Books of Interest
Reviews, alerts and critical round-ups of notable books.
Review: "What Went Wrong," by Bernard Lewis
As European civilization was rising during the Enlightenment, Islamic civilization was proving incapable of keeping up with its European rivals. Bernard Lewis asks why, but his question raises more questions than it answers.
As European civilization was rising during the Enlightenment, Islamic civilization was proving incapable of keeping up with its European rivals. Bernard Lewis asks why, but his question raises more questions than it answers.
Review: "The Arabs: Journeys Beyond the Mirage"
Two decades after David Lamb's book was originally published (by Random House in 1987, revised in 2002), it remains a lucid introduction to the main themes of Middle Eastern politics, history and social issues that most westerners find intractable.
Two decades after David Lamb's book was originally published (by Random House in 1987, revised in 2002), it remains a lucid introduction to the main themes of Middle Eastern politics, history and social issues that most westerners find intractable.
Review: "Storms from the East," by Milton Viorst
You’d be hard pressed to find a 178-page book that so accessibly summarizes the main currents of Arab history—religious communalism, nationalism, religious fundamentalism—while intelligently analyzing those currents’ origins in their Arab context or, since the 19th century, as reactions to western designs on the region.
You’d be hard pressed to find a 178-page book that so accessibly summarizes the main currents of Arab history—religious communalism, nationalism, religious fundamentalism—while intelligently analyzing those currents’ origins in their Arab context or, since the 19th century, as reactions to western designs on the region.
"The Kite Runner," by Khaled Hosseini: A Review
A review of "The Kite Runner," the novel by Afghan-American writer Khaled Hosseini about love and betrayal through Afghanistan's thirty-year war.
A review of "The Kite Runner," the novel by Afghan-American writer Khaled Hosseini about love and betrayal through Afghanistan's thirty-year war.
Orhan Pamuk's Nobel Prize
Orhan Pamuk, by far Turkey's most popular novelist, won the Nobel Prize for literature in 2006--and stirred a major controversy in his home country over his comments about the Turkish genocide of Armenians and Turkish killings of Kurds.
Orhan Pamuk, by far Turkey's most popular novelist, won the Nobel Prize for literature in 2006--and stirred a major controversy in his home country over his comments about the Turkish genocide of Armenians and Turkish killings of Kurds.
Geraldine Brooks: "Nine Parts of Desire" (Review)
"Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women," is a rich, fascinating and intimate look at the progress and struggles of women in the Middle East, by Pulitzer-Prize winner Geraldine Brooks.
"Nine Parts of Desire: The Hidden World of Islamic Women," is a rich, fascinating and intimate look at the progress and struggles of women in the Middle East, by Pulitzer-Prize winner Geraldine Brooks.
Lawrence Wright's The Looming Tower: The Making of 9/11
A history of al-Qaeda from its origins to 9/11 - a review of Lawrence Wright's brilliant account.
A history of al-Qaeda from its origins to 9/11 - a review of Lawrence Wright's brilliant account.