Al Kindi: Father of Arab Philosophy (Great Muslim Philosophers and Scientists of the Middle Ages)
Grade 7 Up–Since so little is known about the lives of these three men, these volumes are considerably padded with lengthy and sometimes complex discourses on the history of Islam, Baghdad during Islams golden age, ancient Greek philosophers, and so on. The books are attractive and colorfully illustrated, but the glossaries are incomplete. Unfortunately, the footnoting is subpar; most references just give title and author, and there is no indication as to which edition(s) of the scientists works were used. Some of the details in the texts are incorrect; for example, although Descartes lived in the 16th and 17th centuries, he is referred to as one of the great Enlightenment thinkers of the eighteenth century. The maps omit many places referred to in the texts. Finally, the concluding chapters on each mans legacy are surprisingly weak, failing to explain adequately any strong or lasting influence in the West.–Ann W. Moore, Schenectady County Public Library, NYCopyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.