As Night Falls

Eighteenth-Century Ottoman Cities after Dark

As Night Falls
Avner Wishnitzer
RRP:
NZ$ 61.99
Our Price:
NZ$ 55.79
Hardback
h234 x 158mm - 388pg
1 Jul 2021 UK
International import eta 7-19 days
9781108832144
Out Of Stock
Currently no stock in-store, stock is sourced to your order
In a world that is constantly awake, illuminated and exposed, there is much to gain from looking into the darkness of times past. This fascinating and vivid picture of nocturnal life in Middle Eastern cities shows that the night in the eighteenth-century Ottoman Empire created unique conditions for economic, criminal, political, devotional and leisurely pursuits that were hardly possible during the day. Offering the possibility of livelihood and brotherhood, pleasure and refuge; the darkness allowed confiding, hiding and conspiring - activities which had far-reaching consequences on Ottoman state and society in the early modern period. Instead of dismissing the night as merely a dark corridor between days, As Night Falls demonstrates how fundamental these nocturnal hours have been in shaping the major social, cultural and political processes in the early modern Middle East.
' One of the most stunning books that I have read in many years. Powerfully conceived and rigorously researched, As Night Falls not only makes a seismic contribution to our knowledge of Middle Eastern history, but it is also essential reading for anyone with an interest in the forgotten half of everyday life - night' s wonders, perils, and promise, which Wishnitzer probes with clarity and brilliance. ' A. Roger Ekirch, Virginia Tech ' From nocturnal prayers, drinking parties, and imperial fireworks to analyses of the cost and extent of everyday domestic lighting, this study of the night in Ottoman cities chronicles a vast range of experience. Wishnitzer focuses on the infinite gradations of pre-industrial light and darkness to deepen our understanding of their symbolic and sociological possibilities. This work impressively expands the history of sleep and the night beyond Western Europe and North America. ' Craig Koslofsky, University of Illinois ' Wishnitzer takes us into dark and ' benighted' corners of early modern Ottoman cities, opening up a whole noctural world and its ecology. Engagingly written and based on an impressive mastery of sources, As Night Falls is a social history of night that will appeal to Ottoman historians and early modernists alike. ' Ethan L. Menchinger, University of Manchester ' By examining different forms of collective actions at night in the eighteenth and early nineteenth century, Wishnitzer illustrates surprising links between political actors, such as the Janissaries, artisans and religious orders with rhythms of time between light and dark, silence and sound, loneliness and crowdedness. This is an important milestone for the reconceptualization of Ottoman urban history and political culture. ' Ali Yaycioglu, Stanford University
Avner Wishnitzer is Senior Lecturer in the Department of Middle Eastern and African History at Tel Aviv University where he specializes in the social and cultural history of the Ottoman Empire. He is the author of Reading Clocks, Alla Turca: Time and Society in the Late Ottoman Empire (2015) and a co-editor of A Global Middle East: Mobility, Materiality and Culture in the Modern Age, 1880-1940 (2016).
Status: Active
ISBN-13: 9781108832144
Published: 1 Jul 2021
Published In: United Kingdom
Imprint: Cambridge University Press
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Format: Hardback
Height: 234mm
Width: 158mm
Spine: 26mm
Weight: 680g
Pages: 388

In stock - for items in stock we aim to dispatch the next business day. For delivery in NZ allow 2-5 business days, with rural taking a wee bit longer.

Locally sourced in NZ - stock comes from a NZ supplier with an approximate delivery of 7-15 business days.

International Imports - stock is imported into NZ, depending on air or sea shipping option from the international supplier stock can take 10-30 working days to arrive into NZ. 

Pre-order Titles - delivery will vary depending on where the title is published, if local stock is available in NZ then 5-7 business days, for international imports it can be 10-30 business days. In all cases we will access the quickest supply option.

Delivery Packaging - we ship all items in cardboard sleeves or by box with either packing paper or corn starch chips. (We avoid using plastics bubble bags)

Tracking - Orders are delivered by track and trace courier and are fully insured, tracking information will be sent by email once dispatched.

View our full Order & Delivery information