"Collins has composed a spirited and challenging survey of the century; the helpful footnotes on almost every page testify to his extensive erudition ... he writes with the confident air of someone pioneering an invigorating, modern approach to a drab and largely forgotten era, and he deserves a discriminating readership." Times Higher Education Supplement "A challenging picture of eighth-century ... Read moreSpain which gives the kaleidoscope a good shake, allowing students a glimpse of events and trends in that shadowy century in a new light." Muslim World Book Review Show Less