Michael Cook is the Class of 1943 University Professor of Near Eastern Studies at Princeton University. His books include Ancient Religions, Modern Politics: The Islamic Case in Comparative Perspective (Princeton), A Brief History of the Human Race, and The Koran: A Very Short Introduction.
"""A timely, wide-ranging examination of the Muslim world. . . . Cook’s study sheds crucial light on Islamic development across borders and centuries."" * Kirkus Reviews * ""Cook tours the globe, bringing cultures and customs to life in evocative detail. . . . An accessible history of the Muslim world."" * Publishers Weekly *"