Overall, however, the Jews in Europe did not lead as normal or equal lives as the Jews in the Muslim world did. Cohen's idea was to prove this point, and he does it repeatedly. Throughout the book, Cohen uses comparisons such as these to prove his thesis and indicate just why the Jews were better off in Islamic lands. Each chapter touches on a particular area of life, from legalities to economics and the social aspects of life during the Middle Ages. Each time, Cohen creates balanced arguments to back up his thesis and to convince the reader his position is correct.

The author uses a variety of historical research and review to come to his conclusions, and offers a detailed section of notes at the end of the work indicating his sources for his book. His arguments are not emotional or judgmental; they simply present the facts and then indicate why the Jews were better off in one place than another. In fact, the way he presents his facts is quite balanced, so the reader can see both sides of the argument before making up their minds about Cohen's conclusions. He does not simply state his ideas without information to back them up, and it is clear he has done a large amount of research to come to his conclusions.

The author's rationale is also without question. He did not write the book on a whim, he has been teaching the subject for many years, and has researched the topics throughout his career. His rationale is simple; he saw a need for a book that concentrated on Jews in the Middle Ages and the differences in their lifestyles. He uses his reference materials to prove his points, but not all of them prove his points inconclusively, and he recognizes this. Some critics maintain that his portrayal of Christian society of the time is "static and inflexible" (Shatzmiller), and that he needed more research in this area. That may be true, but the book contained enough information and references to convince this reader that it was researched thoroughly and effectively, and that the author was balanced and...

The author presents detailed information to prove his thesis, and the notes section indicates he spent much time researching background for this book and assessing its viability. It seems to be a good fit for the bookshelf of any reader interested in Jewish history or the history of the Middle Ages. It is interesting, teaches the reader a lot of information they might not have known, and makes its points effectively and without bringing up more questions.
Finally, Cohen's book contributes significantly to the field of Jewish studies in a variety of ways. It is a detailed look into the lives of Middle Age Jews, but it also proves his thesis quite effectively, showing just why he believes Jews living in the Muslim world were treated better than those living in the Christian world. While the book might spark debate, it opens up new information to get the debate going, and illustrates a time in Jewish history that many people might not know about or understand. It is significant because it attempts to examine so many areas of life in the Middle Ages, from politics to religion and social life, and compares myriad details of all of these to come to the conclusion. In addition, it is significant because it may garner interest in some students to learn more about the Jewish and Islamic faiths, and how they managed to live together in harmony for so long, and why that no longer seems possible in the Middle East.