Possessed by the Right Hand (Studies in Global Slavery, 8)

This is an important and ambitious book, the fruit of the author's labors over many years. To my knowledge, it is the first attempt to write a comprehensive legal history of Muslim slavery, beginning with its Near Eastern antecedents, discussing slavery and enslavement in various historical Muslim polities, and dealing with the re-emergence of slavery under ISIS and Boko Haram. The author makes a strong case that slavery's massive historical expansion in Muslim states was, in fact, a betrayal of the ethos and consciousness of the Prophet and the early community. The book is written in plain, conversational English, and its approach is nuanced, while also passionately pro-abolition. The book will help the reader understand slavery on the scale of global history, the transformation of slavery under Islam, and contemporary issues of slavery in Muslim countries today.

This looks to be a very important book. Why is it so very expensive. (Obviously I haven't read it so please excuse my using review to ask my question.)

This is a very important, timely and well written and work on Islam and slavery.