To start the discussion, you need to know this is a textbook. I like reading textbooks, so that's okay with me and I knew in advance what it was. But, I fully understand not everyone does. At times, this one is pretty bone dry. Kind of appropriate considering the topic and even the cover photo. I would merely speed read through those parts. My interest in this book is twofold. First, I'm currently working in Saudi Arabia as a professor at a private university (through June 2017) and wanted to know more about the history and culture of the area. Second, I'm working on a future novel that will occur, at least in part, in the desert and I was looking for background information to use. I suppose you could always say the desire to have a better understanding of the issues of today is another good motive to read it.
I gave the book three stars, but I think the more appropriate rank would be two and half. The book is long with about 850 pages. Yet, he will frequently discuss events he expresses as being important with merely a sentence. If the author really thinks it's an important event, I think he has the responsibility to explain why. So, the discussion of the history is, at times, very skimpy.
The other issue I have is with the amount of proselytizing he engages in. It is mostly subtle, but over the course of the book it isn't hard to realize, in the mind of Hitti, it is Islam first and everything else is inferior. This is an unfortunate viewpoint to use when writing a textbook.
The original edition was written in the 1930s and the terminology frequently reflects that. For instance, it isn't Mecca, it's al-Meccah. This is a somewhat minor issue and I was able to adjust pretty quickly. I think the average reader who would decide to read this book would do likewise, just be forewarned that the terminology can be archaic.
One very good aspect of the book is how he engages in discussions of the details of the period cultures beyond the history. It is not merely a discussion of a list of caliphs and governors, but also the poets, the singers, dancers, etc. There descriptions of events and ways of life that really don't have an impact on the historical events. In this way, he succeeded in making it a story of real people more so than just giving a list of events.
Overall, it achieved the goals I set for it. I learned a lot of the history and culture of the area and I took copious notes to use in my future novel. There were parts I enjoyed reading, but there were also many parts where I found myself slogging through. I wouldn't curly up with this book and a glass of wine, but I enjoyed it as a serious read.