A nice scholarly book about early Christian/Islamic relations. The book is fairly short, but it details the early interactions of these cultures and religions. I was surprised with the early Islamic quest of knowledge which ultimately led to translations and increased knowledge for the whole world. Even the early Christian societies came to depend on the efforts Islamic societies placed on knowledge. Then as Christian societies developed, Islamic societies turned inward and more dogmatic. At the end of the Reformation, Christian Europe was ascendant, and Islamic society was mired in a downward spiral.This is a good book for some basic knowledge on how the two religions relate to one another. There is a need for more knowledge on this subject.