I purchased Lost to the West a few months ago, but since then I haven't had the opportunity or time to read beyond the first few pages. I will say that I was hesitant at first to buy it hardcover, as hardcover seems better for books that are of great importance, and I'm not sure if this book is of great importance. The premise, though, is already an interesting one--the idea that the Eastern Roman Empire, long forgotten, had been the bulwark of culture protecting the Islamic expansion from the Middle East.



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