Stealing from the Saracens
How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe

The title alone is an insult to historians everywhere and intellectually dishonest. Stealing? She can barely make the case for some slight borrowing. She keeps telling readers that we’ve forgotten about the eastern influence on Europe. Who is she referring to? Most people she is talking about don’t k......more

" السرقة من العرب " كما عنونت الكاتبة والباحثة كتابها كتاب غزير جداً قرأته بتأني على مدى شهرين تستعرض فيه الكاتبة جوانب عده في العمارة، وكيف ساهمت كل حضارة بإلهام حضارة أخرى بين الشرق والغرب . تقول الكاتبه أنه هدفها من الكتاب توضيح فكرة أنه لا أحد يملك العمارة، مثلما لا يملك أحد العلم كل حضارة تبنى وت......more

Excellent and fascinating. Despite what some reviewers have commented, the author is quite clear what is of Islamic origin or influence, and not taken for granted that any Middle Eastern is Islamic. Possibly a little too much focus on Syria, but given that Syria is clearly the country she knows best,......more

In Stealing from the Saracens: How Islamic Architecture Shaped Europe, Diana Darke maintains that the structural elements and style of many European gothic buildings borrowed heavily from the Arab world, especially from Islamic architecture. Darke learned Arabic, immersed herself in the literature a......more

A beautiful book. Well written, deeply research & wonderfully presented. It restores Syria at the heart of world architecture - and lovingly points out Syrian influence throughout the Arab lands and in Europe. An important book and a great contribution to the study of Islamic and western architectur......more