The forgotten story of Central Asia's enlightenment—its rise, fall, and enduring legacyIn this sweeping and richly illustrated history, S. Frederick Starr tells the fascinating but largely unknown story of Central Asia's medieval enlightenment through the eventful lives and astonishing accomplishments of its greatest minds—remarkable figures who built a bridge to the modern world. Because nearly all of these figures wrote in Arabic, they were long assumed to have b...

In "Indian Mexico," Frederick Starr explores the rich cultural tapestry of indigenous communities in Mexico. Through his vivid descriptions and keen observations, he delves into the daily lives, traditions, and struggles of various tribes. Starr's anthropological approach provides readers with a unique perspective on the intersection of modernity and tradition, highlighting the resilience of these communities amidst external pressures. His work serves as both a historical document and a ce...

The reading public may well ask, Why another travel book on Mexico? Few countries have been so frequently written up by the traveler. Many books, good, bad, and indifferent, but chiefly bad, have been perpetrated. Most of these books, however, cover the same ground, and ground which has been traversed by many people. Indian Mexico is practically unknown. The only travel-book regarding it, in English, is Lumholtz's "Unknown Mexico." The indians among whom Lumholtz worked lived in northweste...

The book traces the introduction of Buddhism to Korea in the 4th century and its evolution over centuries, including its interactions with Confucianism and political powers. Starr examines how Buddhism shaped Korean society, culture, and governance, particularly during the Goryeo dynasty when it flourished.In addition to historical analysis, Starr also dedicates a portion of the book to the artistic achievements of Korean Buddhism, such as temple architecture, sculpture, and painting, all ...

The author does not overestimate the importance of this little book: it is nothing more than its title claims. It consists of three lectures given to popular audiences, with the accompaniment of many illustrations. It represents, however, a considerable amount of work in an almost virgin field. It has involved hard journeys to remote mountain monasteries, and days and nights of conversation and inquiry with many monks and priests. It is not, however, a profound study nor an exhaustive pres...

This book about American Indians is intended as a reading book for boys and girls in school. The native inhabitants of America are rapidly dying off or changing. Certainly some knowledge of them, their old location, and their Native American culture ought to be interesting to American children.

Africa has been partitioned among the nations. The little kingdom of Abyssinia, in the north, and the Republic of Liberia, upon the west coast, are all of the continent that remain in the hands of Africans. Liberia alone is in the hands of negroes. Will it remain so, or is it destined to disappear? Is it a failure? The reports which have so frequently been printed in books of travel and elementary treatises of ethnology appear almost unanimous in the assertion that it is. Yet there are tho...

Africa has been partitioned among the nations. The little kingdom of Abyssinia, in the north, and the Republic of Liberia, upon the west coast, are all of the continent that remain in the hands of Africans. Liberia alone is in the hands of negroes. Will it remain so, or is it destined to disappear? Is it a failure? The reports which have so frequently been printed in books of travel and elementary treatises of ethnology appear almost unanimous in the assertion that it is. Yet there are tho...

The author does not overestimate the importance of this little book: it is nothing more than its title claims. It consists of three lectures given to popular audiences, with the accompaniment of many illustrations. It represents, however, a considerable amount of work in an almost virgin field. It has involved hard journeys to remote mountain monasteries, and days and nights of conversation and inquiry with many monks and priests. It is not, however, a profound study nor an exhaustive pres...

WHEN I returned to America, I had decided to express no opinion upon the public and political questions of the Congo Free State. Having found conditions there quite different from what I had expected, it was impossible for me to state my actual impressions without danger of antagonizing or offending some whom I valued as friends. Hence, on landing at New York, I refused to say anything upon those matters to several reporters who interviewed me.

Riddles are common to all mankind. They delighted the old Aryans and the ancient Greeks as they do the modern Hindu and the Bantu peoples of darkest Africa. Many writers have defined the riddle. Friedreich in his Geschichte des Räthsels, says: ?The riddle is an indirect presentation of an unknown object, in order that the ingenuity of the hearer or reader may be exercised in finding it out.... Wolf has given the following definition: the riddle is a play of wit, which endeavors to so prese...

In "The Truth About the Congo: The Chicago Tribune Articles," Frederick Starr delivers a compelling and insightful exploration of the tumultuous history and socio-political dynamics of the Congo during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Through a series of meticulously crafted articles originally published in the Chicago Tribune, Starr employs a journalistic style that is both vibrant and evocative, capturing the complex realities of colonialism, exploitation, and cultural clash. His ...