Everand Logo

Welcome to Everand!

  • Discover millions of ebooks, audiobooks, and so much more with a free trial

    Only $11.99/month after trial. Cancel anytime.

    A Sultan in Palermo: A Novel
    Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree: A Novel
    The Islam Quintet: Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree, The Book of Saladin, The Stone Woman, A Sultan in Palermo, and Night of the Golden Butterfly
    Ebook series6 titles

    The Islam Quintet Series

    By Tariq Ali

    3.5/5

    ()

    About this series

    The Islam Quintet concludes with a powerful portrait of life and love Tariq Ali’s epic quintet, which began on the streets of medieval Granada, culminates in present day with Night of the Golden Butterfly. The story darts between the past and present of Dara, a Lahore-born writer who now lives in London. Dara is called back to his homeland by an old friend, the hot-tempered and mysterious Plato, who, at seventy-five, has finally fallen in love. Dara is to help Plato’s newfound inamorata to write a book about his friend’s life.   Dara retraces not only Plato’s steps but also his own, meeting old friends across the world as they retread the paths of their lives. Night of the Golden Butterfly is a gorgeous and lyrical capstone that finds heart and humor in the passage of time, the practice of reconciliation, and the irresistible draw of home.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherOpen Road Media
    Release dateJan 14, 2014
    A Sultan in Palermo: A Novel
    Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree: A Novel
    The Islam Quintet: Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree, The Book of Saladin, The Stone Woman, A Sultan in Palermo, and Night of the Golden Butterfly

    Titles in the series (6)

    • The Islam Quintet: Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree, The Book of Saladin, The Stone Woman, A Sultan in Palermo, and Night of the Golden Butterfly
      The Islam Quintet: Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree, The Book of Saladin, The Stone Woman, A Sultan in Palermo, and Night of the Golden Butterfly

      The Islam Quintet: Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree, The Book of Saladin, The Stone Woman, A Sultan in Palermo, and Night of the Golden Butterfly

      Tariq Ali
      4/5 - 3 ratings
      4/5 - 3 ratings

      Five nuanced and powerful historical novels depicting the clashes among Muslims, Christians, and Jews from the Crusades to twenty-first-century London. Celebrated British-Pakistani journalist and author Tariq Ali takes a mind-expanding journey through the ages with these five acclaimed works of fiction, available now in one collection.   Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree: “Ali captures the humanity and splendor of Muslim Spain” in “an enthralling story, unraveled with thrift and verve” (The Independent). For the doomed Moors, the fall of Granada and the approaching forces of Christendom bring not peace but the sword.   The Book of Saladin: After Saladin reclaims the holy city of Jerusalem from the Crusaders, he turns to a Jewish scribe to record his story, which Edward Said calls “a narrative for our time, haunted by distant events and characters who are closer to us than we had dreamed.”   The Stone Woman: “Ali paints a vivid picture of a fading world,” proclaims the New York Times Book Review, as a distant descendant of an exiled Ottoman courtier suffers a stroke in Istanbul, and his family rushes to his side to hear his last stories.   A Sultan in Palermo: In “a marvelously paced and boisterously told novel of intrigue, love, insurrection and manipulation,” cartographer Muhammad al-Idrisi is caught between his friendship with King Roger of Sicily and the resentments of his fellow Muslims (The Guardian).   Night of the Golden Butterfly: A Lahore-born writer living in London is called back to his homeland by an old friend who, at seventy-five, has finally fallen in love. “If Pakistan is a land of untold stories,” writes the New Statesman, Ali is “the country’s finest historian and critic.”  

      Five nuanced and powerful historical novels depicting the clashes among Muslims, Christians, and Jews from the Crusades to twenty-first-century London. Celebrated British-Pakistani journalist and author Tariq Ali takes a mind-expanding journey through the ages with these five acclaimed works of fiction, available now in one collection.   Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree: “Ali captures the humanity and splendor of Muslim Spain” in “an enthralling story, unraveled with thrift and verve” (The Independent). For the doomed Moors, the fall of Granada and the approaching forces of Christendom bring not peace but the sword.   The Book of Saladin: After Saladin reclaims the holy city of Jerusalem from the Crusaders, he turns to a Jewish scribe to record his story, which Edward Said calls “a narrative for our time, haunted by distant events and characters who are closer to us than we had dreamed.”   The Stone Woman: “Ali paints a vivid picture of a fading world,” proclaims the New York Times Book Review, as a distant descendant of an exiled Ottoman courtier suffers a stroke in Istanbul, and his family rushes to his side to hear his last stories.   A Sultan in Palermo: In “a marvelously paced and boisterously told novel of intrigue, love, insurrection and manipulation,” cartographer Muhammad al-Idrisi is caught between his friendship with King Roger of Sicily and the resentments of his fellow Muslims (The Guardian).   Night of the Golden Butterfly: A Lahore-born writer living in London is called back to his homeland by an old friend who, at seventy-five, has finally fallen in love. “If Pakistan is a land of untold stories,” writes the New Statesman, Ali is “the country’s finest historian and critic.”  

    • A Sultan in Palermo: A Novel
      A Sultan in Palermo: A Novel

      A Sultan in Palermo: A Novel

      Tariq Ali
      4/5 - 3 ratings
      4/5 - 3 ratings

      An ailing king attempts to unify the Christian and Muslim worlds of medieval Sicily in this “marvelously paced and boisterously told novel of intrigue” (The Guardian).  Amid the chaos and misery of the Middle Ages, Sicily proved to be an island in more ways than one. Even after Christians reconquered the island, the citizens retained their Muslim culture. One ruler became a bridge between worlds, speaking Arabic fluently, maintaining a harem, and even taking on the dual titles of King Roger of Sicily and Sultan Rujari of Siqilliya. Aiding Rujari is the Muslim cartographer Muhammad al-Idrisi. As the Sicilian leader descends into old age and the island is pulled toward European values, al-Idrisi is caught between his friendship with Rujari and the plots of resistance brewing among his fellow Muslims. Pride and friendship collide with greed and lust in Tariq Ali’s rich novel of medieval Sicily.

      An ailing king attempts to unify the Christian and Muslim worlds of medieval Sicily in this “marvelously paced and boisterously told novel of intrigue” (The Guardian).  Amid the chaos and misery of the Middle Ages, Sicily proved to be an island in more ways than one. Even after Christians reconquered the island, the citizens retained their Muslim culture. One ruler became a bridge between worlds, speaking Arabic fluently, maintaining a harem, and even taking on the dual titles of King Roger of Sicily and Sultan Rujari of Siqilliya. Aiding Rujari is the Muslim cartographer Muhammad al-Idrisi. As the Sicilian leader descends into old age and the island is pulled toward European values, al-Idrisi is caught between his friendship with Rujari and the plots of resistance brewing among his fellow Muslims. Pride and friendship collide with greed and lust in Tariq Ali’s rich novel of medieval Sicily.

    • Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree: A Novel
      Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree: A Novel

      Shadows of the Pomegranate Tree: A Novel

      Tariq Ali
      4/5 - 5 ratings
      4/5 - 5 ratings

      “Tariq Ali captures the humanity and splendor of Muslim Spain . . . real history as well as fiction . . . a book to be relished and devoured” (The Independent).  The savagery of the Reconquest tore apart the world of the Banu Hudayl family. For the doomed Muslims of late-fifteenth-century Spain, the approaching forces of Christendom bring not peace but the sword. Capturing the brutality of a war both military and cultural—and the price paid by the innocent—Tariq Ali opens his Islam Quintet with a harrowing and profound historical fiction.

      “Tariq Ali captures the humanity and splendor of Muslim Spain . . . real history as well as fiction . . . a book to be relished and devoured” (The Independent).  The savagery of the Reconquest tore apart the world of the Banu Hudayl family. For the doomed Muslims of late-fifteenth-century Spain, the approaching forces of Christendom bring not peace but the sword. Capturing the brutality of a war both military and cultural—and the price paid by the innocent—Tariq Ali opens his Islam Quintet with a harrowing and profound historical fiction.

    • The Book of Saladin: A Novel
      The Book of Saladin: A Novel

      The Book of Saladin: A Novel

      Tariq Ali
      5/5 - 4 ratings
      5/5 - 4 ratings

      “Whether depicting erotically charged harem intrigue or siege warfare, The Book of Saladin is an entertaining feat of revisionist storytelling” —The Sunday Times   As victories mount and accolades are showered upon the great warrior Saladin, he is nearly deified. He conquers the infidel Franj, or Crusaders, and reclaims the holy city of Jerusalem while remaining true to his senses of honor, justice, and humor. When it comes time for Saladin to record his own story, he turns to a Jewish scribe. In the interlinking stories of The Book of Saladin, the mighty sultan deftly navigates the deep chasms separating Muslims, Christians, and Jews.

      “Whether depicting erotically charged harem intrigue or siege warfare, The Book of Saladin is an entertaining feat of revisionist storytelling” —The Sunday Times   As victories mount and accolades are showered upon the great warrior Saladin, he is nearly deified. He conquers the infidel Franj, or Crusaders, and reclaims the holy city of Jerusalem while remaining true to his senses of honor, justice, and humor. When it comes time for Saladin to record his own story, he turns to a Jewish scribe. In the interlinking stories of The Book of Saladin, the mighty sultan deftly navigates the deep chasms separating Muslims, Christians, and Jews.

    • The Stone Woman: A Novel
      The Stone Woman: A Novel

      The Stone Woman: A Novel

      Tariq Ali
      5/5 - 1 rating
      5/5 - 1 rating

      The story of a dying man and a waning empireThe Stone Woman has stood on the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul for generations. The ancient pagan icon has become a confessor, allowing people to release their guilt without consequence. Close to the Stone Woman is the family home of Iskander Pasha, a distant descendant of an exiled Ottoman courtier. When the aged Iskander suffers a stroke, his family rushes to his side to hear his last stories. As the dying man revisits his life, a complex family drama emerges, tracing the labored final breaths of an empire in decline. Through the diverse Pasha clan, Tariq Ali reveals sexual intrigue, political unrest, and domestic tension simmering in the ashes of the Ottoman Empire. In the third book of his acclaimed Islam Quintet, Ali draws a nuanced and powerful portrait of the Muslim world.

      The story of a dying man and a waning empireThe Stone Woman has stood on the Sea of Marmara near Istanbul for generations. The ancient pagan icon has become a confessor, allowing people to release their guilt without consequence. Close to the Stone Woman is the family home of Iskander Pasha, a distant descendant of an exiled Ottoman courtier. When the aged Iskander suffers a stroke, his family rushes to his side to hear his last stories. As the dying man revisits his life, a complex family drama emerges, tracing the labored final breaths of an empire in decline. Through the diverse Pasha clan, Tariq Ali reveals sexual intrigue, political unrest, and domestic tension simmering in the ashes of the Ottoman Empire. In the third book of his acclaimed Islam Quintet, Ali draws a nuanced and powerful portrait of the Muslim world.

    • Night of the Golden Butterfly: A Novel
      Night of the Golden Butterfly: A Novel

      Night of the Golden Butterfly: A Novel

      Tariq Ali
      4/5
      4/5

      The Islam Quintet concludes with a powerful portrait of life and loveTariq Ali’s epic quintet, which began on the streets of medieval Granada, culminates in present day with Night of the Golden Butterfly. The story darts between the past and present of Dara, a Lahore-born writer who now lives in London. Dara is called back to his homeland by an old friend, the hot-tempered and mysterious Plato, who, at seventy-five, has finally fallen in love. Dara is to help Plato’s newfound inamorata to write a book about his friend’s life. Dara retraces not only Plato’s steps but also his own, meeting old friends across the world as they retread the paths of their lives. Night of the Golden Butterfly is a gorgeous and lyrical capstone that finds heart and humor in the passage of time, the practice of reconciliation, and the irresistible draw of home.

      The Islam Quintet concludes with a powerful portrait of life and loveTariq Ali’s epic quintet, which began on the streets of medieval Granada, culminates in present day with Night of the Golden Butterfly. The story darts between the past and present of Dara, a Lahore-born writer who now lives in London. Dara is called back to his homeland by an old friend, the hot-tempered and mysterious Plato, who, at seventy-five, has finally fallen in love. Dara is to help Plato’s newfound inamorata to write a book about his friend’s life. Dara retraces not only Plato’s steps but also his own, meeting old friends across the world as they retread the paths of their lives. Night of the Golden Butterfly is a gorgeous and lyrical capstone that finds heart and humor in the passage of time, the practice of reconciliation, and the irresistible draw of home.

    Author

    Tariq Ali

    Andrea Olsen is an author, choreographer, and educator currently teaching as Professor Emerita of Dance at Middlebury College. She has written four books: Moving Between Worlds, Bodystories: A Guide to Experimental Anatomy, Body and Earth: An Experiential Guide, and The Place of Dance: A Somatic Guide to Dance and Dance Making. A certified instructor of the Holden OiGong and Embodyoga, Olsen has taught various workshops and regularly contributes to Contact Quarterly, a dance improvisation journal. She is the recipient of a number of awards, including an ACLS Contemplative Practice Fellowship and a Fulbright Scholarship in New Zealand.

    Read more from Tariq Ali

    Related to The Islam Quintet

    Related ebooks

    Historical Fiction For You

    View More
    View More

    Related podcast episodes

    Related articles

    • Article

      Pankaj Mishra: We Committed Intellectual Suicide After 9/11

      Mar 20, 2017

      Historian and intellectual Pankaj Mishra’s latest book Age of Anger: A History of the Present, published earlier this month, presents what Mishra calls “an emotional history” at a time of “worldwide emergency” when rage fills the global political sphere. Mishra locates the core of our chaotic condition in the Nietzchean concept of “ressentiment,” a creative force that animates the rebellion of the poorest and most disenfranchised against the ruling class. It is this very force, Mishra argues, that is animating those most marginalized, its power whetted by the contradiction between the equality

      6 min read

    • Article

      Feeling Like an Outcast

      Oct 20, 2020

      Feeling Like an Outcast
      8 min read

    • Article

      Forgotten Empires

      Jul 20, 2018

      Most histories of the Deccan region have highlighted the ruthlessness of Aurangzeb or the valour of Shivaji. In Rebel Sultans, Manu Pillai instead explores the rise and fall of the empires of six earlier centuries. Dakshina in Sanskrit, hence Deccan,

      1 min read

    • Article

      Conqueror Of The World

      Apr 22, 2021

      Conqueror Of The World
      8 min read

    • Article

      The Forgotten Holocaust

      May 11, 2020

      The Forgotten Holocaust
      43 min read

    Related categories

    Reviews for The Islam Quintet

    3.5/5

    35 ratings0 reviews

    What did you think?

    Tap to rate

    Review must be at least 10 words