María Rosa Menocal’s The Ornament of the World is an engaging and provocative book that presents an idealized vision of al-Andalus, as a multicultural place where Muslims, Christians and Jews lived in harmony. While that ‘convivencia’ and tolerance is far from being true, it’s a pleasant read, and if you want to challenge your mind read The Myth of the Andalusian Paradise by Darío Fernández-Morera to learn about the opposed vision to that utopic al-Andalus. The reality is something between the two, but the examples of both books are interesting!

• Paperback: 315 pages
• Publisher: Back Bay Books; Reprint edition (April 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0316168718
• ISBN-13: 978-0316168717
• Product Dimensions: 5.5 x 0.9 x 8.2 inches