You will never read a more powerful, intimately revealing book about Arabs and their culture.
There are so many myths about Arab Muslims' history. Pryce-Jones grew up among the Muslim Arabs, has a deep love for them, but he's one of those people who refuse to accept sentimental deceits in the place of reality.
Bat Ye'Or has written several books on Islam and its treatment of 'infidels'. Every one of her books is packed with specific, brutal, historical information. She is an exacting professional historian, and is another who refuses the mish-mash of sentimental multiculturalism.
I have bought and read nearly all the authors you list, Destro, though there's a couple I haven't read and will now get. Thanks for the post.
(PS....immediately following September 11, I began reading about Islam, which I knew nothing about. I looked everywhere for a copy of Pryce-Jones' book The Closed Circle, but everyone had already sold out their used copies. It was out of print at that time. Finally, I found a copy listed by a little book shop in India and ordered it...paid something like $8 total for the book and shipping. When the postman brought my package to the door, he gave me a very hard looking-over. I quickly explained what the package was, even tore the flimsy paper off to show him. He looked relieved and left. I was so glad he was so alert at that scary time!)