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The Golden Age of Moorish Spain was during the 10th century, a time when the benevolent Syrian Arab Caliphs ruled Iberia from Córdoba, the site of the iconic Great Mosque and home to the Royal Library, one of the largest collections of ancient books ever assembled. 10th century Córdoba was the richest, most populous, and most cultured city in the western world. Under the tolerant Muslim Caliphs, the pinnacle of convivencia was attained, that unique period of Spanish history when Muslims, Jews and Christians lived together in relative harmony and peace. Multicultural Córdoba was an enlightened city that treasured its books, celebrated art and literature, advanced science and medicine, and its myriad accomplishments were envied by both the west and the east alike.
Shadows in the Shining City is a prequel to Emeralds of the Alhambra, and the second book in the Anthems of al-Andalus Series. Shadows tells the story of the forbidden love between Rayhana Abi Amir, a Muslim princess of the Royal Court, and Zafir Saffar, a freed slave. Young love blossoms in 10th century Madinat al-Zahra, the Shining City, the Caliph's magnificent Royal Palace located just outside of Córdoba. Their love story is set against the backdrop of the epic rise to power of Rayhana's ruthless father, a man history will come to both celebrate and revile for the role he plays in dooming the bright future of Moorish Spain.
About the author
John D. Cressler is Schlumberger Chair Professor of Electronics in the School of Electrical and Computer Engineering at Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Georgia, USA. He received his Ph.D. from Columbia University, New York, in 1990. His academic research interests center on the creative use of nanoscale-engineering techniques to enable new approaches to electronic devices, circuits and systems.
Dr. Cressler and his students have published over 600 scientific papers in this field and he has received a number of awards for both his teaching and his research, including the 2010 Class of 1940 W. Howard Ector Outstanding Teacher Award (Georgia Tech's top teaching honor) and the 2013 Class of 1934 Distinguished Professor Award (the highest honor that can be bestowed on a faculty member at Georgia Tech).
His previous books include: Silicon-Germanium Heterojunction Bipolar Transistors (2003), Reinventing Teenagers: the Gentle Art of Instilling Character in Our Young People (2004), Silicon Heterostructure Handbook: Materials, Fabrication, Devices, Circuits and Applications of SiGe and Si Strained Layer Epitaxy (2006), Silicon Earth: Introduction to the Microelectronics and Nanotechnology Revolution (2009), Extreme Environment Electronics (2012), and Emeralds of the Alhambra (2013), his debut historical novel. Shadows in the Shining City is the second release in the Anthems of al-Andalus Series.
He and his wife, Maria, have been married for 31 years and are the proud parents of three: Matthew (and now Mary Ellen), Christina (and now Michael), and Joanna. They are the doting grandparents of two little angels: Elena Giess Cressler and Owen Michael Gawrys.
