely accepted account: it is a myth.

In this groundbreaking book, Northwestern University scholar Darío Fernández-Morera tells the full story of Islamic Spain. The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise shines light on hidden features of this medieval culture by drawing on an abundance of primary sources that scholars have ignored, as well as archaeological evidence only recently unearthed.

As professors, politicians, and pundits continue to celebrate Islamic Spain for its "multiculturalism" and "diversity," Fernández-Morera sets the record straight—showing that a politically useful myth is a myth nonetheless.

About Dario Fernandez Morera

Dario Fernandez-Morera is an associate professor in the Department of Spanish and Portuguese at Northwestern University. A former member of the National Council on the Humanities, he holds a BA from Stanford University, an MA from the University of Pennsylvania, and a PhD from Harvard University. He has published several books and many articles on cultural, literary, historical, and methodological issues in Spain, Latin America, and the United States.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Helena

Fernandez-Morera strips away the veil created by politically-correct modern historians to look at the real face of Muslim Spain based on contemporary, predominantly Arab sources. Conscious that he is taking on the entrenched academic establishment, Professor Fernadez-Morera documents his book meticu......more

Goodreads review by George

"The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise: Muslims, Christians, and Jews Under Islamic Rule in Medieval Spain" by Dario Fernandez Morera is a polemic against the proponents of "La Convivencia" ("The Coexistence") - the belief that Muslims, Christians, and Jews lived in relative peace and harmony in south......more

I am not an expert on Muslim Spain, but I do have some experience in research. In my opinion, this book is suspiciously one sided and very unbalanced. The author's passion (obsession?) with denigrating one (Muslims') side of the story and praising the "superior" Christian culture made me chuckle man......more