The House of Wisdom

I have been reading Jim Al-Khalili's The House of Wisdom: How Arabic Science Saved Ancient Knowledge and Gave Us the Renaissance (thanks Penguin for sending me a copy).  It is one of the best of its kind and such an interesting read, although the author is at pains to relate stories to Western (particularly) American readers.  But that is often due to pressures from editors and such.  It tells a story that is rarely told in the West well, indeed very well.  The chapter on the brilliant Abu Bakr Ar-Razi is the best summary of the great achievements and thought of this unique man.  This is a book that can be recommended for people who are new to the subject, or for people who are knowledgeable because it is so well-done.  It is a delight to stumble on excellent books these days given the plethora of junk all around us.