Must read … A radical odyssey.

Very interesting book, lots of fascinating details.

Bartlett is an accomplished journalist: careful, dispassionate and willing to put the time in. And once again he does the work, spending time with people whom less committed reporters might wish to avoid. And he does so with a degree of sympathy that is as impressive as it is rare... All of the chapters contain thoughtful and intelligent reflections on the position of outsiders who, as Bartlett reminds us, could well be proven by history to be ahead of their time.

Inside the anti-political revolt that gave us Brexit and Trump... Bartlett is right to remind us that democracies are not necessarily the natural order, and that they need fresh ideas to survive some very scary emerging challenges.

Bartlett has put together a fascinating book and is an excellent narrator.

He is a natural storyteller and Radicals is a book of tales. Showing understanding and humility, whilst moving himself to the role of outsider or studied observer when needed, Bartlett exercises the art of storytelling. His ability to be probing whilst remaining sensitive and non-dismissive draws out intriguing details that could easily have been lost... Intriguing and sometimes fraught with a little jeopardy, you can’t help but get hooked on the narratives.

A smart, serious book that goes out into the world, reflecting on lives rather than headlines. Excellent.

Radicals sets out to describe and understand this new spirit of radicalism... Throughout, Mr Bartlett is a friendly guide, with a reporter's eye for detail and a willingness to engage with his subjects.

Enlightening and unnerving... Bartlett, ever the knowledgeable guide through murky political and technological waters...embeds himself with these groups and approaches each with a commendable balance of genuine open-mindedness and healthy scepticism... A highly recommended read, Radicals could influence you to chase after some of these utopian organisations and ideas, or make you want to flee from them just the same.

Eye-opening... enlightening.

Entertaining... the apparently laconic approach disguises sharp insight and meticulous investigation. The narratives lead the reader to conclude that any state wishing to flourish should make more room for radicalism.

A hugely original account of how it is outsiders, often sitting uneasily on the traditional left to right spectrum who across the globe are forcing changes on the mainstream.

Bartlett notes the amplifying effect of the Internet as an echo chamber for affirming beliefs that may not be widely accepted in broader society, and keeps his general observations upbeat, even in an age of angry political populism. He leaves readers with the observation that liberal societies are inherently risky and unstable, but their ability to accommodate radical views is also what allows them to change, and that change is generally for the better.

Radicals interestingly ... chronicles Bartlett’s experiences embedding himself in various radical groups ... Engaging ... Thoughtful and challenging.

[De Bellaigue] possesses a sure sense of place and of social and historical context… This is a rich and surprising history that fully justifies its provocative title

Bellaigue knows how to spin a yarn. The book is a great read, its story is far too little known, and he's certainly done his research ... Bellaigue throws up all sorts of fascinating historical facts and anecdotes, bringing to life the long, transformative nineteenth century ... His enormous cast of characters is colourful and varied each a hero in the struggle to usher in a truly modern Muslim world

A sweeping and hugely engaging book that throws much-needed light on modern Islam.

Erudite and elegant

This fascinating book prompts us to question how we think about the world, and challenges those in West and East who peddle the dangerous myth of civilisational conflict

This is an interesting, well-written and thoughtful book… He deserves credit for engaging with a highly complex and equally pertinent subject at a time when Islam is always in the news especially in the Western world

Highly readable… The Islamic Enlightenment has a bone to pick with those who argue that Islam needs to become more civilised.

A refreshingly optimistic counterpoint to the idea that Muslim and Western world-views are doomed to clash.

A tremendous combination of deep learning, forceful argument and arresting prose, The Islamic Enlightenment is bold, bracing and important

That there has been an Islamic Enlightenment at all will come as news to many. De Bellaigue’s account of the “very broad church” of Islam in the modern world is splendid and timely.

Nuanced and rich in detail

A sobering and compelling narrative of calamity.

This is a piercing look at the communities ravaged by the tsunami

What a visionary!... You must read it this summer, you’ll love it. It’s so incredible they published that a year before everything happened… He has a vision and it’s incredible… Incredible!

The literary chronicler of Western decadence