The Lion House [book, audiobook, nonfiction]
The Lion House [book, audiobook, nonfiction]
THIS IS A LOOSE BIOGRAPHY OF SULEIMAN, SULTAN OF THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE. IT'S REALLY WELL WRITTEN AND INTERESTING BUT I ALSO FEEL LIKE EVERY SINGLE FACT IN IT HAS SLID OFF MY PERFECTLY SMOOTH BRAIN. I FEEL LIKE I LACK ANY MENTAL CONTEXT FOR THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE. I THINK IT'S THE BROADER ISSUE THAT ANY HISTORY THAT IS NON-EUROPEAN ISN'T REALLY TALKED ABOUT IN THE US BUT I DO FEEL LIKE THERE IS VERY SPECIFICALLY A POP HISTORY HOLE TALKING ABOUT THE OTTOMAN EMPIRE SPECIFICALLY. LIKE THE FACT IT WAS GOING ON AT THE SAME TIME THE AMERICAS GOT DISCOVERED MAKES US CONCEPTION OF HISTORY CLASS ALWAYS JUMP OFF EUROPE RIGHT THEN AND NOT GO BACK TO MENTIONING ANYTHING UNTIL ~1700 OR SO.
PS. I LIKE THIS WAS WRITTEN FROM QUOTES AND PRIMARY SOURCES SO SOME OF THE STORIES VERY CLEARLY DID NOT HAPPEN BUT THE BOOK GOES WITH IT. LIKE SOME BATTLE ENDING WHERE A SAINT SHOWS UP WITH A FLAMING SWORD AND DRIVES PEOPLE AWAY OR SEVERAL MENTIONS OF THE TRADE OF UNICORN HORNS. LIKE THE BOOK IS VERY GROUNDED AND HISTORICALLY WRITTEN, BUT IF THE RECORDS SAY THEY TRADED UNICORN HORNS THEN THEY TRADED UNICORN HORNS.
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