A scholarly tour de force by one of the world's pre-eminent historians of Islam.---William McCants, WallStreetJournal.com
This is an impressive work that asks difficult questions and is not afraid to answer them. Cook's sources are extensive and delve deeply into each religious tradition. . . . He skillfully weaves together thinkers from the earliest form of the faith to contemporary schools of though. Readers will be . . . challenged to think critically about the important questions he raises.---Theodore A. Nitz, Fides et Historia
[Cook] presents a panoramic and nuanced overview of political Islam with regard to identity, social values and culture over time.---Sundeep Khanna, Mint
Profoundly erudite, written with exceptional clarity, and laced with mordant wit.---Ellis Goldberg, Journal of Church and State
In many ways, this work is a culmination of a life dedicated to scholarly research and writing. Ancient Religions, Modern Politics has depth that is uncommon, is presented in a readable format that makes it accessible to non-experts and is recognised for its academic rigor by specialists. . . . Cook presents a text that is accessible for the undergraduate level while at the same time challenging and a useful resource for the graduate level.---Taylor & Francis Online,
Ancient Religions, Modern Politics . . . addresses a vital present-day issue on which many have offered opinions, all unsupported by the historical scholarship that he has been able to apply . . . impregnable scholarship . . . towering work.---Jonathan Benthall, Times Literary Supplement
"Ancient Religions, Modern Politics is at once painstaking and panoramic. It draws on a lifetime of learning and erudition, yet is audacious in its willingness to pose—and answer—bold questions. Rich in its use of sources and convincing in its arguments, this book will be widely read and very influential."—Andrew F. March, author of Islam and Liberal Citizenship
Cook's insight into Islamic history is evident in his latest tome. . . . The expansiveness of the exploration, which considers the long histories of national identity and ethnicity, widens our inquiry and causes us to integrate a broader range of factors to assess the differences and similarities of the role of religion in modern politics in different places. . . . Cook shows how we need a more global framework and long view of the function of history and religion to gain critical understanding of how our world functions today.---Julia McClure, History
Certainly, rich in its use of sources and convincing in its arguments, this book should be widely read and would be very influential.---Maurice Borrmans, Islamochristiana
Michael Cook, Winner of the 2014 Holberg Prize
"Michael Cook's book is truly a tour de force. Cook covers an impressive range of material and deals meticulously with key issues. Ancient Religions, Modern Politics is destined to be a landmark in the comparison of religions."—Christophe Jaffrelot, author of The Hindu Nationalist Movement in India
Enlightening.
"This is a work of enormous erudition and considerable subtlety. Cook's learning is vast, his insight profound, his treatment of sources fair. Ancient Religions, Modern Politics is a most impressive achievement."—Martin E. Marty, author of Dietrich Bonhoeffer's "Letters and Papers from Prison"
This impressive book offers a new approach to answering an old question: why did Islam develop a political profile which paved the way to a 'pull of Islamism,' even turning into militant sectarian conflicts? . . . Cook's highly stimulating and knowledgeable reading of Muslims' use of tradition and his answer to the old question will certainly prompt a new discussion about the genealogy of political Islam.---Reinhard Schulze, Bulletin of the School of Oriental and African Studies