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Sihab ad-Din Ahmad bin 'Abd al-Qader's account of the early
sixteenth century Jihad, or holywar, in Ethiopia, of Imam Ahmad bin
Ibrahim, better known as Ahmad Gran, or the Left handed, is an
historical classic. The Yamani author was an eyewitness of several
of the battles he describes, and is an invaluable source. His book,
which is full of human, and at times tragic, drama, makes a major
contribution to our knowledge of a crucially important period in
the hisoty of Ethiopia and Horn of Africa. 'Futuh al-Habasa, ' or
'Conquest of Abyssinia' - which undoubtedly reflects the situation
as it seemed to its Yamani author at the time of its composition.
The forces of Imam Ahmad bin Ibrahim had occupied the greater part
of Ethiopia. The resistance of Emperor Lebna Dengel had virtually
come to an end, and many Christians had chosen to convert to Islam.
The victorious Imam's regime seemed there to stay. This was,
however, far from the end of the story. The Imam was killed in
battle on February 21, 1543, whereupon his army almost immediately
disintegrated. Those of his soldiers who could do so made their way
back to the East. Not a few Muslim converts reverted to their
former faith. The Futuh thus refers to a relatively short, though
crucially important, period in Ethiopia's long history. The book is
nevertheless valuable, in that its author was an eye-witness of
many of the events he describes, and writes, as far as we can
judge, with a degree of objectivity rare for his time. What people
say about this book: "This book is the first ever complete English
translation of the Arabic account on the campaigns of Imam Ahmad b.
Ibrahim al-Ghazi (popularly known as Gran) as written by the Yemeni
jurist, Shihab al-din Ahmad b. Abd al-Qadir b. Salim b. Uthman
(also known as Arab Faqih)... it is a welcome addition to the rich
corpus of Arabic literary and historical sources relevant to the
sixteenth-century Ethiopia and the Horn. It is particularly useful
for English-speaking researchers and established scholars who
cannot read either the Arabic text or the authoritative French
translation prepared by Rene Basset...both Stenhouse and Pankhurst,
and the publisher, deserve high commendation, respectively, for
producing such a valuable work that represents a major contribution
to the history of Ethiopia and the Horn, and for making it
available to the wider English-speaking readership and
scholarship." -- Hussein Ahmed is a Professor of History at Addis
Ababa University. He is a leading historian of Islam in Ethiopia. *
* * "In the history of conflict in Africa and beyond, "few stories
of drama and human tragedy equal" Imama Ahmad's conquest of the
Christian kingdom of Ethiopia (1529-1543). His short lived
spectacular victories and determination to replace Christianity by
Islam and the remarkable survival of Christianity in Ethiopia" is a
story of epic proportions" which still generates strong emotion
among both the Christian and the Muslim population of Ethiopia. In
other words, Imam Ahmad's jihadic war besides being legendary was a
major turning point... This is truly a wonderful work, which is
destined to remain an indispensable source for the history of
Ethiopia and the Horn of Africa during the first half of the
tumultuous sixteenth century. Anyone interested in understanding
the intensity and brutality of religious war will be rewarded by
reading this classic." -- Mohammed Hassen is an Associate Professor
of African history at Georgia State University in Atlanta. He is
the author of The Oromo of Ethiopia: A History 1570-1860.
An updated edition of this bestselling biography that features
details of her second album Born This Way and her subsequent tour
as well as the release of her long-awaited third album in spring
2013, ARTPOP. Includes her numerous controversies such as that meat
dress, her many collaborations with everyone with Elton John to
Cher and Tony Bennett, and her movie acting debut in Machete Kills
in early 2013. This is the story of her high-speed rise in the fame
game, told with a mix of admiration and sharp journalistic insight.
Packed with full-colour photographs complete this portrait of one
of the biggest names in modern music.
An updated edition of the bestselling biography to include details
of her sixth studio album The Truth About Love which was a
worldwide number one hit and the birth of her first child in 2011.
Paul Lester traces the extraordinary career of Alicia Beth Moore
from Pennsylvania through her stint in the girl group Choice to her
present incarnation as global superstar Pink. Split Personality
reveals the two sides of this complex artist: the feisty fun-filled
performer who at thirty continues to conquer in a teen-dominated
industry and the conflicted woman whose dark urges have fuelled her
deceptively upbeat glossy brand of hi-tech pop. This is a pop
biography that makes for a truly exciting read that's worthy of
it's electrifying subject!
"Massive buildings were crushed like egg shells, great timbers were
carried through the air as though they were of no weight, and the
winds and the waves swept everything before them until their
appetite for destruction was satiated and their force spent."
--From the foreword by Richard Spillane, editor of the Galveston
Tribune The many personal tragedies and triumphs come to light in
this full and thrilling account that is made even more evocative
and jolting by its profusion of photographs taken immediately after
the disaster. In the storm, S. W. Clinton lost his wife and six
children, including two sons he could not save from drowning before
his very eyes. Yet others survived. Long engaged, Ernest A. Mayo
and Bessie Roberts decided it was better to face the daunting tasks
ahead of them together, and were married a mere five days after the
flood. Their stories, and the stories of all who survived the great
Galveston Hurricane of 1900, attest to humanity's ability to
overcome even the most horrific of disasters.
Thousands of men, women and children swept to sudden death.
Millions of dollars worth of property destroyed. Scenes of
suffering and desolation that beggar description. Heroic efforts to
save human life. The world shocked by the appalling news. Such is
the thrilling story of the Galveston flood, and in this volume it
is told with wonderful power and effect. This volume is a complete
and authentic account of the great calamity told by the survivors.
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