Editorial Review

Reviews

Great read, August 22, 2010
Eliza Griswold demonstrates an unparalleled expertise in issues of religion and politics. This book is a must for anyone who wants to go beyond the dominant rhetoric of religious extremism to understand the intricate political issues at stake in the local conflicts of the regions she examines. Griswold shows the personal human costs of regional power structures.

POWERFUL, August 21, 2010
I had to stop reading The Tenth Parallel before bed because I couldn't put it down and was staying up all night reading. The stories Giswold relates are so powerful you have to finish each chapter once you start. Unlike so many book like this she does not rely on easy answers or come to confident conclusions but lets the reader sit in the uncomfortable accounts.

Go and see, read and see, August 22, 2010
This book is very intresting if you are intrested in where we are living, and how: what is happening far away from us, far away from television, far away from our stereotypes?. Is religion the real issue of some great conflicts round the world?.
I like the way Eliza Griswold went to see with her eyes what is happening in Africa and Asia, in common people life, and ho w she can mix history, research, journalism and vivid images of what she experiences and saw.
Religion is not the only issue of this long travelling around the world, where islam and cristiany meet and arrive and clash, in so long time and so different ways. There is so much to tell about economy and geography and education in this slow reportage and essay with no thesis and no answers.
As somebody said: geography is a destiny.

Very Illuminating, September 13, 2010
As a secular American I was only dimly aware, from mainstream media coverage, of how extensive the war is between evangelical Christian sects and Islamic settlements, nor how diverse Islam really is. This book is very informative and a real eye - opener.

On-site Clash of Civilizations, November 11, 2010
This is an on-site rendition of the `Clash of Civilizations'. Ms Griswold goes boldly to outposts in Africa and Asia to meet radical (and rabid) Christians and Muslims. By radical I mean people who may kill because of words written in their so-called sacred texts.

But the book goes beyond that, as Ms Griswold explores the why and the localities of these conflicts. She puts a historical and geographical context in her interviews. There are different manifestations of these `radicals' - some, like in Nigeria, seem to have exhausted hate and rhetoric and hopefully the truce established will not expire. What is also apparent with these religious extremists is their intolerance of liberal religious views in the West. Religions in the Western world receptive to Gays, pro-choice, woman's rights, general openness to sexuality ... are an apostasy to fundamentalist Christians and Muslims in the tenth parallel. There is another religion in the areas discussed by Ms. Griswold where there are no shades of grey. Sometimes we have a view of this in the U.S. when abortion clinics are bombed. But I don't know how the `born-again' evangelicals in the U.S. would fit in or adapt to Africa or Asia. As the writer points out, religion in these countries is a way of life because there is no government infrastructure that they can rely on for social and economic support.

There is among both Muslims and Christians in Africa and Asia a strong tendency to revert and restore a view of the way religion was several centuries ago - a literal view of the Quran or the Bible. So this is another clash with modernity. It is difficult to see a resolution of this religious conflict with modernity. It did seem that Muslims in Malaysia were successful at this.

This book does have more of a focus on Christianity and Ms. Griswold (in my opinion) is more comfortable in that milieu, but there are several excellent encounters with Muslim fundamentalists, particularly in Somalia and Asia. Ms. Griswold is a keen observer and is able to provide several perspectives when she is conducting an interview.

Important book, September 28, 2010
This is essential reading for anyone interested in the conflict between Christianity and Islam taking place along the tenth parallel in africa and Asia. The authors personal stories are fascinating and her history of the region helps to explain the complex relationship between religion and colonialism.

Unsettling conclusions & a critique of the West, October 12, 2010
An incisive account of the state of religious practice and overall impact of religion in Nigeria, Sudan, Somalia, Indonesia, the Philippines and Malaysia. Griswold does a wonderful job of sensitively portraying daily lives in these places in the context of historical, sociological and geographical forces. Her conclusions are unsettling and strongly critiqued the simplistic notions that the West tends to arrive at in framing solutions for development and conflict resolution.

Best for its narrative reporting, October 4, 2010
Written by an agnostic daughter of a liberal Episcopalian bishop this is an exploration of the gulf separating Christianity and Islam, the only two religions that are both monotheistic and triumphal. Griswold's account is weak in European historical background, the very background of Christian Western Civilization that allows the author her extraordinary privileges. Were she born into an Islamic society could she have gained the education and political and personal freedom to enable her to research and write this book? You'll find no straight-up Christianity in this account, just the Christianity-and-water relativism that pervades western culture today.
Yet she performs valuable work recording the personal narratives of ordinary individuals in Africa and South Asia who suffer from religious extremism and the political and economic forces that have employed extremism throughout history to gain power and wealth. It's unfortunate that Griswold failed to provide an even cursory comparison with the conflicts in Northern Ireland and in Israel and Palestine to show how occupation and ursurpation of land in the name of religion is not unique to Islamic or Christian expansionism. Yet if Three Cups of Tea spoke to you of the desperate need to seek and achieve peace via education and economic development then this book will reinforce that conclusion with its touching personal insights.

A beautifully written eye-opener, December 10, 2010

Both insightful and intrepid, Eliza Griswold journeyed through Africa and Asia along the tenth parallel, the line of latitude 700 miles north of the equator where nearly 25% of the world's Muslims and Christians compete for resources, converts and political power. A poet with an ear for simple but evocative language, Griswold takes the reader through the dust of encroaching desertification as she attends an indigenous Indonesian wedding, meets with African rape victims, sits with a Muslim religious leader as he tries to resolve local disputes, and observes an election where voters line up in a barren field behind the candidate of their choice. After reading about her meetings with the homosexual and Muslim denouncing Anglican Bishop Akinola of Nigeria I still have no sympathy with his views, but I now have some understanding of why he thinks the way he does. Griswold's own empathy serves her well; believers on both sides of the religious divide open up to her. As an agnostic daughter of the former presiding bishop of the Episcopal Church, Griswold even shares a flash of private connection with crusading evangelist Franklin Graham when she meets him in Africa--though they have very different ideas they are both PKs, preacher's kids, with childhoods that were a struggle between belief and rebellion. My copy of THE TENTH PARALLEL is tabbed with more than 30 post-it notes marking sections I thought were so perceptive and illuminating I knew I'd want to read them again.

Like watching a dcumentary, September 13, 2010
I was fascinated from the start as the author took me to places deep inside the boundaries of where I might ever visit. In fact, I had visited two of the countries she writes about and I had no idea such conflict was occuring. The author opened my eyes to why the west is so disliked and some of the many errors the US has made in our foreign policies. Fascinating, well written book. I felt like I was with the author on her journey. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Here, in one volume: Marjane Satrapi's best-selling, internationally acclaimed memoir-in-comic-strips.

Persepolis is the story of Satrapi's unforgettable childhood and coming of age within a large and loving family in Tehran during the Islamic Revolution; of the contradictions between private life and public life in a country plagued by political upheaval; of her high school years in Vienna facing the trials of adolescence far from her family; of her homecoming--both sweet and terrible; and, finally, of her self-imposed exile from her beloved homeland. It is the chronicle of a girlhood and adolescence at once outrageous and familiar, a young life entwined with the history of her country yet filled with the universal trials and joys of growing up.

Edgy, searingly observant, and candid, often heartbreaking but threaded throughout with raw humor and hard-earned wisdom--Persepolis is a stunning work from one of the most highly regarded, singularly talented graphic artists at work today. ... Read more

Reviews

A Powerful Autobiographical Tale in Graphic Novel Form, January 15, 2008
THE COMPLETE PERSEPOLIS brings together in one softbound volume two graphic novels published earlier in English (translated from French): PERSEPOLIS 1 - THE STORY OF A CHILDHOOD, and PERSEPOLIS 2 - THE STORY OF A RETURN. As a single volume, Ms. Satrapi's work reads as a seamless story of an Iranian woman's maturation from a young girl in the Shah's (and Ayatollah Khomeini's) Iran to her high school years in Austria, back to the Iran attacked by Saddam Hussein and then transformed into a fundamentalist Islamic state, and finally back again to Europe as a young adult. The book's title is borrowed from the name of ancient Persia's ceremonial capital, dating back some 2,500 years, although Persepolis is in fact the Greek translation of the original Persian name, Parsa.

The story is strictly autobiographical, rendered as a memoir of childhood and young adulthood. Satrapi begins her story at age ten, the daughter of well-educated and well-off parents who put a premium on their daughter's religious and academic independence. Marjane's parents prod their pre-adolescent daughter toward a liberal education and encourage her to speak out. However, being a rebel against oppression in Iran leads inevitably to trouble and expulsion from school. Her parents recourse is to pack young Marjane off to Austria, isolated and alone in a foreign and far more secular culture. A series of mostly negative experiences leads her back to her homeland and an unsuccessful marriage during the early years of Iran's fundamentalist revolution with its growing religious oppression. When the young adult Marjane and her parents finally realize that her future lies not in Iran but in Europe, she heads off to France where she still lives today.

Ms. Satrapi characterizes herself as the perennial outsider wherever she lives. As a young girl, political and religious events contradict her upbringing and isolate her from the accepted beliefs and behaviors. The author conveys her childhood desperation by repeated depictions of herself talking to an ancient, white-bearded God, even cradled in his arms. She is even more the outsider in Austria, forever fumbling in her discoveries of Western culture only to become enslaved by some of its worst features. Returning to Iran after her high school years, Marjane is too Westernized to be Iranian, yet still too Iranian to feel Western. The author's journey to self-discovery and finding her true home serves as the core of her story, punctuated by her departures and arrivals. In fact, some of the most dramatic scenes in THE COMPLETE PERSEPOLIS take place at airports.

Satrapi's black-and-white cartooning emphasizes contrast over detail. Indeed, her drawings of people are exceedingly simplified, lacking in all except the basic features necessary to portray a character. This simplicity works, as it stands in stark contrast to the complexity of Iran's constantly changing social, political, and religious structures as well as the complexity of the author's own life and the choices she faced. These minimalist renderings, hardly more detailed than Schulz's "Peanuts" characters, create an even greater dissonance when their childlike simplicity clashes with the horrors of war and the Iranian government's seizures and executions of many of its citizens. The reader is so effectively lulled into this seemingly benign, comic book world that Satrapi's occasional dropping of an expletive into her character's thoughts or words has the force of a slap in the face. When young Marjane returns home to see the dead, braceleted arm of one of her neighborhood friends (killed by one of Saddam Hussein's missiles) extending from her wrecked home, the author resorts to the powerful simplicity of a completely black panel captioned, "No scream in the world could have relieved my suffering and my anger."

There is a natural temptation to compare PERSEPOLIS to Art Spiegelman's MAUS I and MAUS II. However, I believe the Maus books are sui generis, allegorical tales whose use of mice and cats puts Spiegelman's books in a class of their own. By contrast, Satrapi's PERSEPOLIS novels are autobiographical volumes rendered in illustrated form to trace an Iranian woman's struggle to find herself while still loving a country from which she feels irretrievably estranged. Satrapi's and Spiegelman's work complement one another and demonstrate the emotional power graphical novels are increasingly finding ways to achieve.

A Phenomenon In More Ways Than One, December 24, 2007
As a child Marjane Satrapi lived through the 1979 Iranian Revolution and its aftermath.

Included here are Satrapi's internationally-acclaimed graphic novels, PERSEPOLIS: The STORY Of A CHILDHOOD and PERSEPOLIS 2: The STORY Of A RETURN. Combining clear analysis with a sharp sense of humor, the first volume tells the story of Marjane and her family's experiences during the final years of the Monarchy, its downfall, and the subsequent rise of Khomeini and the Islamic Republic. A more personal volume, PERSEPOLIS 2 follows Marjane's student years in Vienna and her later return to Iran.

Together with Vincent Paronnaud, Satrapi also co-wrote and co-directed the animated film version.

Persepolis: both hilarious and deeply moving, February 24, 2008
Last weekend I had the joy of seeing the film adaptation of the comic book series PERSEPOLIS by Marjane Satrapi. I loved the film. I knew though that I was missing out some key points of Marjane's life so I decided to check out the complete version of PERSEPOLIS in paperback. Although the book is in the form of a graphic novel, the story is a memoir of Marjane Satrapi's life growing up in Iran as well as outside of Iran. I also got the impression that the story is a love letter to Marjane's late grandmother who was a huge influence on Marjane as a young woman. People can nitpick at the details of life in Iran during and after the reign of the Shah that Marjane has written in the book but lets keep this in perspective that this book is not a tome on Iran but an autobiography told from the personal point of view from the author. She told what life was like in Iran through her young, impressionable eyes.

Like the Oscar-nominated film, PERSEPOLIS is told with a lot of humor, sadness, and often anger. I could not put the book down. I found myself deeply engrossed in Marjane's life as as child as well as an adult. I enjoyed the animation. I liked how fluid the shapes of the characters flowed. If you have seen the film adaptation of PERSEPOLIS, the book version is definitely worth reading. There is quite a bit of information from Marjane's life that just couldn't fit into the time constraints of the film.

Freedom has a price., December 8, 2007
This book collects Persepolis: The Story of a Childhood and Persepolis 2: The Story of a Return. Both books are graphic novels telling the true story of the author's life. Book one tells the story of her girlhood in Iran and ends when she leaves Iran to go to a boarding school in Austria. Book two picks up where book one left off, and tells the rest of her story up to the point where she leaves Iran for the second and last time. This is a great, moving story. I found myself empathizing with this girl, even though she comes from a culture nothing like mine and we have nothing in common. It obviously wasn't easy growing up a progressive girl in a represive culture. I could go on and on about the virtues of this book, but it's better if you just read it and find out for yourself. Or see the "major motion picture". (aren't all motion pictures "major"? at least according to their publicity.)

fascinating, a must-read, October 29, 2007
i am not someone who typically enjoys 'cartoon' strips, but i could not put this book down and read it fervently. i received this book as a gift after having visited iran a couple of times, and i was interested in learning more about the history and culture. what marjiane captures of her childhood, and her evolution into adulthood, is thoughtful, amusing, heart-breaking and at times hilarious. at times she softens the brutality of her words with the humor of amusing caricatures, or sometimes the simplicity of what she sees as a child is made more stark and tragic by her drawings. her personal journey and her family's experiences during and after the revolution really give one pause. i would highly recommend this book, it is rich with humor and emotion.

A Beautifully-Executed Memoir., December 21, 2007
"Persepolis" is a unique trip into the past by Marjane Satrapi, who uses the graphic novel approach to give us a rich narrative full of happiness, heartbreak, suspense and wicked comedy. These are her illustrated memories of her childhood in Iran during the brutal reign of the Shah and then her and her family's experiences during the 1979 Islamic Revolution and afterwards as fundementalists come to power and Satrapi's world changes forever. Like the best memoirs Satrapi's are strikingly honest and objective. This is neither a protest against Iran's system or an endorsement, it is the record of a woman's life during important historical events and how these events individually affect people, lives and personal histories. With beautiful, comic illustrations Satrapi brings her family's fascinating story to life, we see her grow-up with educated, Leftist parents who raise her knowing about the PLO, Fidel Castro, Che Guevara and Iran's own martyrs. They despise the U.S.-backed, or better put, the U.S.-INSTALLED regime of the Shah and passionately take to the streets to protest the Monarch. Marjane watches all this with wonderous curiosity as she imagines Marx and God debating. When the Shah falls there is cheering in the streets, but soon the country finds itself divided as the Islamic Republic is born and friends, families and loved ones are torn apart by the new way of life and a brutal war with Iraq. Satrapi chronicles all this and more, including her early years as an exile in Europe with a sharp eye for details big and small, with great humor and a style that makes this a universal story. Many of us will find ourselves relating to so much of what Marjane goes through, the way she explores her inner thoughts, worries and moments of joy is impressive because of the heart and psychological depth she displays. This edition of "Persepolis," where parts 1 and 2 are combined due to the upcoming release of the motion picture edition should be the definitive edition for readers to purchase. Once you start reading you get hooked, and there's no sense in having to look for part two when you can have the complete story here. "Persepolis" is one of the best recent memoirs about those who experienced the Islamic Revolution, and one of the best memoirs in general. Satrapi's book is also a cultural gem, because in our tense times it is important to read the stories that display the humanity of "the other side." Satrapi does not condone much of what the Islamic regime did in the years immediately following the revolution, but she also makes a point of why the revolution happened. She doesn't shy away from showing how friends of her family were tortured by the Shah's secret police, the Savak or from the fact that the Savak were trained by the CIA. In her introduction Satrapi clearly mentions that in 1953 the CIA overthrew Iran's Prime Minister, Mohammed Mossadeq, because he planned to nationalize the country's oil, and installed the Shah as supreme leader. Satrapi shows an impressive, objective look at history, something we need now more than ever when talking about the Middle East. "Persepolis" is a masterpiece, a grand effort that deserves to be read more than once.

Couldn't put it down, November 19, 2007
It's been a long time since a book has affected me as much as Persepolis. I think it's the point of view, of a young girl growing into a young adult, that makes the story so poignant. How we come to our beliefs, how our beliefs sometimes shift, how we find ourselves making choices that don't necessarily reflect those beliefs: all of this and more is eloquently written and drawn in this memoir. If everyone who thinks people in the Middle East, or all Muslims, are our enemies would read this book, perhaps we would be able to focus on the REAL enemies of our democracy.

Complete Persepolis, December 26, 2007
Amazingly insightful into Persian culture and the difference between the common people and the mullah elite. Satrapi is very frank, and I found myself relating to her suffering and admiring her integrity. This book was intriguing from start to finish, partially because of its comic book form. I think this would be a good book for a teenager to read to understand what life would be like in the U.S. without our personal freedoms.

Totally absolutely loved it, May 3, 2008
Without harping too much on what has already been said about the political observations that Satrapi makes or her commentary on the limits faced by everyone (and most especially) women in Iran, the truly inspirational achievement of this work is how honest she can be about herself in the story. That with everything whirling around her, the fact that she can be honest about both the good and the bad of the relationships she'd been in, the despair both at home and abroad, the flickers of hope that she clung to during the darkest times and how (true to the reality of a hopeful young woman) the very worst thing that can happen is ultimately to let down yourself and to let down your loved ones is stark and amazing. The scene where she loses the trust and the good standing with her grand mother is heart-breaking and yet could happen to any teenage girl anywhere in the world. That it's depicted in basic drawings doesn't detract from the power of the moment in the least.

And not that graphic novels these days have any trouble being seen as legitimate art, but Persepolis certainly puts a nail in the coffin of the arguments made by detractors.

Trust this book for it's emotion, for it's personal honesty, for it's attempts to always find something good even under the most extreme circumstances. It is not a history book. It is a personal history book. And it is one that deserves applause.

Highly Recommended, Especially to Those New to Graphic Novel-ish Format, June 2, 2009
Persepolis is a graphic memoir, a coming of age story of a girl growing up during the Islamic Revolution. It's sweet, funny, educational, serious, and sad all in turn. The reader acutely feels the longings of the author for love, for normalcy and for acceptance, but in an irreverent and lighthearted way.

The second half of the book focuses on Satrapi's time spent in prep school in France. Her experiences as a third culture kid, in a country without parents, are a valuable insight into the loneliness and isolation of that situation. The story doesn't end with a difficult and confusing childhood, but rather sees the author through her maturing process.

The simple pen and ink drawings fit the story well, the author is obviously talented and the starkness of them serves to convey the mood. It's a graphic book that's accessible to those less familiar with the format and is well received by readers of a variety of backgrounds. (9/10) ... Read more

Editorial Review

One of the most influential books in the history of literature, recognized as the greatest literary masterpiece in Arabic, the Qur'an is the supreme authority and living source of all Islamic teaching, the sacred text that sets out the creed, rituals, ethics, and laws of Islam. Yet despite the growing interest in Islamic teachings and culture, there has never been a truly satisfactory English translation of the Qur'an, until now.

This superb new translation of the Qur'an iswritten in contemporary language that remains faithful to the meaning and spirit of the original, making the text crystal clear while retaining all of this great work's eloquence. The translation is accurate and completely free from the archaisms, incoherence, and alien structures that mar existing translations. Thus, for the first time, English-speaking readers will have a text of the Qur'an which is easy to use and comprehensible. Furthermore, Haleem includes notes that explain geographical, historical, and personal allusions as well as an index in which Qur'anic material isarranged into topics for easy reference. His introduction traces the history of the Qur'an, examines its structure and stylistic features, and considers issues related to militancy, intolerance, and the subjection of women.

Clearly written and filled with helpful information and guidance, this brilliant translation of the Qur'an is the best available introduction to the faith of Moslems around the world.
About the Series: For over 100 years Oxford World's Classics has made available the broadest spectrum of literature from around the globe. Each affordable volume reflects Oxford's commitment to scholarship, providing the most accurate text plus a wealth of other valuable features, including expert introductions by leading authorities, voluminous notes to clarify the text, up-to-date bibliographies for further study, and much more. ... Read more

Reviews

This is a great translation..., July 23, 2005
I have approximately six different translations at home, including translations from Dawood (biased), Pickthall (a bit antiquated), Asad (great translation, a bit too rationalist) and one from Riyadh (not bad but definitely Wahhabi influenced).

So why another one? I picked it up from my local library and was moved. It is the easiest reading Qur'an I've seen yet but it does not take away from the impact of what it says. It really flows nicely and I find it reads so much more quickly than some others. I found no struggles to understand old English terms (Pickthall's) and no fighting with bracketed words (Asad and the Riyadh version) whose purpose is to help explain the deeper elements of the original Arabic. While in a few places, I longed for some of the more grand terms found in some of the other translations, on the whole this is a refreshing new translation in plain English.

A few footnotes in some pivotal places keep certain verses in context and help explain certain terms whose force may otherwise be missed. The introduction is brief but informative as the author goes into some detail about the difficulties in translating. My guess is that this is accurate and top notch as it is issued by Oxford and in his acknowledgments it is clear he has had many people ensure his accuracy. This is one to keep and should be one against which others should be measured.

easy to read, April 20, 2006
I am a non Arab speaking, non-Muslim who decided to read the Koran for myself to try to gain an understanding of what Islam is about. The first Koran translation I bought was the one I heard was the most popular by Abdullah Yusuf Ali. I liked the commentary in this one, but the translation itself put me off because it was done in old "King James style" English. I wanted a translation that was in modern English yet considered to be an accurate translation by actual Muslims. I heard about this translation by Haleem, bought it, and found it to be much, much easier to read and comprehend. I have heard it is accurate and faithful to the original Arabic, but I don't speak Arabic myself, so I hope that this is the case. The commentary in this translation is much less than Ali's and more to the point. If you are curious and don't like olde English, and desire minimal but pertinent commentary, this modern translation is the one to get.

A breakthrough translation of the Qur'an, September 10, 2004
This is one of the best translations of the Qur'an on the market today. Prof. Abdel Haleem has done a remarkable job of presenting the Qur'an in modern English. His translation is easy to read and has just enough footnotes and commentary to explain context without overwhelming the reader with detail. Abdel Haleem has also avoided the mistake of most translators -- "creative interpretation" of the Qur'an in order to conform its meaning to their own religious beliefs or biases.

The translation also has very useful introductory sections that help non-Muslims understand how the Qur'an is structured. It's not a linear narrative like the Bible, but intentionally jumps around in time and space, like flashes from the facets of a diamond held up to the light.

I believe that this translation will be held as the new standard in Qur'an studies for the 21st century.

Good all around, August 16, 2006
I own multiple translations of the Qur'an, including those by N.J. Dawood, J.M. Rodwell, A. Yusuf Ali, Muhammad Asad, and Thomas Cleary. Each has its strong and weak points (for example: Dawood's is clear and readable, but heavily edited and incomplete). This translation strikes a fine balance in terms of both the translated text and the features accompanying it.

Abdel Haleem's translation is, even more than N.J. Dawood's, a preservation of the thunder and power of the original. His work is full of startling immediacy. A large reason for this effect is the language Haleem employs in his translation. Unlike other translations that seek to place the Qur'an in a King James idiom (Rodwell, Ali, Pickthall), Haleem opts for more contemporary usage and sentence structure. This means that, in some part, the poetic feel of the original Arabic is lost. However, as a useful work for study of the text, Haleem's translation is easily accessible.

He provides short introductions for each surah containing information on where that surah was revealed along with key background information on its content. Discreet notes throughout guide the reader through difficult historical allusions and religious concepts.

Haleem also provides a comprehensive introduction that covers the basics: what Islam is and what the Qur'an is, but also finds time to discuss Islamic-Christian relations in the Qur'an and the line of English translations leading up to Haleem's. The introduction also tackles contemporary issues of interpretation, such as the infamous 'Verse of the Sword,' demonstrating how these issues can be resolved in translations.

Haleem's work is a fine all-around volume, suitable for anyone approaching the Qur'an for the first time or continuing a deeper study of the book.

The best English version of the Qur'an, February 21, 2007
No other translation of the Qur'an is as accurate, elegant, or readable. Behind this translation, I would choose the Yusuf Ali translation, although the language style is archaic in that it imitates the King James Bible; this makes it rather tough to read through, although it is still pretty accurate and beautiful. This translation, however, is far superior, in my opinion. The notes and introduction are both extremely helpful, although it is not as complete as a full commentary would be. Before I read this translation, I had a strong contempt for Islam and its teachings. But after reading Haleem's English rendition of the religious text, I have developed an understanding and even a respect for Islam that I had not before. I highly recommend this translation to all English speakers who wish to learn about the Qur'an.

great edition, December 29, 2004
The translation is highly readable. The footnotes are unobtrusive and generally always helpful. The translator takes great care to place his translation in the context of other great translations of the Qu'arn. Finally, the edition is great - it's a nice, compact, sturdy hardcover, perfect for taking along to study anywhere.

Cheap, "easy to read," but I have some questions about accuracy, October 1, 2009
Other reviewers have emphasized the ease of reading Abdel Haleem's translation. I have to agree. But at times the ease of reading seems to come from clarifying passages that are somewhat obscure in the original Arabic. And then there is this: There are four passages in the Qur'an on alcohol (the translation is Arberry's, considered by many to be the best, though the verse numbering follows the Fluegel edition and not the subsequent and now standard Cairo edition and can therefore be frustrating to use as a reference):

16:67 And of the fruits of the palms and the vines, you take therefrom an intoxicant and a provision fair. Surely in that is a sign for a people who understand.

4:43 O believers, draw not near to prayer when you are drunken until you know what you are saying

2:219 They will question thee concerning wine, and arrow-shuffling. Say: `In both is a heinous sin, and uses for men, but the sin in them is more heinous than the usefulness.'

5:90-91 O believers, wine and arrow shuffling, idols and divining arrows are an abomination, some of Satan's work; so avoid it; haply so you will prosper. Satan only desires to precipitate enmity and hatred between you in regard to wine and arrow-shuffling, and to bar you from the remembrance of God, and from your prayer. Will you then desist?

As we all know, Islamic law forbids drinking alcohol. Verse 5:90-91 is taken to be the final word on the subject and is understood to have abrogated (annulled) previous verses that are more permissive. Clearly the most permissive is 16:67, which unambiguously calls intoxicants derived from grapes and dates one of God's signs. This unambiguously calls alcohol a blessing. Abdel Haleem translates this verse as:

From the fruits of the date palms and grapes you take a *sweet juice* and wholesome provisions. There truly is a sign in this for people who use their reason.

Arberry, Asad, and Qara'i all translate sakar-an as "wine" or "intoxicant." Why "sweet juice" in Abdel Haleem? This strikes me as an editorial intervention out of embarrassment at the clearly positive depiction of alcohol in the verse.

Over all it is a fine translation, but if you are looking for the greatest degree of accuracy without knowing Arabic, stick to Arberry or Asad.

p.s. And why is "`ahd" (2:40 and elsewhere) translated as "pledge" and not "covenant" since it is plainly describing the Biblical Covenant with the Jews? Granted Asad renders it as "promise" (Arberry and Qara'i use "covenant"), and of course no translator should Biblicize the references to Biblical narratives in the Qur'an at the expense of accuracy, but I think using the word "covenant" here would be an accurate rendering and emphasize the fact that, in Sura 2, the Qur'an is declaring that the Covenant with the Jews still stands in a way that would be plain to Jewish and Christian readers, who are probably the main audience for this translation.

Easy to read and great translation, October 8, 2005
This is perhaps the best english translation of the Qur'an out there. The translator shows so much respect and love for the Qur'an throughout. I have quite a few translations, but this is the only one I read. Although not a study Qur'an, there are lots of foot notes and nice succinct intros to each surah. The "less is more" approach works well as I can spend more time reading the Qur'an itself and less time reading the notes about it.

Another great thing is the translator's only agenda is to give the reader a clear translation, there are no non muslim viewpoints, nor even secetarian viewpoints. He isn't trying to impress us with any archaic language and trying to make the King James Version of the Qur'an like a few have done before.

You will not be dissapointed.

Like No Other, March 15, 2005
Intelligently interpreted to cut through the otherwise unavoidable problems of translation. Very well structured, it gives a contextual sense to the reader before every chapter -alerts the reader as if to say, "wake up, zoom out for a second," so that we don't lose sight of the forest for the trees. It's an easy-read that breaks the generation-gap, if you will, between those that dare not move away from the Arabic prose at the risk of (perceived) disrespect and those that want to look beyond the literal word and fully understand the meaning.

Stunning, January 27, 2006
After reviewing nearly 20 different translations of the Islamic holy book, this translation exceeds all others. It's poetry diction, footnotes and sheer brilliance and understanding of the text make this the best hands down. ... Read more

Editorial Review

An extraordinary new translation of the world-renowned mystic poet Hafiz.

More than any other Persian poet--even Rumi--Hafiz expanded the mystical, healing dimensions of poetry. Because his poems were often ecstatic love songs from God to his beloved world, many have called Hafiz the "Invisible Tongue." Indeed, Daniel Ladinsky, the accomplished translator of this volume, has said that his work with Hafiz is an attempt to do the impossible: to translate Light into words--to make the Luminous Resonance of God tangible to our finite senses.

With this stunning collection of 250 of Hafiz's most intimate poems, Ladinsky has succeeded brilliantly in translating the essence of one ofIslam's greatest poetic and religious voices. Each line of The Gift imparts the wonderful qualities of this master Sufi poet and spiritual teacher: encouragement, an audacious love that touches lives, profound knowledge, generosity, and a sweet, playful genius unparalleled in world literature. ... Read more

Reviews

Lovely--but is it Hafiz?, May 3, 2002
Hafiz has long been one of my favorite poets. I first discovered him when I was in college via Goethe and Ralph Waldo Emerson, and I've been readng his poems ever since. Since I am (alas!) without Parsi, I'm unable to read Hafiz in the original, and must rely upon the kindness of translators.

Daniel Ladinsky has done an interesting job of rendering Hafiz's verse into English. Ladinsky has an ear for rhythm and he strikes me as an individual with deep spiritual sensibilities. When he renders one of Hafiz's couplets as "The body a tree./God a wind", one senses that there's more going into this translation than just philological expertise. Landinsky, like Hafiz, is a mystic.

That spiritual bond with Hafiz, as well as a shared joy in the sheer vitality of creation, makes Landinsky's renderings light-hearted, in the sense that they shimmer with what Hafiz would call God's Light. Some of my favorite examples: "Whenever/God lays His glance/Life starts/Clapping"; "What is the beginning of/Happiness?/It is to stop being/So religious"; "All the talents of God are within you./How could this be otherwise/When your soul/Derived from His/Genes!"

But while I can appreciate the lyrical way in which Ladinsky trys to express Hafiz's insights, I do wonder about the reliability of the translations. They're loaded with modernisms that are somewhat grating after a while: we're derived from God's "genes," the sun is "in drag," characters in the poems "dig potatoes," the soul visits a "summer camp." Moreover, many of the renderings make Hafiz sound suspiciously like a Zen master throwing out koans (an obvious example of this is the poem Ladinsky titles ""Two Giant Fat People".) To his credit, Landinsky freely admits in his translator's preface that he's "taken the liberty to play a few of [Hafiz's] lines through a late-night jazz sax instead of from a morning temple drum or lyre." But he's unapologetic, claiming that the translator's job is to help Hafiz's spirit "come across" to the Parsi-less reader, and that this demands a free rendering.

I'm not so sure. This attitude strikes me as rather patronizing to the reader and disloyal to Hafiz himself. So my bottom line is this: Ladinsky's book is a good read on both poetical and spiritual grounds. But I'm forever left in doubt as to whether I'm reading Ladinsky or Hafiz.

A Work of Spiritual Opportunism, August 26, 2000
Living in Iran years ago, I first encountered the poet Hafiz as a beloved Iranian folk figure. I have read with pleasure and an open heart many versions of his poems, both in Persian (Farsi) and in English. It was with high expectations because of reviews that I bought this book, only to find Mr. Ladinsky's poems literally unrelated to the original Hafiz. Instead, based on his own explanation, they appear to be simply a product of his imagination. The author has no background in Iranian culture and speaks no Persian. Instead, he obviously uses the commercially successful style of Coleman Barks (of Rumi notoriety) by reading someone else's word-for-word translation and then creating new verses, the intent being to "capture the spirit" of the original. But these verses are so distant from Hafiz that one wonders how they qualify even as "renderings," an amorphous term for Mr. Barks' practice that allows the bypassing of usual literary standards.

Rendering is much less demanding intellectually than translating as well as an easier way of becoming published, and it contains a built-in literary defense mechanism (the plea of subjectivity) against criticism for poor scholarship or inauthenticity. Rendering is not new. Before the Iranian Revolution, one task of Iranian academia was the separation of authentic work of Hafiz from a mass of imitation poetry falsely attributed to him. Now comes this work that bears substantially more resemblance to the tone of Mr. Barks, its apparent stylistic model, than to Hafiz. Even giving the author the benefit of the doubt for sincere devotion and industry, this book and his other two similar works best fit into the category of "spiritual opportunism."

This phrase, "spiritual opportunism," appeared recently in a national article about several authors (Andrews, Rampa, Morgan, et al.) who have written about mystical customs (Native American, Tibetan and Australian Aboriginal) in such a way that they now are accused of appropriating other cultures' spiritual traditions, either through ignorance or for the purpose of personal gain. Mr. Ladinsky's work seems to take appropriation even further than the others. Not only does it superficially represent a spiritual tradition of a subjected foreign culture, it actually offers self-created verse as representative of a specific poet. Even though Iranians lack a voice to make their great poets known in an authentic manner within the current culture of pop spirituality, no amount of commercial success can disguise the truth that this book is a misrepresentation of the poetry of Hafiz and that it does a grave disservice to Iranian poetry and spiritual traditions.

My Portrait of Hafiz, April 18, 2005
I thought I might step into the middle of a blurb/reader's review war that seems active, at times, around this book.

There is an essay I wrote and published in an earlier edition of the "The Subject Tonight Is Love: Sixty Wild and Sweet Poems of Hafiz," VERSIONS by Daniel Ladinsky, that was called -- My Portrait of Hafiz, as that is what I feel my work with Hafiz really is, my unique portrait of him. A portrait based on my study of thousands of pages of stories and poems that are attributed to Hafiz. And this book "The Gift" was first offered to Penguin with the word VERSIONS on the cover rather than the word translations, for I have never claimed my work with Hafiz is a traditional -- scholarly -- translation, for how could it be for I do not know or speak Farsi (Persian) at all fluently, though at times I have worked with several translators who do know Farsi as their first language. Though once the book (The Gift) got to Penguin, that is into the hands and minds of the very literate, some there saw and knew -- as any good dictionary will tell you -- that a primary definition of the word translation is: "A written or spoken rendering, an interpretation of the significance of a work in another language..." And thus the word VERSIONS was changed to translations. Also, I feel that the deeper one gets into the study of Hafiz the less of a scholarly foundation there really is to have any intelligent debate about what he may or may not have actually said; thus all we truly have of Hafiz in ANY language is a VERSION. We unfortunately don't even know when Hafiz was actually born or when he died. No doubt there is the establishment's view of Hafiz, but I have never been one to fully trust a bunch of religious or cerebral conservatives. My great research into Hafiz has revealed, what I feel, is enough genuine DNA to reconstruct Hafiz if you will into a more astounding, brilliant man, into a more wild and vital life giving -- encompassing sun. I love these words that are attributed to Hafiz, I have found them so encouraging in trying to do justice to this world-treasured poet, those words are, "No one could ever paint a too wonderful picture of my heart or God."

I feel there are saints in this world, and I feel I have walked with one for hundreds of miles in India, and on many occasions he would listen to me recite my renderings/versions of Hafiz, as a matter of fact this teacher choreographed my coming to work with the poems of Hafiz. And if this man had not sanctioned me in the most remarkable of ways -- not one single book of mine would ever have been published. Hafiz is not only one of Islam's greatest literary wonders, Hafiz is also one of history's most vital poet-seers. I feel I have shown the greatest of respect to his work. I have prayed hundreds of times for help to try and reveal something of Hafiz's soul & beauty.

"Hafiz has no peer." Said Goethe. And Ralph Waldo Emerson stated, "Hafiz is a poet for poets." I hope you find some REAL POETRY in some book of Hafiz, for then you will agree with Goethe and Emerson. Then, in that book, you will find a great teacher and lasting friend. And then ... you can be saved by a poem whenever you want. But remember, any verse that cannot flirt with the sublime and comfort you -- or lift the corners of your mouth with delightful humor -- has really nothing to do wtih HAFIZ. Anything mediocre about him is really fraud.

Thanks for your time here. I hope what I have written may help the review-war ebb. I hope this book aids all wars to realize the insanity of their being. With that in mind why not end with this verse I bet Hafiz might feel just fine in having his named pinned to by me.

I think this old great Persian Master and I once shared some bread together, and some magnificent wine he poured into me, that is still there and fermenting ... and caused all my words, vision, and (hopefully) sacred needed mischief. Millions have now come to hear his name through my work. This is profoundly humbling. Still though, I -- we -- should rise and dance.

"I have come into this world to see this:
The sword drop from men's hands
even at the height of their arc of anger
because we have finally realized
there is just one flesh to wound and that
is His, The Christ's -- our Beloved's."


From my Hafiz chapter, in my Penguin anthology, Love Poems from God.
By Daniel Ladinsky

Bad news for lovers of "The Gift", March 5, 2001
The poems in this book are ALL originals by Daniel Ladinsky. They have no connection at all with any poems ever written by Hafez.

This fact is, by now, admitted. The crucial item is that Daniel Ladinsky cannot read Persian (Farsi) -- that is, he cannot read the poems which he claims to have "translated."

So, the fans of "The Gift" will have to give up bragging at cocktail parties that they JUST LOVE THE POETRY OF HAFEZ.

Well, they don't know the poetry of Hafez. The poetry of Hafez looks like this:

---------------------------------------

Hafez: Ghazel # 1

O Boy! Pour the wine! Then pour it again:
At first love seemed easy, but then came the pain.

The scent of his locks, lovely musk in the dawn,
Arouses your longing -- and then your heart's gone.

The Master saith: "Stain your prayer-mat with wine!"
His knowledge is deep, and his guidance divine.

Pitch camp in his heart?! What rest will you know?
When dawn splits the sky, away you must go!

Dark night, crashing seas, the dread whirlpool's roar:
How can they know this, at ease on the shore?

I followed my will; it brought me disgrace:
No secret that, for it's thrown in my face.

Are you longing, Hafez, for his presence?
Don't wander away, but stay in attendance.

And when you behold his beloved face,
You can leave this world of time and space.

(Note for Amazon: translation done by me, and not copyright.)
------------------
Have fun looking for this in the works of Daniel Ladinski.

Read Hafiz, not Ladinsky, February 26, 2006
Reviews describing "The Gift" as a "loose" translation of Hafiz miss the point: they are not a translation at all. None of these poems are related to any poem by Hafiz - Ladinsky believes that Hafiz "revealed" the poems to him by apparently supernatural means. You may or may not believe him on this, but if you think you are reading a translation or even a rendering of anything Hafiz wrote in his lifetime, you are being hoodwinked. A poet who wrote works which he claimed were written by Shakespeare not during his lifetime, but hundreds of years after his death, could never persuade a mainstream publisher to have those sonnets appear under Shakespeare's name. Yet apparently it is ok to do this with one of the great Persian poets. I can't imagine what a respected publishing house thought they were doing releasing this book in the form in which it appears. Perhaps a note in the intro in which Ladinsky explains that he believes himself to have been inspired by Hafiz would be ok, but to put the name of the great poet on the cover is outright deceptive. Most people who love a Persian poet as much as Ladinsky claims to love Hafiz would learn Farsi so as to be able to read him in the original - but how much easier to skip all that and make it up. If readers wish to enjoy the poems as Ladinsky's creation, fine - they are not to my taste. I prefer Hafiz.

The Best Hafez "translation", May 8, 2002
Yes, Hafez is the greatest Persian-language poet outselling the Koran in Iran!

No, Hafez's poetry cannot be translated: it is both beautiful (in Persian) and meaningful. Translations can only hope to capture one of those traits.

Yes, Ladinsky's book is not a word-for-word (or poem-by-poem) translation.

However, he captures the essence of Hafez with beautiful verse. I read Hafez in Persian all the time, and enjoy Ladinsky almost as much!

Go Hafez! Thank you, Ladinsky.

A unique portrait, September 15, 1999
Like millions of Persians I sat on my grandfather's knee and listened to Rumi and Hafez. I was and am struck by what I have read in The Gift. Are these Hafez's poems or are they just Ladinsky's? The essence of Hafez is truth, beauty, humor, endearment to the Self, and light, above all - a freeing whirling light. With that in mind, after some soul searching, I must admit this book is wonderful, a unique portrait of Hafez. I have never seen this great Persian Master more glorious in the English language.

The Gift? or Gift-Horse?, September 24, 2001
While I can possibly appreciate "The Gift" as an introduction to Persian/Sufi poetry for non-Persian speakers (with an interest in Western versions of "new age," re-oriented sufism), the book falls very short on accuracy. As a scholarly work for any serious student of Persian poetry, it is completely worthless. This is not a book of "translations," as Ladinsky states. Rather it is a book of Ladinsky's renditions of other peoples translations of Hafez' work. Not only are the meter and the rhyme of Hafez completely lost, but he does not even stay true to the meanings and feelings that Hafez inspires. There are, admittedly, a couple of poems in Ladinsky's collection that are quite nice, but they are a far cry from the genius of Hafez.

Some reviewers have put Ladinsky's Hafez in the same category as Coleman Barks'renditions of Rumi. Although neither author has even a working knowledge of Farsi (Persian), and both rely on others' actual translations in coming up with their renditions, this is not a fair comparison. Barks' work has stayed much truer to Rumi's meaning, even if the style and meter are lost. Furthermore, one cannot even begin to cross-reference Ladinsky's versions of Hafez' work with the originals in the Divan-e Hafez (in Farsi) because he does not follow the standards for locating the qazals (a type of Persian poem) either by page number or alphabetically.

The author, then, cannot possibly be called a scholar of Hafez or Persian poetry. Translating the work of Hafez is a major feat, but deserves to be undertaken with great care.

I would read this book more as perhaps a "Hafez-inspired" book of poems by Daniel Ladinsky, but to call it a translation is a misrepresentation.

Love, September 16, 1999
I have fallen in love with Hafiz . . . this work is so transformative and reaches so deep into my heart, all I need to do is put out my question, open the book, and find the answer so clearly and beautifully written . .

Accurate scholarship and inspired poetry, October 15, 2001
This is a book of poetry that is inspired by the love-songs of the Persian poet, Hafiz who lived in the 1300s... there is no way to capture all the subtleties of the original Persian in English, it can't be done, though people have tried for centuries. Ladinsky's solution is to try to express his understanding of the spirit of Hafiz, disregarding the form, and in some of these poems it seems like he is actually "channeling" Hafiz -- vibrant,heartfelt, raucous, compassionate, drunk with love, desperate with longing for the Beloved, who may be reflected in a person but is certainly Divinity itself.

The reviewer from Berkeley below criticized the very informative introduction to Hafiz's life, but his criticism is incorrect- he has confused Hafiz's master, Mohammed Attar, with the Sufi poet Fariduddin Attar, who lived 100 years earlier. Meher Baba, who is quoted in the introduction, is not a Sufi master, but a spiritual figure from India who lived in the 20th century and energized all spiritual paths... he wrote a book called "God Speaks" that integrates many mystical systems, and his "Discourses" are the clearest, most direct modern explanations of how to live a spiritual life that I have ever seen. Apparently Hafiz was his favorite poet and is quoted frequently in these works, and Ladinsky uses Meher Baba's insights in his own work.

The reviewer below is correct when he says these are not really translations of Hafiz, and if I had a criticism of this joyful, inspiring book, it would be that Mr. Ladinsky should have called them "Renderings" as he did in his earlier collection, because they seem to be new poems inspired by Hafiz rather than attempts to accurately translate the ghazals (love-songs). But they are clearly animated by the breath of that magnificent Persian poet. ... Read more

Editorial Review

If there was any one man who articulated the anger, the struggle, and the beliefs of African Americans in the 1960s, that man was Malxolm X. His AUTOBIOGRAPHY is now an established classic of modern America, a book that expresses like none other the crucial truth about our times.
"Extraordinary. A brilliant, painful, important book."
TEH NEW YORKTIMES
... Read more

Reviews

An unparalleled autobiography, June 13, 2001
The Autobiography of Malcolm X belongs on the short-list of any compilations of best biographies/autobiographies for two reasons. First, the fact that among all the public figures that American history has to offer, Malcolm is undoubtedly one of the most complex. Secondly, Alex Haley does an amazing job of transporting the reader into Malcolm's thoughts and feelings. Praise of this book is not simply praise of the subject; this is also a powerful literary work and a sharp piece of history.

Autobiography is a classic American tale of one of the most misunderstood figures in American history. Malcolm has been and is viewed as everything from an evil racist hate-monger to the champion of modern day militant pro-Black radicals. What he was, in reality, was a remarkably intelligent and charismatic leader who reflected the ills of the society around him, changed throughout his life, and gradually evolved from ignorance to anger to enlightenment. Autobiography should be required reading for anyone who claims to have an opinion on Malcolm.

My strong recommendation is not simply praise for Malcolm; certainly it would be possible to write an uninteresting book on a compelling figure. My recommendation for this particular biography comes for the power and precision of Alex Haley's writing. Haley puts us in Malcolm's schoolroom, amongst the petty criminals of his youth, in the penitentiary, amongst the militants of the Nation of Islam, and in Mecca and Africa, where he underwent his final transformation. We see what Malcolm sees, and we feel what Malcolm feels. This is a critically important element in the success of this amazing biography. Malcolm started as an empty vessel into which the American Black experience was poured - with all of the racism and violence that this implies - and Malcolm reflected his experiences in his convictions and deeds. In that Haley brings the reader face to face with Malcolm's experiences we understand how and why Malcolm became the person that he became; he truly was a mirror to American society.

The great tragedy is that Malcolm's rift with the Nation of Islam brought resulted in his early death, just at the time that he was realizing his true purpose. Commenting on his experience in Mecca, shortly before his assassination, Malcolm comments "I have never before seen sincere and true brotherhood practiced by all colors together, irrespective of their color." In this statement, and others, he acknowledges that his former view on race was merely a reflection of the American racism which surrounded him, and these are the views that he had internalized.

I'm actually not sure whether to call this book a biography or an autobiography. It's a purely first-person tale, but as a literary work Haley shines. Either way, the mark of a great autobiography/biography is that it allows you to understand the subject - his or her thoughts and motives. This is a daunting task for a subject as complex as Malcolm, and this book brings it off brilliantly. Very highly recommended.

a great American life, October 21, 2000
I am not a racist in any form whatever. I don't believe in any form of racism. I don't believe in any form of discrimination or segregation. I believe in Islam. -Malcolm X

This was the final triumph of Malcolm X and the resolution that makes his life story into a classic American tale: that in the end, he was able to move beyond the chrysalis of his racial hatred and emerge an integrated enlightened being. I'm sure most everyone has either read this book or seen Spike Lee's excellent biopic, so we need not rehash the story too thoroughly. Anyway, what matters are the essentials. Malcolm Little was a street punk when he was exposed to the Nation of Islam in prison. This exposure, and the racial pride and anger that went with it, lead him to educate himself and get involved with the Nation, where he became one of the most effective spokesmen and organizers. A confrontational proponent of racial separatism and black self-reliance, during the Civil Rights struggle, he was yin to Martin Luther King's yang (or as I read somewhere, he was the Old Testament figure, King was a figure from the New)--the constant reminder to whites that if King's nonviolent methods failed to produce results, millions of righteously resentful young black men were waiting in the wings. But, when Malcolm X made a hadj to Mecca, he discovered that there were Moslems of all races, worshipping together peacefully, and that racism played no part in traditional Islam. And so, in the closing days of his life, he split from the Nation of Islam, adopting true Islamic beliefs and practices and earning the enmity of Nation leaders who had him assassinated. The arc of this story--from the gutter, to a redemptive anger, to a cleansing understanding, to violent death--is like something from Greek myth or Shakespeare, but it is a uniquely American tragedy.

I remember, as a kid, it was truly this easy: Martin Luther King was a good black guy; Malcolm X was a bad black guy. Upon reflection, I think that, even at his most inflammatory, Malcolm X defied this easy categorization. Who is to say that if he & the Black Panthers hadn't been willing to hold out at least the threat of violence, that whites would have moved to solve the Civil Rights issues as quickly (relatively speaking) as they did? More importantly, suppose the shoe was on the other foot, if you were a young black man in 1960's America, whose message would have had more appeal, Martin's or Malcolm's?

Actually, I have often wondered if black America might have been better served by a more violent tone to the struggle. Civil disobedience works precisely because it depends on the fundamental decency of the oppressor and the certainty that he will yield. But one result of the yielding party's giving in, is that they can end up imbued with a sense of their own magnanimity and sink into a deceptive mood of self congratulation. It might be better for the oppressed if there was more of a sense that they had taken what was theirs, rather than that it was given to them. I don't truly know.

Of course, the ultimate historic irony is that King, the peacemaker and accommodationist, was gunned down by a racist white man, while Malcolm, the rabble rouser and confrontationalist, was killed by rival blacks. Reading his life story, it is hard not to believe that Malcolm X's career was really just beginning. It seems possible, even likely, that the inner peace he had found in the true Moslem religion would have given him the moral and spiritually grounding which, combined with his oratorical gifts and incisive intellect, might have lead him to accomplish great things.

Martin Luther King is justly celebrated; he is an easy hero for white America to embrace. Malcolm X is more problematic, he has sharper edges, but is no less deserving of admiration and honor. His life story belongs on the shelf with Benjamin Franklin and Booker T. Washington and Whittaker Chambers and the other handful of great American autobiographies of self made men.

GRADE: A+

brothersjudddotcom recommends, February 3, 2000
I remember, as a kid, it was truly this easy: Martin Luther King was a good black guy; Malcolm X was a bad black guy. Upon reflection, I think that, even at his most inflammatory, Malcolm X defied this easy categorization. Who is to say that if he & the Black Panthers hadn't been willing to hold out at least the threat of violence, that whites would have moved to solve the Civil Rights issues as quickly (relatively speaking) as they did? More importantly, suppose the shoe was on the other foot, if you were a young black man in 1960's America, whose message would have had more appeal, Martin's or Malcolm's?

Actually, I have often wondered if black America might have been better served by a more violent tone to the struggle. Civil disobedience works precisely because it depends on the fundamental decency of the oppressor and the certainty that he will yield. But one result of the yielding party's giving in, is that they can end up imbued with a sense of their own magnanimity and sink into a deceptive mood of self congratulation. It might be better for the oppressed if there was more of a sense that they had taken what was theirs, rather than that it was given to them. I don't truly know.

Of course, the ultimate historic irony is that King, the peacemaker and accommodationist, was gunned down by a racist white man, while Malcolm, the rabble rouser and confrontationalist, was killed by rival blacks. Reading his life story, it is hard not to believe that Malcolm X's career was really just beginning. It seems possible, even likely, that the inner peace he had found in the true Moslem religion would have given him the moral and spiritually grounding which, combined with his oratorical gifts and incisive intellect, might have lead him to accomplish great things.

Martin Luther King is justly celebrated; he is an easy hero for white America to embrace. Malcolm X is more problematic, he has sharper edges, but is no less deserving of admiration and honor. His life story belongs on the shelf with Benjamin Franklin and Booker T. Washington and Whittaker Chambers and the other handful of great American autobiographies of self made men.

Autobiography of Malcolm X, December 16, 1999
I first read this book while writing a term paper in college. I had to pick an autobiography, and since the Spike Lee movie had just come out, I chose this one.

I went in open minded, as a young white man, whose ideas differed on some points from the man himself. No matter what your views on Malcolm X, or what he stood for, READ THIS BOOK. You will be better for it

You will gain an understanding of why the man was who he was, and insight into the type of person he truly was. I always understood him to be a person who was full of rage and hate toward all who were not like him, but I was wrong.

Haley did an excellent job, as should be expected. I would agree that of the century's novels, this is a must-read.

One of the Most Important Books, December 3, 1999
Malcolm X is truly a powerful, significant, and essential work for all time. Why? Because you are able to witness how a man suffered from the effects of prejudice and his whole disposition was formed from it. You see how a very angry man stays angry at the "white devils" for most of his life. However, the unique aspect of Malcolm X is that he changed his views towards the end with the realization that his religion and own understanding gave him. This book serves as a learning experience, for one learns not only about racism and a mans struggle with it, but how to listen and read with a open mind. Many people get very offended at what Malcolm says and I can relate. However, your purpose as a reader should not be to judge Malcolm, but just listen to what he has to say, and learn from his experience. Knowledge, insight, and power of personal change are all gained from this story. I cannot stress enough the importance of having his autobiography in your memory. A highly recommended read.

A must read for everyone, Black or White. :), April 26, 2002
I read this book for the first time a year ago and I have to say that it was one of the best reads I have ever had. Watching Malcom's strugle from being a poor Black Child removed from his family and placed in foster homes, to Street Hustler, to convict, to a religious man, to a racist, then into a human being that was honest enough to admit that his views had been wrong, is amazing. Malcom's story of realizing what his true religion was in the Brotherhood of man, and his intesity in helping Afro Amercians gain a new vision in personal pride is exceptional. Malcom should be a hero to everyone, not just Afro Americans.

I found his story particularly enlightening in relating it to my own personal experiences from being a white teenager that was bused in the 1970's. Coming from a racist background in Ohio, after being bused I realized that people were people and that color means nothing in the greater reality. I think that "The Autobiograpy of Malcom X" is unique in detailing this in an important man's strugle with his life and beliefs.

One Of The Greatest Books Ever Written!, September 5, 2001
This book is a historical, sociological, psychological, theological, political, cultural, and biographical treasure! Alex Haley, together with the assistance of Malcolm X, put ink to paper and brought one of the greatest leaders who ever lived to life in book form. This is extremely important because it allows people --no matter how far removed by time and space-- to get a deep understanding of a complex man facing complex situations in difficult times. "The Autobiography Of Malcolm X" traces Malcolm's life from his early days in the midwest as Malcolm Little, to his street running days on the East Coast as "Detroit Red," to his time in prison and his subsequent growth through Islam into the great leader known as Malcolm X, to his eventual cowardly murder. The book is so well written that it's extremely hard to put down once picked up! The story of Malcolm X is a powerfully gripping one! Throughout Malcolm faces one adverse situation after another: The murder of his father, a strained family life, the break-up of his family, struggling with systemic racism, his descent into criminal life, prison time, fighting against America's apartheid system after joining the Nation of Islam, dealing with jealousy inside the Nation, his eventual split with Elijah Muhammad and the Nation of Islam, government harassment, and finally his murder by dogs. This book is truly a great piece of work, going into the very soul of Malcolm! His story simply couldn't have been told any better. "The Autobiography Of Malcolm X" should be required reading in all American secondary schools, and institutions of higher learning.

one of the greatest autobiographies ever written, April 19, 2000
Malcolm X was a marvel. At various times a thief, a jailbird, and preacher, he was the most exciting voice of the civil rights movement, even when he was in error.

In the _Autobiography_, Malcolm comes across as a deeply intelligent man who, despite his forceful opinions and wonderful charisma, was capable of change. This book is incredible, and it should be read by anyone with an interest in American history and letters.

In Defense of an "X"ceptional Man, March 15, 2000
Dyron Proctor, an eighteenth century philosopher, concluded that, "A man's actions are only reflections of experiences from his past" Malcolm X, an illustrious iconoclast of civil rights, spoke to black people of unifying and uplifting their position in society by resisting the violence and aggression of white America. Malcolm's alleged "racist" beliefs and "hateful" views on white people can only be examined when one has seen the life Malcolm has lived in its entirety. The role white people have played from the beginning of Malcolm's life and Malcolm's reactionary techniques to unify America's black community, are key to understanding the actions and beliefs of an exceptional man named Malcolm X.

Open your eyes to true US History, December 2, 1999
This book will be one of the most important book you will ever read. Before I read this book I knew little of Malcolm X, but after reading not only was I enriched, but it forced me to look at the world in a different light. Hand this book to anyone who is not living up to their full potential and you will see a change. This book was a challenge for me, it filled me with a great sarrow of what one race can do to hold down another. Do your self a great favor and read this book, it will be the greatest lesson you will ever learn for around four dollars. This book isn't at all what you would think. Malcolm X is a hero of mine and has taught more to me then any teacher. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Islam expert Robert Spencer reveals Islam's ongoing, unshakable quest for global conquest and why the West today faces the same threat as the Crusaders did--and what we can learn from their experience. ... Read more

Reviews

The Comparisons are Glaring, September 28, 2006
This book obliterates simplistic, politically correct views about Islam. The word-for-word comparisons between the teachings of Muhammed and the teachings of Christianity, Buddhism, and other religions, are stunning. Take, for example, the famous story of Jesus' intervention when a crowd was about to stone an adulterous woman. His words, to let the person "who is without sin cast the first stone", sent the mob retreating in shame. He then told the woman to, "Go and sin no more." As the autor quotes from the Quran, Muhammed was confronted with a similar situation. A pregnant adulterous woman had come to him requesting that he pray with her for forgiveness. He sent her away until the baby was born. When she came back months later, he sent her away until the child was weened. When she came back as directed, he took the child and gave it to one of his men as a gift. Muhammed then ordered the mother buried up to her shoulders and stoned to death. It really is time for media pundits, college professors, and self-serving politicos to stop making shallow moral equivalence statements about Islam, the Quran, and the Crusades. This book needs to be read and studied by those who now are in a position to give away our birthright. It took the ancient Greeks, the Judeo-Christian tradition, the Magna Carta, the U.S. Constitution, and hundreds of years of Western Civilization to produce the most beneficent and free society in history. Here, Muslims and others can practice their beliefs without fear. We must insist that spokesmen and apologists for Islam demand that this "religion of peace" grant its neighbors the same rights the Western democracies have gladly given to them. Read the book. Its an eye-opener.

A crucial and timely analysis., July 30, 2005
The cover of this study carries the declaration that the contents refute "popular myths" and reveal "facts" that will not be heard on the news.

From the outset this proves to be very much the case as the reader is taken into a courageous investigation of Islam.

Replete with references as well as quotations and examples direct from former practising, learned Muslims, the claims that Islam is a "peaceful" and "tolerant" religion are examined in considerable depth for a book of this nature.

Many quotes are provided which reveal fundamental differences between the statements made by Jesus Christ and Muhammed. This is done with the declared intent of providing the reader with an opportunity to visualise what is cited as the "fallacy" of those who claim that Islam and Christianity are basically "equal" in their ability to inspire good or evil.

Furthermore, these quotes are provided for the reader to understand that a "distinction" can be drawn between what are described as the "core principles" that guide faithful Muslims and Christians.

Beginning with an examination of the life and character of Muhammed himself, the study proceeds to discuss a plethora of other subjects including the alleged Islamic "oppression" of women, historical revisionism, the Crusades, the purported "dangers" of criticising Islam, "Islamophobia" and "Jihad".

The reader is provided, in no uncertain terms, with a visualisation of what allegedly faces the US, Europe, the West & indeed the International arena, should we fail to come to terms with the consequences of what is described as the "real" message and implications of Islam, which are purportedly being denied the public by the powers that be.

One former Muslim is quoted as saying that the theory and practice of Jihad was "....not concocted in the Pentagon....it was taken from the Koran, the Hadith and Islamic tradition...".

This statement is then elaborated and clarified by stating that it is the "divinely ordained duty" of Muslims to fight in the literal sense until man-made law has been "replaced by God's law". (The latter being described as Sharia and Islamic law).

Further to the subjects already mentioned, the book analyses a series of issues which many readers will find disturbing, such as the investigation of the much-publicised promise of "virgins" in Paradise to Islamic martyrs.

Many concerns are echoed towards the end of this work, including a call for what is described as "responsible reporting" from the media and honesty from law enforcement officials about jihadist attacks in the US. This is made whilst still recognising the need to confront an official fear pertaining to vigilantes who would victimise innocent Muslims should certain information be publicised.

Concern is also expressed with reference to the post September 11th statement by US President Bush who warned the world that "...you are either with the terrorists or you're with us...". The book alleging an official refusal to acknowledge who the terrorists really are and what they are fighting for that has subsequently seen the US administration still counting as friends and allies, many states where jihadist activities are extensive.

Many will perceive this book and it's message to be highly contentious and perhaps even offensive, but I feel that it is required reading at this time, irrespective of the reader's personal views. Thank you.

Convinced this skeptic to investigate further, December 2, 2005
Before I saw this book title (I can't remember where I first ran across it), if asked, I would have said that Islam was a peaceful religion, that, like many other religions in history, has been hijacked by evil-doers. But when I saw this book, I wondered. Could he be right? I decided to read it, and give the author a chance to make his point.

I am acquainted with some American Muslims who would argue against this, but I wonder if they aren't plagued by their own bias. After all, who wants to think badly of their own religion and/or ethnic ancestors? I was shocked to learn that many non-Arab Muslims have not actually read (don't understand) their own holy book, that they merely recite passages from it in the original Arabic.

This book seems very well researched. The author appears to be conscious of the likelihood of an anti-Muslim bias, and I believe it inspired him to study his subject harder. He gives many suggestions for further reading. He explores the current media line on Islam, the history of Islamic/Judeo-Chrisian relations, makes conclusions, and provides his evidence at every step. And in a feature I loved, he presents ideas for defeating the enemy.

Another person that picked up my copy commented that it was very repetitive - the author says some of the same things over and over. I agree this is true, however he has a purpose. In his discussion of an individual point he presents the evidence that backs it up. Some evidence applies to multiple points. I did not find any repitition to pointless, only mildly tedious on occasion. Additionally, the prose is highly readable.

One thing I found somewhat annoying in this book is that the author uses a comparison of Islam and Christianity as part of his framework. I myself am of Christian ancestry, but was not raised in any particular faith. I have spiritual beliefs, but they do not match closely enough with any specific religion for me to join one. My annoyance was b/c I felt he was assuming his readership to be Christian. However, if his intended audience is the American public, that is not statistically unreasonable.

Although I would rather that the author's hypothesis were not true, at this time, I believe the author has made his point. I now intend to investigate the issue further, and am very grateful to have had this possible truth brought to my attention. I have already acquired some additional reading, on both "sides" of this issue, in addition to a translation of the Quran.

I would recommend this book to everyone as a starting point for exploring this potentially (if he's right) vital issue.

A chilling look at the religion of peace, November 12, 2005
Like most other Americans, I knew little about radical Islam before the shocking horrors of September 11, 2001. I probably knew a bit more about the religion in general thanks to a few history classes I took at the university. A course on the Crusades introduced me to Saladin and a rather neutered conception of jihad, and a survey class on world history covered the rise of Mohammed in the seventh century, the five pillars of faith, and the highs and lows of the Ottoman Empire. I learned more about how Islam operates as a ruling system when I read a few things about Albanian history. None of these classes or books mentioned Al-Qaeda or Osama Bin Laden. Nor did they talk about the number of extremely troubling verses in the Koran or the commentaries associated with that document. If we had learned about these things, problematic questions certainly would have arose. Why does Islam seem to revolve around warfare and the subjugation of non-Muslim lands and peoples? Why the hostility to Jews, Christians, Hindus, and Buddhists? Robert Spencer, an expert on radical Islam, tries to answer these questions in "The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam." The book is an eye opening experience for those who always thought Islam a religion of peace.

Spencer goes back to the earliest days of Islam, to the rise of the prophet Mohammed and the first teachings of Allah, and discovers that this religion bases most of its fundamental tenets on warfare against infidels. The Koran specifically tells followers that they must never take unbelievers as friends, must never trust unbelievers, and must always strive to spread Islam to lands populated by unbelievers. Treaties with non-Muslims are acceptable, but only as a means to regain strength in order to attack again later. Any method of overcoming the infidels is acceptable, including assassination and ambush. Islam does accept the presence of unbelievers, incredibly considering the endless references to war and conversion, but a host of oppressive laws and regulations ensures that Christians, Jews, and others (called "dhimmis" by Muslims) will never possess enough power to challenge Allah's hegemony. Spencer argues convincingly that history has shown that non-Islamic groups tend to gradually diminish in size and power the longer they live under the Muslim yoke. In other words, forget about multiculturalism, pluralism, and western conceptions of civil rights under an Islamic state. They don't exist because the main goal of Islam is to make the entire world Islamic. Period.

"The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam" goes on to discuss the Crusades in some depth. The standard explanation of these historical events in our universities, according to Spencer, leaves much to be desired. Professors and organizations espousing political correctness try to paint the Crusades as an attempt by the West to colonize the Middle East, or as religious wars aimed at forcibly converting the Muslim world to Christianity. Not so. They were, in fact, a concerted effort by Europe to roll back centuries of jihad expansion into Christian territories. Moreover, once the crusaders established states in the Levant, they made little effort to convert the native population to Christ. Anyone remotely familiar with European history ought to know this. As late as the seventeenth century, Islamic forces were attempting to penetrate deep into the heart of Europe. The Battle of Vienna in 1683, where Polish forces repulsed a Muslim army, represented the last great jihad into Europe. Until now. As the last part of the book relates, the new jihad has taken on different forms. Massive Muslim immigration into Europe has given the jihadists of Al-Qaeda many recruits to fashion a new army and thus finally bring a significant portion of the West to Allah.

I generally liked Spencer's book. He not only covers many of the fundamental beliefs and history of Islamic expansion, but also calls attention to the horrible treatment of women in many Muslim societies. Sidebars in the text often call attention to the difference between Christianity and Islam by placing quotations from the New Testament next to ones pulled from the Koran. Several "Books You're Not Supposed to Read" sidebars point the reader to further titles that will better explain key points. I commend the author for taking great pains in pointing out the differences between moderate Muslims and the radical fringe. Spencer acknowledges that many Muslims don't advocate violent jihad against the West, nor do they support suicide bombings or the other atrocities carried out by Hezbollah, Hamas, and Al-Qaeda. Nonetheless, he believes that trouble will exist as long as war against "infidels" lies at the center of Koranic teaching. The author laments the fact that moderates have not made an appreciable dent in their efforts to recast the Koran in a better, more peaceful light. If this book is any indication, we've got a long stretch ahead of us if we wish to defeat radical Islam wherever it exists.

"The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam" stumbles in spots. For example, referring to Meir Kahane as an Israeli "political activist" doesn't tell the whole story. Kahane was a Jewish supremacist and supporter of a "Greater Israel" whose government labeled one of his organizations as racist and banned it from the Knesset. The United States declared his other group, the Jewish Defense League (JDL), a terrorist organization and jailed many of its members for acts of violence against the Muslim community. Another problem in the book is the tendency to ignore extremely hostile comments found in Christian and Jewish writings. A close reading of the Talmud, for example, will uncover several horrific statements about gentiles. Nonetheless, Spencer's book is a must read in this day and age. Don't let the government and America hating academics define Islam for you. Read a wide range of books and make up your own mind.

A tract in the tradition of Benjamin Franklin's Poor Richard, September 16, 2006
After reading some of the reviews below I am prone to wonder how many of the frothy critics of this book actually read it. Even from the far left (the ever stalwart supporters of all those who hate America) I hear the droning mantra bewailing the supposed characterization of Islam by the extreme acts of an anomalous few. But Spencer does not make such a characterization. Most of this book does not examine the actions of extremists but instead the tenets of Islam itself. His conclusions are well reasoned and documented; and horrifying! If you have ever wondered why the millions of "peace-loving" Muslims have not condemned en mass the Jihadists who spew hatred and spill the blood of innocent people all over the world, then get this book and find out. Spencer concludes that violence is a natural outgrowth of the intolerance taught by Islam. Of course, many of us were taught the myth of Muslim tolerance, yet the Quran famously commands any faithful Muslim to "Slay the Unbelievers wherever ye find them. Seize them, beleaguer them, and lie in wait for them? (Quran 9:5) It is a verse that is not lifted out of context or a rare anomaly or mitigated by the larger body of teaching (as the nonviolent verses of the New Testament clearly abrogate the descriptions of violence contained in the Old Testament) but, is in fact, only one of many such incitements to violence. Spencer believes that such violent leanings are endemic to Islam and explain the complicity of silence we see from the Muslim world when innocents are murdered by Jihadists.

Spencer also deals fairly with the perennially festering topic of the Crusades. It is bizarre and questionable that any present day political ideology should be driven by events that took place a thousand years ago. What's more, I wonder why so many Westerners collapse into a guilt coma at the mere mention of the Crusades without asking some important questions. How did the ancient birth place of Christianity, the stomping grounds of the Apostle Paul, St. Augustine, and the incubator that produced the creed most Christians repeat on Sunday mornings become Muslim in the first place? It was the result of Muhammad's war of conquests which lasted almost a thousand years that swallowed the birthplace of Christianity and then stomped out the light that once burned so brightly there. The Crusades were a belated, misguided, and often ignoble response to hundreds of years of Islamic "crusades." That march of brutal Islamic imperialism and colonization in the name of Allah ended at the gates of Vienna on a date that should mean something to the world: September 11, 1683. To be a good Muslim is to long for the renewal of that conquest of Europe and the West.

Spencer explains many of the draconian and intolerant beliefs of Islam without the incoherent contortions that Islamic apologists give to such issues as the sickening mistreatment of women and girls or the Nazi-like (complete with yellow patches on the clothing) Dhimmi status (a form of slavery) required of Christians and Jews in Muslim lands. Some treatment is also given to Muhammad, who, had he lived today in any western nation would be considered a pedophile due to the fact that his eleventh (and favorite) wife was 6 years old when they married and 9 when the marriage was consummated (the loving husband was 52.) That's really not very much like the historical Jesus, which is one of many examples where the moral equivalency between Christianity and Islam touted by the left crumbles in the light of inconvenient facts. Spencer is required reading for people seeking the truth about Islam and the emerging conflict which will likely define the 21st century.

worth reading, but check other sources as well., May 12, 2007
I just finished this book, and I think it's worth reading as a balance to a great many works out there which are slanted in the other direction (ie: "Christians bad - Muslims good, yada, yada). I'm not a scholar on any of the subjects Spencer covers here, so I will allow that he might not be 100% right on every point. After reading many of the other reviews here, I'm convinced that many of these folks have not read the book at all. Spencer certainly has serious misgivings about Islam and, yes, I think one could call him "biased" to some extent. But what's wrong with that? I personally don't believe there is any such thing as a completely unbiased scholar, so I just try to get my information from multiple sources (this is the 3rd book on Islam I've read this year). That's why I bought this book - to get another view - one that is not heard much in our ever increasingly PC world. Why do some reviewers have such a problem with that? Some seem to think that only one view is valid (theirs), and that Spencer should not be allowed to enter the debate at all. If you believe some of these reviewers, anyone who says anything positive about this book is just one step away from picking up a sniper rifle and heading over to the nearest mosque. What condescending idiocy is that? I'm not a "hater", or a "bigot" or a "narrow-minded zealot", just a seeker of multiple points of view. That used to be called being "liberal".
I was particularly amused by one typical negative review written by Ms. Martie D. Kelley. It sounds to me that she's more biased than Robert Spencer, just in the other direction. Kelley trumpets her "higher education" and status as a "scholar" holding a BA in Religious Studies (doesn't say from where), but Robert Spencer holds an MA (that's a master's degree, Martie!) in Religious Studies from University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, and has been researching and writing on the subject of Islamic theology, law, and history for 27 years! So, by any objective standard, Spencer is a scholar, and he deserves to say his piece without being labeled a bigot! If he's wrong about something, then let's hear the counter argument - not dismissive insults. The only bit of evidence Ms. Kelley offers to show that Spencer is wrong is the laughable assertion that, "in the Qur'an it is explicitly stated that it is the duty of Muslims to protect People of the Book (Jews & Christians)" Now why does this tidbit come as no comfort to me? Would Ms. Kelley defend a male chauvinist who says that patriarchy states that it is the duty of every man to "protect" women? I doubt it. If Ms. Kelley had bothered to do more than just "skim through various parts" of Mr. Spencer's book, she would have realized that this inane comment plays right into one of the more salient points Spencer talks about in his section on Dhimma (chapter 4). The Muslim idea of "protection" of non-muslims is a far cry from what most Westerners know as religious tolerance and freedom of worship. It's more like how the Mafia dons used to describe shaking down the store owners in the neighborhood. "We're not taking their money and making them live in abject fear. No, we're just offering these good people 'protection'. There's no injustice going on here". Tell me, Ms. Kelley, just who should the other "people of the Book" be protected from, hmmm? I'm also wondering what kind of comfort and assurance Ms. Kelley would offer to a Hindu, Buddhist or an Animist (or any other person not "of the Book") because as Spencer points out, these people have been regarded as no better than animals by Muslims. How can any intellectually honest person make such excuses for a religious system that claims to be religiously tolerant, yet is so narrowly selective in it's tolerance? It just amazes me how far some "educated" people will go to defend the indefensible. Is Ms. Kelley saying that we need not be concerned about how the other religious groups are treated by Muslims as long as the Christians and Jews are "protected" (whatever that means)???
This book might not be the last word on Islam, but it is worth a read, and I think Spencer is bringing some good points to a very important contemporary debate. I recommend the book but, by all means, keep reading and decide for yourself.

This Book Plays a Corrective Role, January 8, 2006
Spencer's P.I.G. to Islam plays an important corrective role in the current discourse, or lack of discourse, regarding Islamic ideology and the problem of Islamism throughout the past 1400 years and throughout the world today. I recommend strongly that this book be read as an introduction to Islam, along with the Koran, the Sira (life story of the prophet first told by Ibn Ishaq), and selected Hadith. Spencer also includes in this book many valuable references to critical books on Islamic ideology and history.

Much has been said already in the way of praise, and Spencer richly deserves it. Spencer is not only an expert on Islam, but he is also an excellent and clear writer. And he comes across as a likeable, decent person who is genuinely disturbed by the facts. He's not out to demonize anybody; Spencer makes the Islamic texts and the Islamists speak for themselves.

Here I will explain why I gave "only" four stars instead of a perfect 5.

1. The Koran (and Hadith and Sira) contains far worse, far more offensive material than is presented in Spencer's book. The Koran contains a doctrine of hate, religious imperialism, religiously-based apartheid, misogyny, and bellicose terror. Much of that material is probably not suitable for a general audience which could include young readers. This may seem hard to believe for those who have been exposed to the Karen Armstrong and John Esposito apologetics. But readers should make up their own minds about the Quran: This link gives some indication of what the Quran is all about http://www.skepticsannotatedbible.com/quran/index.htm
Note that the Hadith and Sira are also available at other websites. Besides a lot of the blood, gore, rapes, etc., that Spencer does not include, you will also not find in Spencer's book mention that there are perhaps 300 separate verses in the Quran condemning non-Muslims to hell-fire/eternal doom, and there are dozens of verses expressing terrible insults against non-Muslims. Spencer does not discuss this thorough demonization of non-Muslims in the Quran, but it is in part this demonization, this hate propaganda, that prepares Muslim believers to more readily kill and mistreat non-Muslims. Possibly, Spencer may show us these even darker regions of Islam when he writes his biography of Mohammad.

2. I was not particularly troubled by the relative lack of so-called "good" verses, because many of the good verses and Hadith reports only apply to Muslims. There's nothing good for non-Muslims. Spencer does briefly address a couple of the most famous so-called good verses, but he does not go sufficiently into depth to expose the fact that these good verses are not what they appear to be. Although the format of the book requires that Spencer deal with a broad array of topics without getting into too much detail for each, I would have liked to have seen a critical exposure to show that certain often-cited good verses are not so good after all, and are of no help to non-Muslims anyway.

3. Spencer's claim that our present-day western society, with its rights and freedoms, is based in Judeo-Christianity, is somewhat irksome. These rights and freedoms were more due to the contributions of the ancient Greeks and the European renaissance and enlightenment period thinkers. Many advances were (and still are) opposed by Judeo-Christianity.

4. Critical reviewers who say Spencer is not critical enough of Christianity have a point. For example, the Old Testament (Leviticus, 24:10-16) requires the death penalty for blasphemy. Islam has the same or similar policy: Those who mocked or critised Islam were executed or assassinated under Mohammad's orders. However, I've read the Bible and the Quran, and Spencer's argument that Christianity is morally superior to Islam in some key respects is correct. This is most glaringly obvious when one compares the known words and deeds of Jesus versus those of Mohammad--and Spencer shows us several of these comparisons.

5. Spencer rightly challenges the false trumped-up accusation of "Islamophobia." But I would have liked to have seen a more thorough dismantling of this Islamist-propagandist tool. A strong case can be made that the Koran promotes "Infidelophobia"--an irrational fear and hatred of all non-Muslims (who are considered "beasts," "evil," "wicked," "perverse," "unclean," "friends of Satan who are fighting against Allah," "ignorant," "fools," "liars," and so on.

Bottom line: This is an excellent book that provides much-needed wake-up call to those who are interested in defending modern human rights and freedoms, including freedom of expression, equal rights for women, freedom from persecution for religious minorities, freedom to change religions or to choose no religion, and of course, the right to physical security and safety. Unless you are already an expert on Islam, if you are a non-Muslim or progressive Muslim, you should buy this book.

W and Condi need to read this, August 2, 2005
I served as a Foreign Service Officer in a Middle Eastern country where I witnessed black African slaves in Arab households in 1978. I am also familiar with the history of the forcible domination of Middle Eastern and North African Christian and Jewish societies by Islamic hoards launched by the Mohammed himself, the 800 year Islamic domination of Spain , the brutal Islamic domination of Orthodox Christian societies in Greece and the Balkans until less than 100 years ago and the despicable treatment of non-Muslims in every Islamic-majority country down to the present.

So what? Well... I am constantly and increasingly amazed and dismayed how many friends and acquaintances, many with postgraduate educations, have ABSOLUTELY NO IDEA what Islamic societies are actually like (subjugation of women, honor killings, etc.) or that any of the events I describe above actually occurred. Just a week ago an intelligent, educated friend who often visits Europe said words to the effect, "Yes, yes, Islamic terror is awful but didn't we start it all with the Crusades?" I was appalled he had no awareness that the Crusades were a much-too-late response to Muslims overrunning the Holy Land 500 years earlier or anything about the historic Islamic quest for world dominance at the expense of all other belief and social systems.

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) is a useful "second opinion" about to Islamic dogma, thought, tradition and history for those have only heard the version presented by PBS, the BBC and various Islamic apologists. It will enlighten any non-Muslim who wants to understand what Jihad is all about. While arguably superficial by necessity because Spencer covers so much ground in a relatively small space, it provides enough information for most people. This book can also serve as an introduction for those inclined toward deeper study of religious, historical and comparative social analysis books that treat Islamic topics more comprehensively.

I'm buying copies of this book to give to friends and business associates who need this information. The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) should be on the desk of President Bush and every one of his cabinet officers.

eye opening, February 20, 2006
I'm on my third reading of this book and have had access to a pocket-sized Qur'an (helpfully provided gratis while working in Libya and published by the King Fahd Complex in Saudi Arabia).
By looking up quotations cited by Mr Spencer from the Qur'an and comparing them with this authorized translation, I am struck by the close approximation of his source (presumably the Dawood version) and the Saudi sanctioned one. Indeed, my version has the added advantage of an English commentary by the authors which elaborates on the thorny issue of the term 'jihad'. There seems no doubt whatsoever that this term is used not in the personal struggle every human being has to overcome bad and promote good in his psyche, but in the 'lesser jihad' interpretation of defending Islam through pre-emptive attacks on all and any who oppose it.

The Book you Shouldn't but Must Read, February 9, 2006
In this timely, hot button book, Robert Spencer examines the motivation and goals of, not necessarily, just the terrorists alone but fellow extremists and, by association, all Muslims in general.

He claims there is a substantial quantity of misinformation being disseminated about Islam, some officially and some by apologists. Islam, which, translates into surrender, appears to be aptly named since there was plenty of surrendering going on among Islam's perceived enemies in the first hundred and fifty years of the religion. That's when aggressive, ruthless armies of the Prophet Muhammad, poured out of Arabia, spreading the nascent religion across a swath of Africa and Asia from the Atlantic Ocean to India. Later Indonesia and parts of India, Thailand, China, Malaysia and the Philippines were added. The victims of this onslaught were give three options: surrender and convert to Islam, surrender and become a dhimmi (a second-class citizen subject to onerous taxation) or death.

This area now contains some one point two billion Muslims, which Spencer claims are all potential enemies of the rest of the inhabitants of the globe. The reasoning is that the seeds of confrontation are intertwined within the fabric of Islam, through the Muslim holy book and he cites various passages from the Qur'an to substantiate his theory. At the head of these passages is Jihad, which means struggle. The struggle, according to Spencer is to struggle against the infidels (non-believers) to achieve a position of preeminence where Islam reigns supreme.

We all know that this is what bin Laden wants but it's been widely reported that this view is a perversion of Islam. According to Spencer, this is straight out of the Qur'an and the perversion is that this information is being withheld from the public, ostensibly to not engender additional angst with John Q. Public. Even mainstream Muslim's seem to have trouble coming to grips that their holy book is the basis of so much terrorism and could be so inconsistent.

Other passages that should be of concern to Westerners are the traditions of deceit and duplicity. Muslims should not befriend infidels and it's expected that they should lie to them (but not Muslims). If they do befriend an infidel, it should only be to gain an advantage and any agreements with infidels are again, to gain an advantage and if no longer needed, should be discarded. No wonder Israel cannot get a peace agreement with the Palestinians.

Spencer also takes a cursory look at the Crusades. He states that, although they appear to have been a waste of time and manpower, they keep the Muslims at bay for almost two hundred years. Spencer believes this gave the Europeans just enough time to build their strength and technology to hold their own when the Islamic hordes, once again set their sights there.

Even so, there are large pockets of Muslims left over from Jihadists incursions in Bosnia, Kosovo, Albania and Spain. It is Spencer's contention that without the Crusades we might all be on our knees five times a day facing Mecca. However, that still might happen since an estimated fifteen million Muslim immigrants, with more daily, have inundated Europe. As we've all seen on the news recently with bombings in London and Madrid and riots in France, these immigrants can be problematic, but they also could become a fifth column.

Conclusion

The Politically Incorrect Guide to Islam (and the Crusades) is the kind of book that can get under your skin if you let it. I'm sure it's accurate and factual and in comparison to other similar books I've read, specifically, about the plight of Muslim women, it backed what I had previously read. However, it seems to me, to be written with a conservative slant. It seems to highlight the worst of Islam, giving only perfunctory concessions to other views. The fact that Regnery Publishing, a well-known right wing publisher, published the book reinforces that feeling.

As for the author, Robert Spencer, he did a good job of presenting his case in a fluid, easily understandable and readable style. I personally believe what he wrote but many would feel it wasn't balanced. He is obviously well versed on the subject of the book, providing the chapter/verse in the Qur'an, wherever he paraphrases a passage. He has a thorough knowledge of the subject and puts his views forward in a believable method. In addition, he provides many interesting sidebars where there are comparisons of the teachings of Muhammad and Jesus, quotes from historic figures, Books You're Not Supposed to Read and Just Like Today segments.

Spencer makes several good points, such as saying our war on terror is incorrectly named, terror being a tactic. He says the enemy is the Jihadists and the war should be so named. I also got a kick out of Spencer's term for outrageous, seventy-two virgins in heaven Muslim belief. He called it bordello paradise.

Frankly, if you are looking for some good news about the Muslims, this book is not for you, unless you consider learning more about their downside, good news. The bottom line, according to Spencer, is their can be no long-term peaceful co-existence with the Muslim society unless they modify the aggressive tenants of the Qur'an. Don't hold your breath. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Written in an extremely accessible style by bestselling author Robert Spencer, "The Complete Infidel's Guide to the Koran" is a fact-based but light-hearted look at the key elements, values, and beliefs in the Koran. ... Read more

Reviews

Koran Quran Guide, September 12, 2009
This is not a new translation of the Muslim's holy book: The Koran/Quran. Nor is it a chapter-by-chapter review of the Koran, whereby each chapter is analyzed and explained. Instead, as implied in its title, it is a well-written "Guide" to the Koran. Essentially, the author has selected 75 or so significant topics discussed in the Koran and explains their current significance to Muslims, and how jihadists may use them to justify their attacks against "infidels" (including Muslims whom the jihadists believe are not on the `Straight Path' in following Islam). The author compares passages from both the Koran and the Bible, and explains the many differences of similar stories in them. Some of these topics include: abrogation/changes in Koranic verses (ayats); the devil sleeps in your nose; Adam & Eve; Abel & Cain (why the crow?), the jizya tax, King Solomon's problem with the Queen of Sheba's hairy legs; Jesus and his flying clay birds; some of Muhammad's raids; slavery of the `right hand'; how the Jews and Christians `corrupted' their holy books; the Isaac vs. Ishmael sacrifice dispute; Moses and the Pharaoh differences; did Allah promise Israel to the Jews?; hot hellfire for the kuffars; can Jews and Christians be `tolerated' by Muslims if the former were created from `apes and pigs' by Allah?; did Muhammad actually ride to Jerusalem?; were all Jewish prophets really Muslims?; was Jesus neither divine nor crucified?; wife beating; and much more. Besides selecting topics from just the Koran, the author also discusses current topical-issues being raised by U.S. Pres. Obama, the fundamentalist Osama bin Laden, and miscellaneous Muslim spokesmen. The author discusses the historical development of the Koran. Besides quoting merely from the Koran, the author also quotes from other Islamic sources (such as the hadith) to help explain some poignant topic. As the author himself commented: "This is not a general guide to the Koran" (p. 20). To read a chapter-by-chapter review of Mohammad's "Koran," see the "Bogging the Quran" serial at the author's JIHAD WATCH website. Hopefully, someday this series will be reprinted in book form. If you want more of an analysis of the Quran itself, I suggest "Introduction to the Qur'an" by W. Montgomery Watt (and Richard Bell); Edinburgh Univ. Press, 1970 (ISBN 0-7486-0597-5).

Beyond Five Stars for the Truth, March 4, 2010
I just finished Robert Spencers' book, and just like his others, it was great. Please ignore Islamic Trolls giving false reviews with one star, THEY CAN'T HANDLE THE TRUTH..LOL. I have been studying Islam for a few years now and I consider Robert Spencer to be true authority. The only thing in question is the Koran he chose, I would have picked the same translation as he due to the fact most other Koran tranlations' have been whitewashed so Islam could look less hate filled and intolerant. I choose to learn the truth in its purest form and not watered down for the sake of how others would like the Koran to read, religion of peace, give me a break..lol. Thank you Mr. Spencer.

Shining some light into the Koran's opacity and dubiety, September 27, 2009
While there will never be a level playing field for addressing the contents of the Koran, Spencer goes overboard to present the opinions of apologists for Islam along side the concerns voiced by those who are alarmed by the contents of Islam's sacred book. The readers, at least, are informed of the opposing views and can assess their merits.

As a "Guide," the book pulls together the fragments of themes which are actually scattered in various parts of the Koran, explains illusions which would not be understood by the average English reader -- such as "right hand possesses" and "striving in the way of Allah", highlights the many contradictory themes, and compares the descriptions of events recorded by the "all-knowing Allah" with existing pre-Islamic accounts of the same events. Thanks to Spencer's patient unravelling of the Gordian knot, readers will gain new insights into many of familiar themes in religious history and theology.

But Spencer acknowledges on page 97 that all of this new knowledge may not help Infidels vis-a-vis Muslims: ". . [t]he Koran consistently assumes that the Infidels are not people who have come to a good faith decision that Islam is false. . . In the Koran, those who reject Islam are never acting out of sincere conviction. . . so anyone who rejects it must not be dong so out of intellectual or spiritual conviction, but out of narrow self-interest or desire for material gain. . . In other words, their unbelief in Islam is . . sheer perversity."

If knowledge is power, this book will be very useful for policy makers and opinion leaders.

Another Great Contribution By Robert Spencer, September 8, 2009
After reading this book, my impression of Mr. Spencer remains unchanged. He met his usual high standards. His work is an important contribution to the debate about Islam that can be so full of deception and inaccuracies. As one can see by reading my other reviews of Robert Spencer's books, I enthusiastically endorse his work. His command of the subject matter is flawless and undeniable. He supports his facts and opinions with unassailable citations. Mr. Spencer has a natural talent for stating his case and proving it. Moreover, he takes what would appear to be at first blush to be a dry subject and makes it interesting by illustrating how the Qu'ran plays such an important role in terrible events around the World. It is hard for those who are unfamiliar with the hadiths and history of Muhammad to understand large segments of the Qu'ran and it is for that reason that I believe this work is so important. Those who lack the time to thoroughly examine Islamic doctrine for themselves can gain an understanding that meets or exceeds their needs by simply reading this book and "The Truth About Muhammad." Both books can be easily read in a day or two and readers will advance their ability to understand political issues related to Islam and can avoid falling for the numerous deceptions advanced to hide the true nature of the Islamic faith. My only hesitation in endorsing this book is that Mr. Spencer is so adept at organization and presentation that one might gain the false perception that the Qu'ran is an organized, logically written book, but the truth is that it is hard to imagine that a more poorly written and organized book than the Qu'ran could be produced. One needs to read the original to see that the Qu'ran is what it appears to be - a book that was created and organized by early Muslims that had little experience in reading and writing books. It follows that the Qu'ran is about as well written and organized as the work of a first grade class and far from being evidence of Muhammad's claim that he was called by God to be humanity's Messenger, it is proof positive that he was but one of many pretenders, albeit one that was successful in this life. This book will make you realize that even if one accepted the false assertion that Islamic doctrine stems solely from the Qu'ran as many Islamic apologists seem to try and suggest, a Qu'ran only Islam may be less clear and therefore more susceptible to false claims about its meaning, but it is no less a religion of violence than is Islam based on the Qu'ran, hadith and history of Muhammad.

I would like to close with one last thought. A democracy is only as strong as its voters as it is the will of those who vote that ultimately control the direction the nation will take. As voters we have an obligation to be informed so that we may cast our vote wisely and not waste it by falling prey to slick propaganda and deception. Mr. Spencer's latest work will help you meet your obligation to cast an informed vote on some of the most important issues of our time so please buy it and read it as soon as you can. You will not regret it.

A must read for anyone who loves truth and scholarship., September 24, 2010
Robert Spencer is that rare combination of a scholar, excellent writer and man with a real sense of humor.

He has been preparing this book for many years and finally we have the rare treat of reading his scholarship on one of the most misunderstood books in the world, the Koran ( Quran).

Muhammad never read the Koran since it was published after his death. However, those who took it upon themselves to subjugate the world in his name, for Islam is the Arabic word for submission, hold this book to be holy and a model for all humanity.

Spencer has systematically presented the Koran for what it is, a rambling collection of texts which alternately praise Allah and condemn anyone who refuses to agree with its view of life.

Infidels, ie. most of us, are not worthy of humane and loving treatment. This is reserved for the elect, those who have submitted to the will of the the defenders of the Koran.

So what does the Koran instruct us about the good life?

Well, women who are immodest in dress, actions and, in general, express their will, are to be killed.

Today a video of a woman being stoned was played on ABC News. The stoning took place in Afghanistan. It was filmed as a novelty. Her crime, condemned in the Koran, was that she "strolled about" unaccompanied by a man.

Homosexuals are to be stoned to death. Anyone who attempts to escape from this charade of a religion is to be killed.

Dhimmis, Jews, Christians, Hindus, Buddhists, any other group than Islamists, are condemned to hell for eternal torture.

The masters of submission ( Arabic translation of Muslim, one who submits) are all good. Anyone else unless they cooperate in the extermination of the enemies of Islam, is condemned.

It is good to understand the Koran.

Many Muslims say that the antipathy toward them is based on ignorance of their loving faith.

Read this book.

Get educated.

Learn all about how loving the Koran is.

---

When this review was posted, this volume was the #1 Amazon seller on Islam, and #2 on the Koran. Help to spread the word. Educate yourself and others about the religion of compassion, love and peace, the religion of Submission with a capital S. Read the Koran and discover what it really is. At least you will have done your homework which is more than many others are doing.

And the Truth shall set you free.

A Must Read!, October 24, 2009
This book is a real eye opener. I have known many people who spent a great deal of time in the Middle East, and all of them agree, this is an accurate account of the Muslim Faith. I was surprised how much I learned, and shocked by some of it.

Anyone who wants to understand the Muslim faith needs to read this book. Anyone who believes in a peaceful, one world government should read this book. Those who fear Muslims for various reasons need to read it, too.

The author is a bit verbose, and at times the book reads like a text book, but it is worth the effort. You will learn more than you bargained for.

It really is!, December 1, 2009
This book, from my perspective as a non-Muslim who has read extensively in the Q'uran and the secondary literature in English, is an excellent survey of the contents of the Q'uran. The author compares the available English translation, places each subject in context, and explains it clearly and factually. It is imperative that Westerners understand what the Koran and Hadith say and mean, and their implications for today's geopolitics. The book is well-written, and avoids the breezy condescension which mars so many of these popular "Complete ...'s Guide" books. I strongly recommend it, both for those who have never studied about the Koran and for those who have tried to read it and have given up in despair.

Guide to the Koran, July 13, 2010
This is a highly recommended to the potential student of Islam who is not interested in conversion, but rather the understanding of this mysterious faith and how it affects its follower's thinking and actions. Being a international news junky and one who has read many articles and books on religion and spiritualism, it always surprised me how Islam seems to differ widely from other religions. It's apparent lack of compassion of others through its appeal to vengeance through rationalization of killing innocent, unarmed civilians whether it occurs in a market in Kashmir, bus or school in Israel, a Church in Iraq, an entire province such as Armenia or a rival mosque or the World Trade center; yet when any of these events occur the Muslim world is deadly silent. Could so many Muslims misunderstand Islam or does the Koran call them to such action.

As the Koran is a difficult book to read as it was not written in chronological order nor does it talk to the reader, it is difficult to not only read this book because it's somewhat on the boring side with many repetitive passages as well as it requires reading many Hadiths. The chronological order of the works from the Messenger Mohamed is important as his latest message(s) abrogates his previous messages, yet reading the Koran by itself does not provide the order of the Mohamed's messages. This book does an excellent job, placing his teachings in perspective and provides the passage numbers from the Koran to allow the reader to validate the contents of Mr. Spencer's quide. The author goes out on lengths to be accurate, precise, to the point about the teachings of Islam without insulting the followers of Islam.

The complete Infidel's Guide to the koran, February 22, 2010
As a student of Islam, I was edified by the book of Robert Spencer. It is respectful of Islam, and at the same time gives clarity to Islamic thought. I do not think that many Muslims would read this book and remain untouched by it. He gives some salient thoughts which I repeat here:(1)the West is being hoodwinked by Islamic apologists who proclaim that their religion is one of Peace, which it clearly is not (2)Islam denies free will as well as the adoption of orphans,(3)It denies any possibility of critical analysis of the Koran, leaving the majority of Muslims in abject ignorance, totally manipulated by the Imams and Mullahs, etc, and (4)the institutionalised policy of deception practised by Islam to further its cause etc
But the author does not touch upon the huge number of Christian women who marry Muslims, the efforts of Christian apologists (e.g. Fr Botros) who have a profound effect upon Muslims converting to Christianity, etc.
This being said, I heartily recommend this book to honest searchers.

Simplistic but accurate, October 16, 2009
With it's title suggestive of the Idiot's Guide to ... series, I did not expect an academic presentation, but I did expect a bit more meat and was surprised at a few cheap shots. However, the content is excellent and reveals deeply seated core beliefs that are ignored by the news media to our own peril. These core beliefs are clearly demonstrated to be supported by the Koran, Koranic scholars and publications (and Islamic governments to varying degrees), and are simultaneously inimical to living in a multicultural fashion let alone a secular culture. The book clearly demonstrates why there are no churches in Saudi Arabia, why Sharia is not just for "fundamental" or "radical" Muslims, and why we will hear more reports of Christians being killed in Pakistan and other countries. It also makes understanding the news reports from Iraq, Iran, Pakistan and etc more understandable, and a bit more frightening. It is not Islamophobic; it demonstrates in a logical, reasoned and documented fashion why Islam is to be feared and not to assume that terrorist attacks by Muslims are directed by a few wackos. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Though it is the fastest-growing religion in the world, Islam remains shrouded in ignorance and fear for much of the West. In No god but God, Reza Aslan, an internationally acclaimed scholar of religions, explains this faith in all its beauty and complexity. Beginning with a vivid account of the social and religious milieu in which the Prophet Muhammad forged his message, Aslan paints a portrait of the first Muslim community as a radical experiment in religious pluralism and social egalitarianism. He demonstrates how, after the Prophet’s death, his successors attempted to interpret his message for future generations–an overwhelming task that fractured the Muslim community into competing sects. Finally, Aslan examines how, in the shadow of European colonialism, Muslims developed conflicting strategies to reconcile traditional Islamic values with the realities of the modern world, thus launching what Aslan terms the Islamic Reformation. Timely and persuasive, No god but God is an elegantly written account of a magnificent yet misunderstood faith. ... Read more

Reviews

Enlightened Islam?, April 17, 2005
The first thing that struck me about this book is how well-written it is. I am a writer with about 5,000 articles in print or online. I'm also an editor, and I am noted for my harsh evaluations of the writing of others--most people simply do not write well.

Reza Aslan writes well. Extremely well.

By the time I was into the second page of this book, I felt that if Aslan had written a book about navel lint--I would still want to read it.

Couple the excellent writing with quality content, and you have a captivating book. When the subject is an authoritative explanation of Islam, the book becomes a must read for two groups of people: Those who are Muslims, and those who are not.

Aslan takes us on a journey through time. We see Muhammad before he becomes the "messenger of God," and we see his struggles along the way. From this, you can understand how Islam got its start. And then we see the various forces that act upon Islam as a blacksmith's hammer acts upon hot metal, and we watch this religion take shape over centuries.

Today, Islam is the fastest-growing religion in the world. But, it's also a sharply fragmented religion. Aslan explain the origins of the various factions shaping Islam today. There's a strong parallel to what happened in Christianity. And, Aslan draws on this parallel to explain a core concept of the book--that Islam is far from monolithic. You have to remember that Christianity got a 500 year head start on Islam. Read your history of the West, and you can see Islam along the same trajectory.

Americans, in the aftershock of September 11, generally felt much of the Islamic world had declared war on the West. In actuality, the war is between Islamic factions--just as there were wars between Christian factions five hundred years ago (and still are, today). The West is, to many of the warring factions, a symbol of power. An attack on the West is a way to demonstrate power to the other factions. Of course, there's also a hatred of the West--but that hatred isn't the core driver it's made out to be.

Yet, that hatred is a powerful force in itself. Contrary to what many liberals have been spewing, this hatred did not arise from recent actions of any American political leader. Aslan destroys that bit of proganda by addressing the history of colonization--the enslavement, displacement, and impoverishment of millions of Islamic people.

What about this interfaction rivalry? Islam is beset by three major philosophies. One philosophy seeks to keep the original vision of Islam pure--that is, to not deviate from the teachings of Muhammad. A second philosophy is that Muhammad was not pure enough, and so Islam must become more radical (think of the Taliban, here). The third philosophy is that Islam must change to adapt to the modern world--it must throw off the chains of ignorance and poverty. Aslan explains the thinking behind each of these philosophies, without preaching to the reader.

Aslan's views come into play at the end of the book, where he ties everything together. But, you don't get the feeling this is the author trying to convince you of his own views. By this point, the reader already trusts Aslan and sees him as an expert. Now, the reader gets the expert's viewpoint on where Islam should head and why.

The book carries the reader through many spiritually dark places, but emerges into the sunshine of hope. The end is inspiring and encouraging, and it carries a message for people of all religions. It is a message well worth taking to heart.

An Excellent Overview of Islam, April 7, 2005
A few days after I was asked if I'd be willing to review Reza Aslan's new book "No god but God," and before I committed myself to doing so, I happened to catch the author's appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press" where he and four other gentlemen were discussing the role of religion in current affairs. The panel included the author, two Protestant leaders, one Roman Catholic theologian, and an editor from a news magazine, and Aslan was by far the youngest participant. I was so impressed with his discussion of the topic, particularly in reference to the impact of Islam on the world today, its historical antecedents, and what is currently going on, that I immediately consented to read and review his book. I'm glad I did.

Reza Aslan is a brilliant young scholar of Islam and also of comparative religion in general, just the sort that we so dearly need today when there is so much confusion surrounding one of the world's great historical religions and its theological beliefs and political intentions. Born in Iran a few years prior to the overthrow of the Shah and the return of the Ayatollah Khomeini in 1979, the young boy was whisked out of the country and settled in the United States. Later, he studied religions at Santa Clara University, Harvard University, and the University of California at Santa Barbara. At the University of Iowa he received a master's degree in fine arts and served as a visiting assistant professor of Islamic and Middle Eastern Studies. In my opinion, one of the advantages he has when speaking and writing about Islam for the American audience is that he is not only knowledgeable about his own heritage, but appears to be thoroughly acquainted with the Western religious tradition and the American culture. This places him in an extremely enviable position for a discussion about the impact of Islam on contemporary geopolitics.

There is little doubt in my own mind, after listening to many Christian leaders and thinkers expound their views about Islam in the popular press (particularly after the 9/11 tragedy), that an unfamiliarity with the history, tradition, and beliefs of Islam abounds in the United States and, probably, in most of the West as well. (This, by the way, has always struck me as strange since I have always considered Islam to be a "western" religion, along with Judaism and Christianity, as contrasted with the "eastern" religions of Buddhism, Hinduism, and so forth.) Anyway, some of the more recent and scurrilous attacks on Islam and its founder -- "Muhammad is a pedophile," for instance -- by some "leaders" of Christian churches, show an abysmal ignorance of Islam and its founder, not to mention a frightening lack of perspective in this age of scandals involving Christian televangelists consorting with prostitutes and perpetrating financial fraud and Catholic priests going to prison for the sexual abuse of minors. I won't discuss the Muhammad-pedophilia issue here as Aslan provides the explanation in his book, but the charge made against the founder of Islam, while groundless and misunderstood, is also very stupid.

Most of "No god but God" is devoted to a history of Islam. But it must be understood that this is not a singular nor simple chronological presentation. I suspect there's a presumption among most Westerners, and particularly non-Muslim Americans, that Islam is a rather uncomplicated fanatical faith that is deliberately trying to destroy Western civilization and replace it with some sort of theocratic tyranny. Well, Aslan will straighten you about that. Islam is a very complex faith and his history of it is intertwined with accounts of internecine disputes over doctrinal and moral theology, over leadership and hegemony, over traditions as opposed to meeting contemporary necessities, and all sorts of other problems which any movement -- be it political, social, or religious -- is bound to face. These internal conflicts within Islam should not be a surprise to anyone knowledgeable about the history of Christianity. In fact, one of the things that intrigued me most about his account of the "philosophical" history of Islam is how it parallels in many respects the "philosophical" history of Christianity. After all, Christianity is hardly a "unified" movement and hasn't been for over a thousand years (think Catholic, Orthodox, Protestant, just to mention three).

Islam, contrary to the common view of most Americans, is not a unified religious force with a totalitarian script written by theocrats who want to dominate the entire world. There are various factions -- "sects," if you will -- within Islam opposed to each other. This appears to have been the case almost from the beginning. While some factions within Islam have striven to create theocratic states, others have supported the building of democratic, pluralistic societies. Think about the current situation in Iraq with the disputes between the Shi'ites and the Sunni, both religious factions of Islam. Then think about Wahhabism, another faction which arose in Saudi Arabia and is much more "fundamentalistic." Think "Taliban," probably the most extremist of the Islamic factions. Islam is hardly a unified movement, anymore than modern Christianity is. Aslan goes to great lengths in his book to explain all this and does a superb job doing it. And he shows, I think, that Islam can live and thrive in a modern democratic and pluralistic world, without being the "threat" that many have envisioned.

I highly recommend this book. If there's one thing we need desperately today it is an understanding of other religions and philosophies. Islam is a mysterious faith to many Americans. Fear is most often founded upon ignorance. And there can no longer be a justification for ignorance about a major religion which is so impacting the world's stage today. The world is getting smaller every hour. Isolationism and parochialism are no longer viable options. We either learn to live together or we destroy each other. Read, contemplate, discuss, and understand. Aslan's book is a contribution to that protocol.

Excellent book providing key insights into Islam, March 20, 2005
A truly fascinating and accessible book written by Reza Islan, a scholar of comparative religions. It documents Islam's evolution since the time of Prophet Muhammad till our present day in a highly engaging fashion. In a succinct account, the book documents the history of this greatly misunderstood religion, starting from the Prophet's life, the civil war that englufed Muslims after his death, and Quran'ic interpretations that medieval islamic scholars advanced due to political reasons rather than theological conviction. The position of women in Islam is further clarified, with the author contrasting the Prophet's great appreciation of women's role in society to their later degradation as a result of men's monopoly over the interpretation of the Quran. The roots of modern terrorism are exposed from their origins in 18th century Wahhabist thought which relied on ultra-conservative interpretations and un-substantiated sayings from the Prophet, to the current scene after 9/11. This insightful book also deals with the roots of anti-semitism in Islam, the Islamic rulings on the treatment of minorities and prisoners of wars, and Islamic theology and law. A truly engaging account of Islam that is a must-read for anyone who is interested in learning more about current events and/or the history of religions.

3 1/2 Stars. Not objective like the author intends, but still a good read, June 20, 2007
As a Muslim, I read this book with interest. In NO GOD BUT GOD, Reza Aslan attempts to narrate and analyze the Origins and Evolution of Islam, and a vision of its Future.

Starting with an exploration of Pre-Islamic Arabia, he details the life of the Prophet Muhammad (s), and follows up with the 4 Rightly Guided Caliphs. He then focuses on the evolution of Islamic thought, including the development of the Ulama in Sunni Islam, and the development of other schools of thought/sects such as Shiism and Sufism. He finishes by detailing the response of the Muslim world to colonialism, and modern issues today, especially Islam's struggle towards democracy.

Aslan aims to portray what he feels is an 'objective' portrayal of Islamic history, by correcting what he feels are errors by past scholars, especially Muslim scholars with idealized views. However, ultimately, he is not very successful in his quest. While he criticizes early Islamic historians for portraying '9th century Baghdad' rather than '7th century Madina', one can argue that his view of Islamic history is '21 century American' rather than '7th century Madinan.' His biases are evident, and are typical of 21st century America and the West: Denial of supernatural events, resistance to established historical (especially religious) authority, preference for free-flowing spirituality versus formalized doctrines of law, and importance given to issues such as democracy. (Note, as an American, I share some of these biases, but its important to note their existence as biases in a quest for objectivity.)

Aslan usually starts each section by presenting 'the idealized' view of a topic, as narrated by early Muslim scholars (what he terms as 'myth') and then presents what he believes 'really happened' (history). Myth typically includes miracles, and heroic portrayals of people involved. Those inclined to believe in miracles (and I am one) may have difficulty with this approach, as he flatly says that it doesn't matter whether or not miracles happened (ie, whether Jesus raised the dead) but rather, what role such myths play in shaping the beliefs of a particular religious community. I heartily disagree with Aslan here- I believe it matters a great deal whether or not the beliefs of a religious community are shaped by actual historical events (including wonderous, amazing ones) or whether such beliefs are based on, in the end, lies and falsehood. In any case, Aslan was not there to witness events such as Lazarus rising from the dead, and neither were the early historians, so ultimately, it is up to each person to make up their own mind about the actual historicity of such supernatural events.

Aslan also occasionally over stretches himself in his attempts to deny miracles. For instance, he suggests that its unlikely that the Prophet (s) was illiterate, because as a merchant, he supposedly had to be able to read and write. Clearly Aslan has not spent much time with illiterate people- and is unable to recognize just how much these people can do without reading and writing. (illiterate people today are health workers treating pneumonia and malaria using complex medical regimens, and performing internationally recognized research, including recording results, about endangered species).

However, I must admit that I greatly appreciated Aslan's candor about the religious personalities involved. Sunni Islamic scholarship presents early Islamic historical figures (such as the first 4 Caliphs) and the early Muslim community as incredible, nearly error free, almost absolutely perfect, human beings- almost super-beings. I was always struck at the incongruity of such idealized descriptions and the fact that within a few decades after the death of the Prophet (s), the early Islamic community entered a massive civil war from which one could argue Islam never recovered. I wondered, how could such a supposedly perfect community made with such supposedly perfect people get into such a serious mess so quickly? Reading Aslan's descriptions (which included Sunni, Shii, and western sources) of the personalities involved was very helpful in this regard: they weren't perfect people, but were deeply religious, well meaning people who, yes, had their share of faults, misunderstandings, and disagreements (about Islam and a lot of other things) which built up over the years, and in the chaotic transition after the Prophet's death, exploded into civil war.

Aslan is unable to hide his obvious disdain of the Ulama (Islamic Scholars who have codified Islamic Law, or Shariah). He paints them entirely in a negative light, as a power hungry, control-mad group which has stifled all flexibility from the religion. While this view undoubtedly has a good deal truth to it (I am extremely sympathetic), it must also be admitted that the Scholars did a great deal of work to preserve the religion, and its history, without which we may not even have the religion today, and certainly would know far less about the events surrounding its birth and rise. Aslan is equality negative about the Ayatollah Khomeni, who he feels promised democracy but in reality bamboozled the Iranian people into accepting a theocracy (in reality, a dictatorship under his rule) through his powerful persona. Aslan's views on Khomeni are understandable given the fact that he lived his early life in Iran, experienced the hope that the Iranian people felt during the revolution, only to have to flee the country with his family.

On the other hand, Aslan is quite positive about Sufism, the spiritual branch of Islam, defending all its variations, despite admitting that at least some Sufi beliefs don't square very well with the basic Islamic creed, "No God but God." Aslan correctly states that Sufism is quite complex, and is not generalizable. However, he occasionally tries to generalize anyway, with a view of defending Sufism against the barrage of negative criticism it has received for the unorthodox views of some of its branches. However, this approach leads to occasional contradictions: for example Aslan states that all Sufis follow Islamic acts of worship such as 5 daily prayers, but then also says that some Sufis believe acts of religious worship are only important for the masses, and others believe it is a shell that can be cast off once deeper layers of spirituality are realized.

Aslan's biases are finally represented in his vision of Islam's future. He clearly believes in Islamic pluralism, and believes that it can best be represented by a democracy. Furthermore, he believes that when God's law and the popular will contradict, the popular will should win out. The limits of Islamic pluralism is hotly debated today in the Muslim world, but for me, the claim, "No God but God" is the key to Islam, along with the belief in Muhammad (s) Prophethood. These two aspects should be the backbone of anyone calling themselves a Muslim.

The issue of popular sovereignty over divine law (properly understood and contextualized) is considerably more complex. I ultimately agree with Aslan, one cannot force on a community any law, including a law from God, over a people who do not believe in it, or do not want it implemented in their community. However, Aslan leaves it there, as if that is the end of the story. I would argue that every effort should be made to make the community see the wisdom of divine laws, emphasizing positive consequences in implementing them (improved justice, equality, social harmony, etc) and pointing out negatives of not following them (chaotic society, broken down families, etc), both in this world and in the afterlife.

As other reviewers mention, Aslan is a good writer. His writing is clear and he is able to explain complex concepts deftly. I actually found his 'idealized' sections (the 'myths') often even better written and more powerful than this supposedly objective analysis that follows: his 'myths,' whether of the Prophet (s), the companions, the Caliphs, or Sufi legends are dramatic and pulsating with life. After reading them, it was a bit of a let down (and at times, even irritating) to be told, 'well this is what REALLY happened' and reading an analysis of events that I did not find objective. Aslan should try his hand at fiction!

READ AND ADD it to your bookshelf!!, March 16, 2005
Reza Aslan is a second generation American Muslim and here is your up-to-date optimist's guide to Islam. He is accutely aware of the turmoil unleashed in the Middle East that has called the US to its lands. He believes we are at the dawn of an Islamic reformation, and much of the initial impetus for this modernizing current comes from people like himself.

What defines a Muslim? There is no God but one God and Mohammed is his Prophet. This simple, supple catechism makes Islamic belief protean and unwieldy. But many, he thinks, stand behind the movement to usher in a new Islamic enlightenment. As a humanist, I pray he is right!

Unfortunately, Aslan also believes that fundamentalist or traditionalist appeal is very very limited. Based on surveys, I think he's wrong - but clearly the world situation with so many in Muslim lands so young (most under 18), there is enormous room for change and development. Pessimists underestimate people's aspirational needs and their awareness of what' s involved and how to get it. In an increasingly interconnected and urbanizing world, doubting the consumers of ideas is increasingly untenable. And partisans of Bush policy sure hope he's right.

Thus, read this book and add it to your shelf. Avoid psuedo-guides to Islam like Karen Armstrong who has her own anit-Catholic axes to grind. With Azlan, instead, you have the genuine article.

Excellent!, May 10, 2007
As a muslim woman who had been conflicted between my personal beliefs and the current interpretation of Islam, this book was a breath of fresh air. It reaffirmed how Islam is a religion of compassion, respect & tolerance and how the original vision of Islam was the creation of a true civil society. The message of this book is much needed. For what this book gave me personally, I cannot thank Reza Aslan enough.

a perfect introduction, November 4, 2005
Islam is one of the natural extensions for someone who studies Middle Eastern politics. I've read primarily about Iraq and other countries, but it's all been a very generalized look at the Middle East. To really gain an understanding of the region, one must read specifically about Islam, ethnic conflict, and democratization, as well as books about the region in general.

Having never read anything about Islam, I was very intimidated to pick up a book and start reading about such a complicated and rich religion. Take into account that I'm an atheist and then the topic seems very daunting indeed. Even though I was right to assume that the subject is complex, this book was more helpful than I could have imagined. Aslan's style is straightforward and easy to read. He breaks the book down into very well-organized chapters that flow together nicely. In addition to my positive experience with the book, I also had the opportunity to show No god but God to several Muslim friends from several different Middle Eastern countries here at school and they all gave their thumbs up.

I knew very little about Islam before purchasing this book but did not get lost or feel confused at any point when reading it. I know that I will have to read many more books about Islam before I really start to understand it, but I think this book was the perfect starting point. For anyone else in my position, I highly recommend it.

Great but Incomplete Book on Islam, July 30, 2006
I am a Muslim and chose to read the book because of its intriguing title and the reputation of the author. I found it to be well written and illustrates many important aspects of Islam that would be useful for Muslims and people of other faiths as well. In spite of its capturing read I saw 4 limitations. 1- The transmission of the leadership of Islam after the Prophet's death and the internal feuds seem to be oversimplified. 2- The Hadith and its nature and role in current faith is represented too negatively. 3- The "Golden Era" of Islamic rule and the cultural and scientific developments and contributions have not been mentioned. 4- The modern era of Islam was covered too briefly and should have taken more space and discussion. Nonetheless, I liked the book and recommend with the above limitations.

Knows what he's talking about, March 29, 2005
Okay, so you can see by my name that this isn't going to be an impartial review. Aslan knows what he's talking about and dispenses that knowledge very eloquently. I heard his interview on Air America (that's right, I'm a liberal too...) and for the first time felt that someone in the media was truly representing mainstream Muslims like myself. He said that Muslims in general are "boring" people so the media likes to focus on the minority of jihadists to get their kicks.

Now regarding one of the other reviews on this site, 1 in every 4 people on Earth is a Muslim. Given that statistic, the proposition that every Muslim is "hardwired" for violence would really make one sweat. Just thank God that a significant majority of Muslims really are peaceful.

excellent introduction to Islam, May 23, 2005
This book is beautifully written and deserves to be the bestseller it has become. Aslan is trying to rescue Islam from the traditionalists who see it as stuck in the time of Mohammed forever. Instead, Aslan says the interpretation of what being a "good Muslim" is has been hijacked by a series of extremists, and now is the time to reclaim the hidden history of tolerance and diversity. I agree with other reviewers that this has a good chance of becoming the standard book on the subject. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Editorial Review

From the renowned translator of The Gift, a rich collection that brings the great Sufi poet to Western readers

To Persians , the poems of Hafiz are not "classical literature" from a remote past but cherished wisdom from a dear and intimate friend that continue to be quoted in daily life. With uncanny insight, Hafiz captures the many forms and stages of love. His poetry outlines the stages of the mystic’s "path of love"—a journey in which love dissolves personal boundaries and limitations to join larger processes of growth and transformation.

With this stunning collection, Ladinsky has succeeded brilliantly in translating the essence of one of Islam’s greatest poetic and spiritual voices. ... Read more

Reviews

Profoundly Accessible Love, Light and True Direction, July 24, 2007
So much Beauty! Hafiz is pure joy and a perfect friend. For Hafiz, Only Love is Real.

I Heard God Laughing, in continuous print for the past eleven years, serves as a beacon of pure light, trueing our compass on our journey to God. In these brilliant, deeply tender, witty, and full hearted renderings, Ladinsky releases the true spirit of this most beloved Persian poet and spiritual teacher and makes him fully accessible to our times.

Hafiz has influenced and nourished many writers, poets and scholars through the centuries, including Nietzsche, Byron, Hugo, Lorca, Goethe and Emerson.
If you're interested in knowing more about some of these eminent poets own words about translations/renderings read on, below, following these gems....

Your Beautiful Parched Holy Mouth

A poet is someone
Who can pour Light into a cup,
Then raise it
To nourish
Your beautiful, parched, holy mouth.

an excerpt from " A Golden Compass"

Forget every idea of right and wrong
Any classroom ever taught you,

Because
An empty heart, a tormented mind,
Unkindness, jealousy and fear

Are always the testimony
You have been completely fooled!

Turn your back on those
Who would imprison your wondrous spirit
With deceit and lies.

Come, join the honest company
Of the King's beggars--
Those gamblers, scoundrels and divine clowns
And those astonishing fair courtesans
Who need Divine Love every night.

Come, join the courageous
Who have no choice
But to bet their entire world
That indeed,
Indeed, God is Real.....



Tripping Over Joy

What is the difference
Between your experience of Existence
And that of a saint?

The saint knows
That the spiritual path
Is a sublime chess game with God

And that the Beloved
Has made such a Fantastic Move

That the saint is now continually
Tripping over Joy
And bursting out in Laughter
And saying, "I surrender!"

Whereas, my dear,
I am afraid you still think

You have a thousand serious moves.


For anyone interested in the conversation that goes back and forth about the legitimacy of renderings and translations of Hafiz this may be helpful information:

Professor A.J. Arberry's scholarly work with Hafiz has, since the 1940's, been considered the gold standard of Hafiz's literal translations into the English language. In a 1948 review of Arberry's translations, Harvard Professor of Near Eastern Studies, Eric Schroeder, praises Arberry's work and agrees with him concerning the difficulty of presenting this greatest Persian poet to English speaking minds. "For Hafiz' beautiful verbal surface is too complex to retain the felicity of poetry when fully rendered into English. The acoustic structure of English equivalents, it is superfluous to say, could never echo the flawless music of the Persian words." Schroeder's review states too, "the only service of translation is to make the foreign poet a poet of one's own country."

Goethe translated Hafiz and said of him "... Hafiz has no peer!" Of the task of translating, Goethe says, "I revere the rhythm as well as the rhyme, by which poetry first becomes poetry; but that which is really, deeply, and fundamentally effective--what is really permanent and furthering--is what remains of the poet when he is translated into prose ... I therefore consider prose translations more advantageous than poetical ones... Those critical translations that vie with the original seem really to be only for the private delectation of the learned."

Emerson too rendered Hafiz, about whom he stated, "He fears nothing. He sees too far; he sees throughout; such is the only man I wish to see and be." Emerson's translations were both free renderings and translations all made from German sources, for he did not read or speak Persian with any fluency.

Contemporary poet/translator Kenneth Rexroth states, " The writer who can project himself into the exultation of another learns more than the craft of words, He learns the stuff of poetry. It is not just his prosody he keeps alert, it is his heart." One can't find a more alert and exultant heart for our modern world, than Hafiz in the pen of Ladinsky.

If you're drawn to know more, by all means read scholars' translations. If you want to dive into the complex beauty of the Persian language, go there. But if you want immediate holy refreshment, and the encouragement and joy of Hafiz's perfect heart, take _I Heard God Laughing_ home with you!

Hafiz will touch your heart and make you laugh!, January 28, 2007
I Heard God Laughing, a wonderful book, who could imagine Hafiz from the l4th century would touch us all. The poems can be read over and over and I find I fall deeper and deeper into them, their beauty and love come through in Landinsky's translations. I highly recommend the books, also recommend " The Subject Tonight is Love", and "Love Poems from God" all by Landinsky. I can't say enough about the beauty of his translations, a masterful job he has done.

For anyone wanting to go deeper into relationship with yourself, a partner, etc, turn off the tv, and open one of Landinsky's books and read to your Beloved........it's very sweet, and afterall, isn't that why we are here, to be in relationship and dialogue with each other.

Nothing Better, February 28, 2008
I've read other translators of Hafiz, Rumi, etc. and while I do not speak the original language, I cannot imagine a more truthful and present-time translation of Hafiz totally in keeping with the spirit of his words. I am a poet myself and the good ones make meanings that transcend their own words. Ladinsky taps into Hafiz's meanings and the joy that bubbles up from it is contagious. Every single poem makes Hafiz's spirit come alive garbed in bright shiny eyes and compassionate heart -- looking right at you. It is said that in Arab countries the average person on the street can and will quote Hafiz by heart. You need crucial images to do that. A humdrum or more accurate interpretation in English will not stick to the ears nor the heart. How's this for memorable lines:

"You better start kissing me -- or else!"

"You don't have to act crazy anymore --
We all know you were good at that."

"The stars get clearly drunk
And crazy at night
And throw themselves
Across the sky."

"I know the way you can get
When you have not had a drink of Love."

"Do you know how beautiful you are?
I think not, my dear.
Yet Hafiz could set you upon a Stage
And worship you forever!"

"I have a thousand brilliant lies
For the question, How are you?"

And finally,
"A poet is someone
Who can pour Light into a spoon,
Then raise it to nourish
Your beautiful parched, holy mouth."

If God is the Light and Hafiz is the spoon, then Daniel Ladinsky is the one holding you upright to receive the gift.

Ladinsky poems masquerading as Hafiz, June 29, 2007
People should be aware that Daniel Ladinsky writes his own original poems, which are inspired by Hafiz, and then calls them "poems by Hafiz". Ladinsky does not translate Hafiz, and his poems do not resemble the legitimate works of Hafiz. THIS IS NOT A COLLECTION OF HAFIZ. They are beautiful poems in their own right, but they are marketed under a deceptive pretense. By all means, read the poems that Hafiz actually wrote.

Ecstatic and Visceral...glorious, September 24, 2007
What my heart feels when I view a sunset or a baby giggling may differ markedly from what another feels or interprets. Ladinsky's work may leave some cold...which is okay as we all view life through self-adopted filters. But if you startled by an occasional or surprising glimpse of a numinous and swirling piece of the Divine and an unexpected and overwhelming sense of love and compassion, you'll find these poems a homecoming. The 'debate' over the 'accuracy' of Ladinsky's translation of Hafiz is distracting and, in fact, quite irrelevant. It doesn't matter if you dance with Ladinsky or Hafiz or Rabia or Mirabai...the poetry is ecstatic and the dance exquisite.

A very interesting collection of poetry., September 4, 2007
This is a book of quite short poems that show great playfulness and wisdom.
They are neither nieve or cynical but positive without shying away from the darker side of nature. Also a good translation, the poems flows nicely.

Beautiful, December 6, 2008
I've loved Rumi for some time and just recently discovered Hafiz. I see a wonderful similarity in their adoration of the natural world and of the Beloved. The title of this book especially grabbed me because I had an experience of my own recently where I heard the Laughter of God. On my journey sometimes I feel very alone, and it's so comforting to remember other pilgrims have passed this way before. I can't get enough!

GOD IS LAUGHING!, June 11, 2009
HAFIZ through Ladinsky brightens every moment with another fine rendering of estactic poetry. One can only laugh and feel the joy flowing from this collection of poems! I always have to buy several volumes of Hafiz as I can never bear to even loan my copy! Donna P. Savage, Author of The Man and The Shark: A Modern Day Fable of Awakening and Rebirth

Just love it to the max, December 30, 2008
I love this book. Have had for years and read it often. Even use some of the poetry in birthday cards, etc. It is universal and inspiring. I feel that Daniel Ladinsky does an excellent job of translating Hafiz's work. It flows beautifully unlike other translations that I find dry and unappealling. I believe I even now enjoy Hafiz more than Rumi but it is a close call.

I heard God Laughing..., January 7, 2008
This is a marvelous book of poems. Almost every poem was touching. I highly
reccomend this book. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Coleman Barks has played a central role in making the Sufi mystic Rumi the most popular poet in the world. A Year with Rumi brings together 365 of Barks's elegant and beautiful translations of Rumi's greatest poems, including fifteen never-before-published poems.

Barks includes an Introduction that sets Rumi in his context and an Afterword musing on poetry of the mysterious and the sacred. Join Coleman Barks and Rumi for a year-long journey into the mystical and sacred within and without. Join them in recognizing and embracing the divine in the sublime, in the ordinary, and in us all.

Reviews

Speaking across many centuries, July 15, 2007
Coleman Barks is a poet, and his treatments of Rumi bring that poetry into a contemporary context. Like everything that is not pure science, these things are, of course, matters of taste. I am not a Farsi scholar or speaker, but as I understand it - and this is fairly often discussed/hotly debated - the complexities of Sufi poetry in the original languages make it pretty much untranslatable. Here is part of Robet Bly's excellent review of Barks' work, he expresses it so well:

"Rumi has, to the recent amazement of many people in the Western culture as well as the Islamic culture, been able to speak directly to contemporary readers. One of the greatest pieces of good luck that has happened recently in American poetry is Coleman Barks's agreement to translate poem after poem of Rumi. Rumi, like Kabir, is able to contain and continue intricate theological arguments and at the same time speak directly from the heart or to the heart. Coleman's exquisite sensitivity to the flavor and turns of ordinary American speech has produced marvelous lines, full of flavor and Sufi humor, as well as the intimacy that is carried inside American speech at its best."
--Robert Bly

If the Barks translations speak to you, you'll likely love having a daily meditation book, which this is.

Mediocre, January 29, 2007
While Coleman Barks is to be commended for introducing many people to Rumi, his renditions of Rumi's poems scarcely reflect the original Persian. Barks, who does not speak Persian (another word for Farsi), took much better translations for AJ Arberry, and rephrased them for his books. In the process, he lost much of the accuracy and most of the character of the original poetry. Those interested in better translations of Rumi should get a hold of Reynold Nicholson's or AJ Arberry's translations.

Daily Rumi Readings, July 26, 2008
Each day's reading has multiple levels to try to comprehend. Lots of fodder for thought and discussion. It would be fun to sit down at dinner each night and have a family discussion about that day's poem.

Rumi, September 11, 2008
A little Rumi every day is very good for the soul. This English version of Rumi's poetry captures the essence of the original Farsi text.

A Year With Rumi: Daily Readings, June 20, 2008
I love this book - Coleman Barks does a wonderful job of translating Rumi's poems. I am enjoying working my way through the year!

WISDOM THE (S)AGES, January 31, 2010
A wonderful reminder of our place in this universe with insights that help unravel the tightly woven web we weave.

Excellent sample of Rumi's work, January 26, 2009
"A Year with Rumi" is an excellent collection of the mystic poet's work, translated by renowned Rumi expert Coleman Barks. It is arranged as a series of daily readings, and I've found it to be a great source of inspiration each new day.

Uplifting..., November 25, 2008
Honoring the great Sufi tradition, Coleman Barks translates Rumi in a way that anyone with a spiritual side can appreciate. I particularly appreciate this edition for Barks' editorial comments and for the volume of poetry. A great introduction to Rumi and Sufism.

A delightful book!, August 13, 2010
This is a delightful book that takes up the intricacies of Sufi poetry and translates them by producing a modern work. Coleman understands Rumi and has been able to interpret his emotions and thoughts in a wonderful manner. Many kudos to him. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Every Thursday morning for two years in the Islamic Republic of Iran, Azar Nafisi, a bold and inspired teacher, secretly gathered seven of her most committed female students to read forbidden Western classics. Some came from conservative and religious families, others were progressive and secular; some had spent time in jail. They were shy and uncomfortable at first, unaccustomed to being asked to speak their minds, but soon they removed their veils and began to speak more freely–their stories intertwining with the novels they were reading by Jane Austen, F. Scott Fitzgerald, Henry James, and Vladimir Nabokov. As Islamic morality squads staged arbitrary raids in Tehran, as fundamentalists seized hold of the universities and a blind censor stifled artistic expression, the women in Nafisi’s living room spoke not only of the books they were reading but also about themselves, their dreams and disappointments.

Azar Nafisi’s luminous masterwork gives us a rare glimpse, from the inside, of women’s lives in revolutionary Iran. Reading Lolita in Tehran is a work of great passion and poetic beauty, a remarkable exploration of resilience in the face of tyranny, and a celebration of the liberating power of literature. ... Read more

Reviews

Sex with a man you loathe. . ., July 21, 2003
Reading the reviews and the dust jacket, you can get the idea that this is a book about a book club. For this reader, it is more directly about the impact of the Islamic revolution on the lives of educated women in Iran. There women are required at the risk of their lives to wear the "veil," which symbolizes the surrender of their independence to a government that uses fear and intimidation to control them and, in the words of the author, make them "irrelevant."

The author, now living in the US, tells of almost two decades in Iran, as a teacher of English and American literature. She tells of the great hopes for reform after the fall of the Shah and the return from exile of the Ayatollah Khomeini, and with her we watch in horror as the revolution takes Iran by force instead into its medieval past. There are arrests, murders, and executions and those who can, flee to the West. The transformation of Iran is charted by the repressive attempts to make women invisible, by covering them in public from head to toe. It becomes a world in which wearing fingernail polish, even under gloves, is a punishable offense. And punishment, as we learn, is typically brutal.

The author escapes from this violence into the imaginative world of Western novels (from Nabokov to Dashiell Hammet) where she finds democratic ideals expressed in fiction's ability to help us empathize with other people. For her, it is the heart that has gone out of the gun-wielding moral police that want to sweep away all but complete submission to their fundamentalist form of Islam. And while she is a teacher, she must deal with classes filled with students who have been polarized by the political forces around them. All, curiously, are in single agreement that the West is corrupt and absolutely evil. Meanwhile, the novels of Western writers engage them, sometimes furiously. A wonderful sequence in the book concerns a mock trial in the classroom in which "The Great Gatsby" is brought up on charges of immorality.

"Lolita," we discover, becomes a story of a girl who finally escapes from the clutches of a man who wants to erase who she is and turn her into a figment of his imagination. It's not an allegory of Iran, Nafisi insists, but it's hard not to see the parallels. The contamination of personal relationships between men and women and its impact on love and marriage inform their readings of James and Austen. Meanwhile, even as her classes meet to argue the merits of these authors, their books are disappearing as one bookstore after another is closed down.

Added to all this is an account of living through eight years of war with Iraq, while missiles fall on Tehran and the numbers of casualties on the front lines mount. After leaving teaching, the author assembles a hand-picked group of former students, all female, to meet weekly at her home and talk more about books. Here the individual personalities and histories of each come to the fore, and we get a glimpse (as in fiction) into personal worlds experienced intensely under circumstances that have nearly robbed them of their identities.

It's easy to go on and on about this book. There is so much packed into it. Needless to say, I recommend it highly, especially to anyone who loves books or has taught literature. Obviously, it also informs many gender issues. For male readers, such as myself, it is like an extended version of Virginia Woolf's illuminating "A Room of One's Own." The author and her young students show how the lives of both men and women are impoverished in a world where one sex attempts to assume control over the other. For me, the book is best summed up in the author's words near the end: "Living in the Islamic Republic is like having sex with a man you loathe."

The books is not a polemic, and as the author would be first to admit, there are many other voices to be heard on the subject of Iran, its government, and its role in the world. For this reader, her book opens a door into a complex subject that invites one to read more and know more.

a glimpse of Upsilamba!, July 5, 2003
Azar Nafisi has written a brilliant, moving, and frightening book. As a professor of English literature at Tehran University, she provides a unique perspective on the Iranian revolution that changed the world.

She considers herself an intellectual. She marched against the west and the USA support of the Shah of Iran. She tells of the joy that she and her colleagues felt at his fall. She tells of the changes in everyday life for intellectuals and for women as the Islamists took over the country. She left her job at the university (a job that she loved) because she refused to wear the veil. She tells of the effects of the eight year long Iraq/Iran war on the women of Tehran, the tyranny of the religious leaders who issue their decrees as though they came directly from God.

Nafisi's story is one of change, tyranny, fascism, and the failure in the 20th century to defend women when their identity and their humanity are stolen in the name of religion. It is also the story of personal courage, intelligence, commitment, and love.

Nafisi lead a book discussion group for a select group of women in her home in Tehran before leaving Iran. The forbidden fruit that they read was Lolita, Pride and Prejudice, Daisy Miller, and the Great Gatsby! They risked so much to do this; they risked imprisonment, beatings, rape, and perhaps execution.

She tells her story and some of the stories of her students through these group discussions. She has changed the name of the women that are still alive to protect them. She tells one of her student's stories. While in prison she knew of guards who repeatedly raped a young beautiful girl. They justified this punishment because their heinous acts would deny her access to heaven. In this interpretation of Islam, only virgins could go to heaven and God has no punishment for the rapists.

We, in the USA, live such safe, comfortable lives even in the wake of 9/11. Our free public libraries, bookstores, and Amazon.com provide such easy access to Nabokov, Austen, James, and Fitzgerald, and yet so few of us read them. We post public reviews on controversial books on Amazon.com accepting the minimal risk of a negative vote. What do we know of the Iranian revolution that in the name of Islam has made women invisible, that has morality police, and bans these dangerous books? Our respect for religious freedom makes us tenuous in dealing with atrocities committed in God's name!

I highly recommend this book.

Note to the author: if you are reading this, thank you for you have given us all a glimpse of Upsilamba!

Complex and Moving!, April 25, 2003
I read this book for a variety of reasons and I was rewarded on every level. It gave me insight into the world of Islamic Fundamentalism through the lives of some of the women who are forced to live according to its tenets; it increased my understanding of an important historical movement; it gave me some wonderful and nuanced insights into some favorite works of literature; and I was able to share the author's growth through very tumultuous times. This memoir is beautifully and suspensefully written--one really comes to care deeply about these brave women. Questions of courage and indentity are at the core of this book--how does one relate to a repressive regime without effacing oneself? This book is a journey that illuminates some of the conflicts at the core of our current age. I encourage you to read it!

Quality reading..., January 10, 2004
I thought this was a really good quality book. I found many parts touching, and I enjoyed the insight into the lives of the students with whom Nafisi met on a weekly basis to discuss controversial literature. Nafisi is a very interesting person and an impeccable writer. My only criticism (and it's more a matter of personal taste than anything)....I got very bogged down in the middle. I wanted to learn more about Nafisi's students. I assumed that they would be the main focus of the book from reading the blurb on the cover. The first and last sections focused mostly on the women's gatherings, but the middle sections focused mostly on the war situation in Iran. Not that that particular part wasn't interesting (in fact it was absolutely necessary to illustrate the state of the Islamic Republic), but I just found myself more captivated by the struggles and opinions of the women. I greatly enjoyed reading the insight into some of my favorite novels including The Great Gatsby and Pride and Prejudice. I also added plenty of works to my growing wishlist based on the commentary between Nafisi and her students.

Absolutely not politically correct, July 1, 2008
The author was a specialist for Western literature in the Iran of the Islamic Republic. That was of course a no-no and she lost her university job in 1995. Before finally emigrating to the US (where she is now probably a suspect as a sleeper of some kind), she did a remarkably courageous thing: she continued teaching girls in English language literature at home for two more years. The main message of the book is the story of the lessons and of the fate of the girls in a country that has gone back dramatically in civic freedoms.
I was reminded of this book, which I read a few years ago, by the discussions after I posted reviews of the novel and the first film Lolita. I realized that there are more interpretations of Lolita, the novel, than was mentioned in the discussion. For the group of women who read the book in Tehran, what was in the forefront was that somebody who has been forced to be with somebody that she didn't want to be with, can rise up and escape.
In a way though, Lolita is not really the main subject of the study group. The book ought to have been called Reading the Great Gatsby in Tehran or reading Jane Austen. Both take a lot more space. Obviously the title was chosen by marketing criteria. The title with Lolita sounds more interesting and it has a much better rhythm.
I am as often puzzled by the reactions here in Amazon. Where do all the negative reviews come from? Does the Iran have a fifth column of literate people who can write reviews?

Disappointing, March 23, 2004
Too much of Lit 101 and not enough about how these women really lived their day to day lives. For example, I wanted to know how the author manages to meet the man she calls "the magician" in public when such meetings between unrelated men and women are punishable by torture - perhaps death. How did she justify this to her husband and family? Was the danger not really so great? Did she time her meetings to avoid discovery? Was that possible? So many unanswered questions that would have been so much more interesting than exploring The Great Gatsby -- once again.

I found myself slogging through the final third. Nothing's going on and the author is holding back - alot. (Either that or she was a terrible observer.) Her relationship with her readers is superficial, without the level of intimacy and truthfulness that would have made you feel, well - anything. There's so much more she could have shared that would have made for compelling reading.

The potential for a really great book is there -- making this all the more disappointing.

disjointed and oddly impersonal, August 23, 2004
Nafisi's very disappointing memoir seems oddly disconnected from her family and friends except when framed in the context of her professional passion, literature. Read this book for a minimal historical context of the general impact of Islamic extremism on women, or for literary criticism of a number of books including Lolita, Great Gastby, Daisy Miller, and others, but do not expect to gain any insight into the author's home life or family. Her documentation reads like a diary, self-absorbed and grand, something one writes that is fun and fascinating for yourself, but not enjoyable for others. Nafisi is at times condescending and self-important and her style of writing, which jumps around in time and in story, and doesn't use quotes in the dialogue, creates "characters" without soul. She was clearly more interested in the literary criticism, where she does succeed in making those authors' characters come to life. Her students, friends, and family, however, remain flat. She is quick to praise herself as a teacher, but does not do justice to making her students as memorable as she would make herself. And while she writes frequently of love, words of love for her husband are noticeably absent. very disappointing indeed.

Disappointing, September 26, 2004
Yes, Nafisi is bright. Her memoir has a few passages that offer insight into the lives of Iranians during a time of oppression and her discussion of literary works of Nabokov, Fitzgerald, and Austen are interesting. Unfortunately, she is also arrogant and humorless. Her book, for the most part, is a disjointed memoir filled with smug self-congratulations.

I must be missing something., April 17, 2006
(Note: For some reason every time I have to write a one or two star review, folks who loved the book seem to come out of the woodwork to vote that my review wasn't helpful thus lowering my Amazon.com ranking. I have a hard time believing that only my negative reviews are poorly written. I firmly believe that reviews should cover all opinions and not just serve as love fests, thus, here is my barely one-star review for "Reading Lolita in Tehran." Vote away.)

It is truly beyond me how this book has touched so many readers. Nafisi basically supplies 340 pages of English literature lectures on traditional Western canon books (ie: "The Great Gatsby," "Pride and Prejudice," "Daisy Miller," etc.)interspersed with mostly factual information (vs. any type of emotional insights) about her life in Tehran during the Iran-Iraq war in the 1990s.

Nafisi's writing is scattered, often flipping back and forth between discussion of a text and discussion of a person or factual event but often not truly distinguishing between the two. Time frames are non-existent. Insight is near to nil and the few insights that are touched on are repeated ad naseum. By page 28 I had written myself this note, "Okay, we get it - the regime is individuality crushing and bad - especially towards women who feel forced to live double lives - one in public, one in private. Can we get on with things now?"

Unfortunately, we never do get on with things. Perhaps the repetition would not be so bad were it not for Nafisi's own tyranny in her classroom - demanding that her students read and appreciate exactly what she does. Much later in the book, she is then shocked when she discovers that her students are repeating her lessons to her verbatim and tries to see it as a consequence of the political climate and not of her own teaching style.

The only authentic emotion exuding from Nafisi's writing is guilt. Her own guilt at deciding to leave Iran for the US is crystal clear and understandable. She writes of a student who says, "If everyone leaves...who will help make something of this country? How can we be so irresponsible?" It was touching to find such a true sentiment in the midst of all of the more rote topics.

Overall, Nafisi details her bourgeoise lifestyle in war-torn Iran where she occasionally lives vicariously through those who had lives much more directly affected by the war and the political climate, and constantly lives vicariously through her outdated and overrated books and lesson plans.

I found Maureen Corrigan's book, "Leave Me Alone, I'm Reading" to be a more enjoyable "memoir in books." Despite it's lack of interesting locale, Corrigan is able to garner real life lessons out of general fiction and literature. I would recommend it to anyone who liked "Reading Lolita in Tehran."

Excellent idea--unimaginitive execution, September 24, 2004
What a promising idea! The plot of a group of women performing literary rebellion by reading banned western books under an oppressive regiime. It sounded like an enthralling read.
Unfortunately, the author does not deliver. It becomes clear that the plot is a thin disguise for a reconstituted academic paper regarding the relevance of Nabokov in this culture. The characters
are not developed, and events are cursorily described. There is little opportunity to become engaged with this story. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Reviews

A very thorough and enlightening book, April 7, 2000
This book, written by a Pakistani journalist, takes us inside Afghanistan and the Taliban. The author's deep knowledge of the land - its terrain and people - is impressive. I must say the history of Afghanistan is quite interesting, not to mention the wide variety of ethnic groups that I never knew existed. From a land of high art and culture in Buddist times, Afghanistan has devolved to its present state of lawlessness. Far from being a simplistic, organic development, the rise of the Islamic Fundamentalist movement in this country has complex origins, location and history being key factors. I found the pace of writing clear and engaging. Whatever you may think of the Taliban, this is a very informative book. Highly recommended.

A Fascinating Study, September 23, 2001
Ahmed Rashid's book "Taliban: Militant Islam, Oil, and the Fundamentalism in Central Asia" is an excellent book for those who would like to understand the Taliban, its background, rise to power as well as US and Pakistan's support of the fundamentalist regime. Published in 2000, it is a very timely book given the tragedy of the World Trade Center plane attacks on September 11th.

The main factor contributing to the strength of the book is Rashid's extensive access to Afghanistan and key players who have shaped the policy of the country. He has spent the better portion of the last 21 years in the country and knows it intimately. Although himself Pakistani, he is very critical of his country's role (and that of the the United States)in nurturing the most radical elements in the Afghan opposition that fought the Soviet Union in the 1980's as well as the Taliban. The most important chapter of the book for our purposes today is Chapter 10 which deals with the rise of Osama bin Laden in the context of the Afghan-Soviet war and US/Pakistani support of the opposition.

Rashid explains in detail American support for the ISI's involvement in drug trafficking as a means to raise money for the anti-Soviet resistance. He laments the American-Pakistani practice of consistent and unwavering support for the most radical elements in the Afghan opposition, virtually ignoring the more moderate opposition. The result: thousands of radical Muslims, armed and trained by The US and Pakistan, sparking "holy wars" against countries deemed anti-Muslim. As I re-read the book after the terrible attack on the US on September 11th, I couldn't help but be disappointed with the lack of foresight the United States policy-makers had in supporting these radicals. Particular blame, in my view, must be meeted out to Zbigniew Brzezinski, who, in his pathological anti-Soviet and anti-Russian passions, went to great lengths in the 80's to push the US to support the Mujahideen radicals. His misguided policies violently bore their fruits in New York and Washington on September 11th.

Rashid also does a great job untangling the web of oil and gas pipelines that lie at the heart of the world's interest in the Central Asian Republics of the former USSR and Afghanistan. The post Cold War American policy of eliminating Russian and Iranian influence in Central Asia has lead to the US Administration to support, without giving formal diplomatic recognition, to the Taliban. The reason for this, Rashid explains, is to circumvent Iranian and Russian territory and lay gas and oil pipelines through Afghanistan and Pakistan for eventual Western consumption. Again Pakistan is a key ally for the US in this venture, along with Turkey.

Some of the most interesting parts of the book are the Stone Age social practices of the Taliban, including their horrific treatment of women. In his appendix he lists most of the decrees the Taliban issued regarding these policies.

In sum, I highly recommend this book to all those interested in a timely, in depth analysis of one of the most repressive regimes in the world and the complex politics of the great powers that make Central Asia the next hot spot of the world.

Journalistic, but thorough, August 14, 2001
Rashid is successful in collating a massive amount of information into a well-organized, readable book. Although at times journalistic, with glib analysis at the end of his quasi-historical recitation, this book gives a thorough accounting of all the players and interests that have brought Afghanistan to where it is today. It is useful as a single volume that recounts the rise of the Taliban that is concise and clear. Rashid is a veteran journalist who has covered Afghanistan for years. His connections and interviews from all aspects of Afghani politics and society give the book a depth that as been hard for other books to accomplish.

Sources and appendices are excellent. The organization of the book is in three main parts: 1) 'History of the Taliban Movement,' which is a useful recounting of the Taliban's rise in a chronological fashion. The five chapters each represent one year; 2) 'Islam and the Taliban' explores the origin and nature of the Taliban in thought and practice in the context of other Muslim movements, how it is organized, how it functions in making decisions, and how it administers policy socially and militarily; 3) 'The New Great Game' treats all of the international actors' behaviors and motivations, and the consequences for Afghanistan.

Although his perspectives of all of the relevant actors -the Taliban, the anti-Taliban factions, the UN, regional countries, Western powers, oil companies, Russia- are undeniably put forth for the reader, they only enhance the educational value of the book. Rashid is highly successful in imparting the motivations and values of all the ethnic and religious tensions in Afghani society, and their interlinkages (and the consequent perspectives and involvement of foreign nations with the various contending forces). The paradox of the Taliban's Pashtuni ethnic primacy and cosmic vision of Islam is treated quite well.

Rashid also gives an almost too thorough treatment of the Unocal/Bridas competition over natural gas fields and pipeline politics in Central Asia. The linkages of international politics and the effects on and of the Afghani civil war is outlined as well. The chapter on Osama bin-Laden is excellent. No actor is spared from Rashid's critique. He is very successful at presenting the motivations and worldview of all the different players. There are some points worth quibbling about, such as an adequate presentation of who makes foreign policy decisions in Iran, but the overall effect is successful.

The "New Great Game" may or may or may not turn out to be as impactful as Rashid puts forth. How relevant power competition may be in the region is something that will be played out over time, depending on the energy resources of the region, and the region's ability to achieve some modicum of political stability. Robert A. Manning's critique of this is useful [see: "The Asian Energy Factor" (2000)]. Rashid does not hesitate to illustrate the linkages between the CIA and the ISI, and the intendant consequences of Pakistani machinations and American involvement and indifference in Afghanistan over the years.

Rashid does not overly dwell on making predictions, but a couple of his points are useful: the backlash of Taleban politics into Pakistan; and the internal fragmentation and implosion of the Taleban will probably be the source of its decline, rather than a civil uprising or sudden military success of the Northern Alliance.

I would hesitate before labelling Rashid as some biased, "anti-Talibaner;" anyone who is literate and concerned with human welfare, Muslim or non-Muslim, has every right to be appalled by the situation in Afghanistan.

The best single book I've found about the Taliban., October 11, 2001
I've read several books about Afghanistan and the Taliban since Sept. 11, and if I had to choose just one to recommend, this would be it. Ahmed Rashid is a Pakastani journalist , so he brings a different perspective to this whole awful situation than a US or British author might. He understands the area in a way that people from other parts of the world probably never will, and brings many years of experience to the subject. However, he appears to be very objective in his descriptions, and shows where the actions of many different countries have led to the situation that Afghanistan finds itself in now. Although the book was written in 2000, it is extremely informative in our present crisis. Several other reviewers here have done a good job of describing the parts of the book, so I won't do that again, but I would like to mention the last chapter of the book which summarizes the events that have led Afghanistan to the situation it is in, points out how difficult it will be to solve its problems and discusses how important it is to achieve peace in Afghanistan. I think that this chapter ought to be required reading for all Americans as we go into war. His prophetic closing sentence is "The stakes are extremely high."

I'd also recommend two other books for those who are interested in learning more: The Taliban: War, Religion and the New Order in Afghanistan, by Peter Marsden, and The New Jackals: Ramsi Yousef, Osama bin Laden, and the Future of Terrorism, by Simon Reeve.

Opening eyes in a time of blind hatred, September 29, 2001
Very few, I doubt, will be disappointed with Rashid's latest offering - especially those wanting an in depth look at why bombing Afghanistan is unlikely to be successful in the war against terrorism.

I read Taliban: Islam, Oil and the New Great Game in Central Asia (UK version) when it first came out in early 2000 and found it extremely thought provoking. I read it again after the New York bombings and now believe it is the best intro on the market.

His analysis is prefect for the international reader trying to get to grips with an unknown entity. It should be. He's a very well respected South Asia journalist and one of the few who've actually been there since day the Soviet tanks rolled in. His contacts in the region are unparalleled.

To be sure, everyone comes out of this book looking bad - in particular the Saudis, the Pakistani government's of Zia-ul-Haq/Bhutto(s) and the United States. You're left feeling extremely sorry for the ordinary Afghani who has been a pawn in a grotesque game of chess played between the major powers for as long as anyone can remember. But domestic history and tribal rivalries also play a huge part.

As the title suggests, there are three parts to the book. To set the stage, Rashid gives a detailed account of Afghanistan's miserable history since the revolution in 1973. It details bitter infighting between various tribal and religious groups in the immediate aftermath of the Soviet withdrawal, the civil war that ensued when President Najibullah was deposed and the rise of the Taliban out of religious schools in Pakistan. It's ugly, full of horrifying images and not in the least bit afraid of telling the story as he saw it, right there in front of his eyes.

Rashid then goes on to give the international reader an insight into the inner workings of the Taliban movement from various angles -: its interpretation of the Koran, its social policies, its reliance on revenue from the drugs trade (a Pakistani/CIA invention) and its relationship with international terrorists such as Osama bin Laden. The accounts are factual, not judgemental - ideal for those who want to make up their own mind.

The final seventy pages are a delight for Great Game fans since Rashid dives deep into the dark seedy world of international politics, the oil industry and how Afghanistan was/is a buffer between the competing interests of a vast array of players such as Russia, Iran, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, the United States and many, many others including Argentina ... yes Argentina.

It ends with an almost melancholy plea on behalf of ordinary Afghanis. Leave us alone to run our own country is the message. After reading its 244 pages you'll probably agree.

My own belief is that Peter Hopkirk's book `The Great Game' might actually be a better place to start. Hopkirk's classic is a one-in-a-million trip through the Anglo-Soviet `Cold War' of the 19th and early 20th centuries, the blood-curdling Afghan wars and the race to colonise what are now known as the central Asian republics. Is it any wonder people are full of loathing for interfering foreigners?

The only difference these days is that the British have dropped out of sight - except for the SAS that is.

Excellent, relevant--find it and read it!, October 3, 2001
I bought this on September 11th--barely beating the rush, and read it immediately. Now it is in demand, and maybe hard to get. But persevere, buy it and read it: it is a great book. It explains so much about Central Asian and Middle Eastern politics, NGOs, international competition for oil, the drug industry, smuggling, terrorism, al-Qaeda, and the origins of the Afghan refugee problem that bothers Iran, Pakistan, Thailand and Australia so much. If you know nothing about these things, this book explains them without assuming much prior knowledge; but if you are an expert I suspect you will still learn a few things.

The book covers from the Cold War until the year 2000; it obviously does not talk about the recent death of the opposition's leader or the ramifications of the attack on America. It does explain a little of Afghanistan's ancient and medieval history and culture as well.

People have asked me what the author's slant is; I honestly don't know. Although he does tell about American policies, it is not ... especially anti-American or anti-Western; nor is it anti-Arab, anti-Islam, anti-Iranian, anti-Soviet or -Russian, or anti-Pakistan. Rashid says what everyone did, in pages filled with facts, rather than laying the blame at anyone's feet in particular.

I am not widely read in this area, but I suspect that since it is so recent and especially relevant to recent events, this is the book you're looking for. I cannot recommend it highly enough.

A Must Read For Understanding The 911 Devastation, October 4, 2001
Ahmed Rashid spent over 20 years as a reporter in Pakistan/Afghanistan. He has written a 216 page book filled with facts concerning the history, politics and culture of the Taliban, Terroism and American Oil Companies. Mr Rashid reports in a clear and organized style about events between 1978-1999 in this part of the world in the context of the history of the Middle East. His insights and reporting are both surprising and informative. He covers religious and political groups and factions and sects as only someone who has lived in this part of the world could do. It is amazing how he is able to present a straight-forward and intelligble account of so complex a situation. He deals with international intrigue by American Oil Companies, about the treatment of women, about Pakistan's and Saudi Arabia's support of the Taliban. Each and every chapter of this book contains valuable information to anyone interest in understanding how a small, unknown and uneducated group of religious Islamic extremist could assist in the destruction of the WTC on 911 and threathen the financial security of many Western economies. Turn off CNN, put down the Times and sit down to read a book which will provide an important framework for dealing with the problems we face today.

Out of the "information loop" on the Taliban? Read this!, September 24, 2001
If recent events have made you feel that you need to know more, this book will definitely fill the bill and is written in a clear, accessible style. Written by a Pakistani journalist who is familar with Afghanistan and the realities of living in a harsh terrain, the history of the country and culture, the book is both engaging and enlightening. I thought I was "reasonably" informed about people and events in that area of the world until I read this book. Afterwards, I realized that the rise of Islam Fundamentalists depended not only on the social and cultural history I knew about but on smaller details I didn't (but which the author provides) including art, environment, class, economics and more.

Enlightening guide to this mysterious movement, June 28, 2000
Ahmed Rashid writes a seemingly objective analysis of this fascinating movement. Throughout history when looking at the start of a movement it is never a simple result of one man leading a people. Movements and people are thrust to the fore by circumstance. Rashid does an excellent job of explaining these circumstances and the results of Pakistan's and America's approaches to Afghanistan. I wasn't aware of the extent of oil influence in Afghanistan.

I was working in Peshawar, Pakistan in 1991-2 and remember the hope of my Afghan pupils when the Communists were finally defeated in Kabul. A six year old pupil gave me a note one morning with "Afghanistan is free" in Pushtu. A short while later these hopes were dashed as the civil war continued and people in the camps near me were resigned to calling Pakistan home. We started to see new refugees in Peshawar, affluent Kabulis with their left-hand drive cars.

Sadly a beautiful people of a beautiful country have been permanently damaged by the continual selfish interests of various groups. Compromise for the sake of the country and the future has never been considered.

Afghanistan: Sterai mashai

Comprehensive background to recent events, November 24, 2001
Anyone who wades through the detail-laden and sometimes turgid prose that comprises *Taliban* will end up far more knowledgeable about Afghanistan and southern Asian politics generally than could possibly result from mere exposure to the usual, highly filtered news sources upon which we usually depend. What's most interesting about *Taliban* is that it is written from a non-Western, and especially non-American point of view. Consequently, the author makes apparent that although the United States has blundered in its policies toward southern Asia, most of the principal causes of the problems in the region have to do with autonomous dynamics and conflicts with lengthy histories that have little or nothing to do with U.S. actions.

Rashid first covers the history and trajectory of the Taliban movement up through 1999 or so, and then circles back to discuss various particular themes related to the rise and reign of this peculiar and in many ways frightening religious movement. These include their draconian and inhumanly strict social agenda (particularly their horrendous treatment of women), the role of the drug trade and smuggling generally in Afghani (and Pakistani) society, the roles of various religious and ethnic factions within the conflicts afflicting the region, the wider set of geopolitical conflicts involving Afghanistan's neighboring nations plus the larger powers such as Russia and the U.S., and the important (and in the context of the post-September 11 war, suspicious) role of oil and gas-related intrigue in the dynamics of the region.

All of these topics are treated carefully and analytically by Rashid, who offers thoughtful criticism of just about all parties involved in the current mess. Being Pakastini himself, he has perhaps the harshest words for his own government(s), who clearly were responsible for the rise of the Taliban beginning in 1994. Rashid places Pakistani support for the Taliban within a broader campaign to increase Pakistan's influence in the region. Unfortunately, as the author points out, the Taliban has ultimately exerted more influence and control over Pakistan's domestic situation than the Pakistanis have been able to exert over Mullah Omar and the rest of the Taliban.

The United States certainly is shown to share in the blame for the current problems afflicting Afghanistan. It is well-known that the anti-Soviet war that began in 1979 was largely supported by the U.S. in proxy fashion through the Pakistani ISI intelligence agency. After the Soviets left in 1989, however, the Americans simply lost interest in the Afghani situation and when civil war and chaos emerged the Americans did virtually nothing to help ameliorate Afghanistan's woes. When the Taliban emerged in 1994 as a "stabilizing influence" for a war-torn nation, the Americans first considered supporting them, partly because it was believed the Taliban might be amenable to overtures by Unocal to build a pipeline through Afghanistan. Only when the Taliban clearly showed its misogynist, barbaric character did the Clinton administration finally begin to condemn them. By that time these "religious students" were already harboring Osama bin Laden and his Al Qaeda henchmen, thus setting the stage for the events of September 11 and since.

Overall, *Taliban* is a fascinating but certainly depressing tale
of international and interethnic politics at its real-life worst. What emerges is a picture in which every nation, every religious denomination, every economic faction, and every ethnic group apparently acts purely out of short-term self-interest, with virtually no one exhibiting a willingness to respect the bigger, longer term picture or the "greater good." The American bombing campaign to drive the Taliban out of power in Afghanistan may seem heavy-handed and brutal, but within the context of the broader historical picture as portrayed by Rashid, it's apparently merely the latest version of "business as usual" in south Asian politics. ... Read more

Editorial Review

I Dared to Call Him Father is the fascinating true story of Bilquis Sheikh, a prominent Muslim woman. Her unusual journey to a personal relationship with God turned her world upside down-and put her life in danger. Originally published in 1978, the book has sold 300,000 copies and is a classic in Muslim evangelism. The 25th anniversary edition includes an afterword by a missionary friend of Bilquis who plays a prominent role in the story and an appendix on how the East enriches the West. ... Read more

Editorial Review

This English translation of the Qur'an is a compilation of the Muslim faith's Final Revelation from God to mankind through the last Prophet Muhammad, Peace be upon Him. The Qur'an has a wealth of information--both worldly wisdom and intellectual concepts--providing a code of life for humankind generally and Muslims in particular. Indeed, the Qur'an's miracle lies in its ability to offer something to non-believers and everything to believers. This edition is fully indexed. ... Read more

Reviews

Most Authentic, October 8, 2001
This translation is considered the most authentic by Muslim scholars. It is the one that is supported by the government of Saudi Arabia and is most widely read by English-speaking Muslims. A translation of the Qur'an can never fully transmit the meaning or reflect the beauty of the original text. But the reality is that many people who seek to understand the message of the Qur'an will not be able to learn Arabic. It should be kept in mind that though the Arabic word may have multiple meanings, only one of those meanings gets translated to English (imagine what would happen to one of Shakespeare's puns if it was traslated to Arabic). But for English-speakers, this is the best option (though Mohammad Asad's translation is also very respected). The caveat is that to truly understand the Qur'an, it is important to read not only the text itself, but to understand it in context of the time it was revealed. Though Muslims consider the Qur'an to be timeless, many passages relate specifically to events occuring in the prophet's life or in the young Muslim community.

The most accessible translation out there, April 28, 2005
Abdullah Yusuf Ali's translation of the Qur'an is without question the most accessible translation of this book from Arabic to English.

That is to say, this is only a translation of the words of the Qur'an themselves. There is no analysis of the historical context of each sura (chapter) or anything like that. I am informed that this is probably a good thing, as Ali's interpretation is at odds with mainstream Muslim thought.

It is difficult to review a translation of a book deemed scripture by a large section of the world's population without reviewing the faith itself, and as a result these remarks will be neccessarily brief. However, speaking as a student of Islamic Studies - not as a convert to Islam, which I am not - I can say with a high degree of certainty that the claims that this text "endorses terrorism" or "explains why there are no Muslim theologians the equal of St Francis of Assisi" are untrue. In the first instance, anyone believing this to be the case would be well served to read works on Islam itself. In the second instance, much the same comment can be made, with the added fact that it is important to remember that Islamic theology evolved in a very different way to Christian or Jewish theology, and to apply one's own biases to another faith is an exercise in extreme futility.

A number of Qur'an translations here at Amazon have reviews pointing out that the only way to appreciate the text here is in its entirety, and this is quite true. Simply picking and choosing certain texts - often the ones known in the West as the "Sword Verses" - will result in a very biased view of this book. The world's Muslims believe this book to be true in its entirety, and it is in that respect that we who are not Muslim must view it.

To that, I would also like to add the recommendation that anyone trying to make a serious study of Islam not only read a Qur'an but also either take the time to ask Muslims about their religion or invest in books on the subject by respected authors (Esposito's "Islam: The Straight Path" and the recently-published "Jihad: From the Qur'an to bin Laden" by Bonney are highly recommended).

However, if the object is to buy an easily understandable English translation of the Qur'an, I can unreservedly recommend Abdullah Yusuf Ali's translation.

Print too small, looking for easier version to study, December 12, 2004
As a purely administrative note, with all due regard for what is surely a very fine translation, the print in this book is too small to support careful study. I bought this book, am glad to have it, but the publisher made a mistake in seeking to put too much small font print on each page. For a subject of this importance, what is needed is an 8.5 x 11 text with annotations and a syntopicon.

Qur'an Translation., August 22, 2005
This is an excellent translation. Although some Muslims still think that the Qur'an should be read only in Arabic, more and more of them recognize that many people cannot do so and therefore endorse the appearance of ttanslations. This translation is writen in inspiring English. One can sense what Muhammad was communicating from Allah through him. Reading the Qur'an in English should dispell many misconceptions English Speaking people have of the Qur'an's contents. It is no longer necessary to rely on expert's summary comments on the Qur'an. Now people can read the text itself.

Henry Ruf, Philosophy, Florida Atlantic University

One of the Three Best Translations, October 8, 2004
This seems to be one of three of the most accurate and complete translations (together with Shakir and Pickthal) based on the fact that the Islamic Monitor utilizes them because the Muslim Students' Association at University of Southern California uses these three. You can actually compare these translations at http://www.geocities.com/islamic_monitor/, which provides translations of selected texts side by side in making their points about Islam. If you are trying to learn about Islam and determine for yourself whether or not Islam is really a "religion of peace" compatible with a tolerant & free democracy, I would suggest, in addition to consulting the above link, that you also hear what ex-Muslims have to say about Islam at http://www.faithfreedom.org/ , especially if you don't have time for pouring over the entire Qur'an. This site, like the one above, points out the important relevant passages in the Qur'an that will answer your questions (see for instance the citations at http://www.faithfreedom.org/faq.htm ,Questions # 7 and # 21, and check out the photo Gallery).

Solid translation, lacking in style, June 7, 2007
This translation of the Qur'an is marketed as a pure English translation without the Arabic or commentary by the translator - and it is exactly this. BUT, there were a few things about this book that I was unaware of when I bought it:
This translation by Yusuf Ali (a great translation by the way) was updated by someone other than him to fit "contemporary" language and style. That is, instead of "of Ye we asketh" it would say "we ask You." Also, it is not written in meter or "biblical" style, but rather in plain sentences like a novel. I feel that this takes away from the enjoyability of the text greatly.
Also, you may want to get a version with the Arabic side by side with the English. Technically, since God spoke to Muhammad in Arabic, to understand the true meaning of the Qur'an, you must know Arabic. It's good to have the "original" text in case you have a question so you can ask an Imam or scholarly Muslim who speaks Arabic and they can derive an answer from the true text rather than from the Anglicized version.

Wrong description!, April 14, 2010
This review refers to the book in the kindle store. I downloaded this to find out that it is not the Yusuf Ali translation. Oops! Wasted my money there. Do not download this!

Good Resource, August 2, 2005
This translation is a good resource for anyone wanting a greater understanding of the Muslim community. Our current times are such that mutual understanding between religous communities is important. This book is easy to read.

The Qur'an., November 4, 2006
"And you be patient, for your patience is but from Allah; nor grieve over them: and do not distress yourself because of their plots. For Allah is with those who restrain themselves, and those who do good."
Surah 16:127-128 (Qur'an, Ali Translation)

There are those in a position to know who believe that the Ali translation is the best English language Qur'an. It has an inescapably poetic aspect (as it should, in keeping with the Arabic), which the reader may appreciate as he works his way though the Qur'ans relentlessly repetitive recountings, praises, warnings and admonishments. As one who does not speak Arabic, questions as to the quality and fidelity of the translation are beyond my ken. I defer to those experts who say this is a good translation, and move on to my own understanding of the text.

In an obvious sense, the Qur'an is a simple, direct warning. Over and again it states: live a righteous life in submission to the commands of Allah (God) and thereby earn the reward of eternity in The Gardens Beneath Which Rivers Flow, or, onward to The Blazing Fire. There is a heavy sense of paradox and conflict. Allah is at once Oft-Forgiving, and the Most Merciful of all those who show mercy, and yet, most of humanity is said to be destine for the Fire. In this sense, the Qur'an seems a bit malleable -- is Allah ("The Cherisher of the Worlds") ultimately defined by his Mercy, or by an iron will to fuel the Fire? Some Muslims take the former view, others famously take the latter. There are other paradoxes. The equality of the sexes is asserted -- both men and women are to respect the dignity and the concerns of the opposite gender. On the other hand, women are to be hidden in what is a man's world. Indeed this is a paradox, and one that will continue in The Gardens Beneath Which Rivers Flow. There, it is said, all will have "big, beautiful eyes," but we must notice that only males can be privy to this fact because paradise will be populated with women who "avert their eyes," just as they did in their mortal life. Much might be made of this curious tension (is it to be women's function in eternity to prevent inappropriate sexuality, such as inter-gender eye-contact?), but it is not a particularly large theme in the Qur'an. Female modesty is actually a very small theme, compared, for example, to commands to charity and disdain for arrogance and greed. The Qur'an is, in at least some sense, what the reader wants it to be; there are calls to violence for those who would see the world through the eyes of violence and there are calls to humility, charity, and restraint for those who would embrace peace. (This is something that certain swaggering American cowboy political executives would do well to consider more carefully! In the Qur'an, military adventures are often understood as arrogance and must inevitably inspire heightened levels of violence.)

A brief observation that can be categorized as comparative religion: In the Tanak, the Jewish scriptures, the concept of "hell" is barely even ambiguous, it is essentially absent (translators later used the common word "hell" for the Jewish "sheol" [darkness], and many have since pressed ideas into the text that were seriously foreign to the original Hebrew). In the Christian New Testament, "hell" is less prevalent and is invoked more figuratively than many misguided 'Bible-thumpers' would have us believe. The usage is generally tied to Greek ideas of Hades, clear evidence that the usage was understood to be literary and not literal. In elaborate fixations on a place of ongoing torment, many Christian traditions have departed from the Bible in favor of pagan views of a magistrate-ruled, sulfurous underworld. Of course many Christians recognize this, even if they remain a minority (unfortunately, bogus religious traditions are tough nuts to crack). In the Qur'an however, The Blazing Fire (hell) seems to be the centerpiece of every page. The Fire is said to be the destiny of all polytheists and atheists, and only a slightly softer view is allowed the People of the Book, i.e., other monotheists (Jews and Christians), some of whom, however, will be admitted to the Gardens.

The claim of the Qur'an is to be the direct words of Allah -- at least when read in Arabic. It says that some statements are allegorical and others so literal as to be non-translatable. The reader is to discern which is which and is warned not to misunderstand. At some points in the text it seems that the Messenger is speaking more narrowly to contemporaneous, even personal, events than to temporally universal conditions. An example being when he encourages men and women to remarry after the death of a spouse, while holding his own wives as an exception; they are never to be intimate with another man and are to live out their lives as widows after his death (a curious inclusion in the text, is this a concern of Allah or of Mohammed?). Similarly, it seems that Qur'anic calls to violence were often directed to 7th century events and conflicts, and were not necessarily to be universalized in the way that some extremists prefer to understand them.

A disclaimer and some closing thoughts: If my review has offended anyone, and I hope that it has not, then I ask that he post his own views in this forum, pointing out what he thinks I have missed, I'll probably read it. Knowledge is good, as are charity and civility. Hate-mongering is mere arrogant foolishness (a published cartoon image of the Prophet with a bomb was famously legitimized by certain Muslims who immediately went on bombing rampages). A codicil: I purchased the Qur'an at a small Christian bookstore, and now that I've read it may donate it to a church library. Although it may have been different at some historical junctures, Christianity today seems more open and knowledge-friendly than does Islam, even though we must be cautious in such conclusions. News media sources purport to "inform" us but broadly paint religion with a single (and generally superficial) brush. As a non-Muslim, there are some things that I find admirable within Islam (other things I do not). Unfortunately, Christians have been imprudent, even reckless, in their use of religious imagery (to the point of some supposedly seeing the Virgin Mary's likeness in tortillas!); Islam has avoided this particular foolishness, while tending toward others in recent history. Jews, Christians and Muslims obviously hold to different religious ideas and traditions and different cultural norms, but there is also deep common ground -- One God: "There is nothing whatever like unto Him . . . To Him belong the keys to the heavens . . . He knows full well all things. Surah 42:11-12

The Qur'an, May 26, 2008
I finally got around to reading this translation of the Qur'an. I gave it five stars to counter act some of the one star reviews. Im a Christian and still am. But I will admit I no longer view Islam as evil, or the Qur'an as a bad book. Quite the contrary I was pleasently surprised with beauty of the poetry, and the core message is very similar to Christianity. I would have a lot more in common with a Muslim than I would with an atheist for example. Taking the time to read through the book, I realize that living for God, regardless if you call Him Jehovah, or Allah, will lead you to live a more righteous life and to a better path on which to travel the hard road of life. The core morals taught by Muhammad line up with those taught by my Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. Of course I disagree with Muslims over the Deity of Christ, I still find their religion agrees with my morals, and is more peaceful than the media frenzy would have someone believe. I believe these terrorists are the exception, and most Muslims are good religious people if they are following the teachings in this book. God bless you. ... Read more

Editorial Review

"In this stunningly written book, a Western trained Muslim doctor brings alive what it means for a woman to live in the Saudi Kingdom. I've rarely experienced so vividly the shunning and shaming, racism and anti-Semitism, but the surprise is how Dr. Ahmed also finds tenderness at the tattered edges of extremism, and a life-changing pilgrimage back to her Muslim faith." - Gail Sheehy

The decisions that change your life are often the most impulsive ones.

Unexpectedly denied a visa to remain in the United States, Qanta Ahmed, a young British Muslim doctor, becomes an outcast in motion. On a whim, she accepts an exciting position in Saudi Arabia. This is not just a new job; this is a chance at adventure in an exotic land she thinks she understands, a place she hopes she will belong.

What she discovers is vastly different. The Kingdom is a world apart, a land of unparralled contrast. She finds rejection and scorn in the places she believed would most embrace her, but also humor, honesty, loyalty and love.

And for Qanta, more than anything, it is a land of opportunity. A place where she discovers what it takes for one woman to recreate herself in the land of invisible women. (20080801) ... Read more

Reviews

Execllent Book, September 18, 2008
I have experienced Jeddah as a Muslim American woman as well, and Dr. Ahmed's book finally gives a point of view that is relatable and realistic, without bashing Islam or giving a one sided interpretation.

I loved this book. I had the same experience when I first put on an abaya in Saudi Arabia. I finally felt invisible. It was worst for me because I'm very white, and a lot of guys would try to hit on me. Once, in Medina, I was followed down the street by a group of guys, and they kept saying obscenties to me in arabic. I finally walked into a store and had the shop keepr come out and yell @ them. After that, I started covering my face if i went out alone. Don't get me wrong, I am completly against covering your face, I think its so exterme, but It made things A lot easier for me when i went out alone in mecca and medina.

My favorite thing to read about in the book is probably the dynamics you had at work with all your male coworkers. Its nice to know that not all men in Saudi look down upon women, and I think my favorite male character from the hospital would have to be Haydar. I loved the support he had for Ghadah, something you rarely find in men in the middle east, especially in Saudi Arabia.

My favorite female character is definitely Dr. Maha. I love the fact that she fights for the rights of Children in Saudi arabia. Your story about the young camel rider was so sad, I can't believe stuff like that happens over there. Thats a side of Saudi I haven't heard of, and I'm glad its talked about in your book. Another favorite part in the book is about the car accident, with the guys coming from Bahrain. The way Saudi men drive is sooooo reckless, and I hate it. Its just the most selfish act ever. Saudi has the highest mortality rate for car accidents in the world, and its all because of these rich guys playing with their toys.

The sad thing I noticed when I was in jeddah was how disconnected all the kids I met are from their families. They are all being raised by housekeepers, and they have no sense of family. Instead they just shop and eat their grief away. Saudi is a HUGE consumer society. All they do is eat and shop. I felt bad for them, they just radiated this feeling of loneliness. These guys that are driving 100,000$ cars are the ones that were probably raised by a series of poor maids or as I like to call them indentured servants.

There are so many other parts I loved in the book. I loved how you gave a true interpretation of Islam, and explained the dynamics of the Saudi government. Most people think saudi is this way because of Islam, and they don't realize it has nothing to do with Islam, it has to do with a corrupt group of people who have interpreted Islam for their own benefit.

Your book really gave me hope for the future of the Saudi people, especially their youth. I was so sad when I left jeddah, because of the youth that I met. Hopefully, the people you spoke about and many more of them will help change this country, and will make it a more nurturing place for all of the youth of Saudi, because as of now, they seem to be extremely lost in materialism and are only seeking pleasure and instant gratification.

Long overdue for ALL Amercians (not just women) to read, October 2, 2008
This book is a fascinating account of the experiences of a Muslim female physician, educated in the U.K. and America. What is amazing is that Saudi Arabia has been our 'ally' and formidable trading partner, but that 99.9% of have us have no clue as to the ideological and spiritual compass of the people of this country. We just know they are our 'friends' and that our 'friends' spawned a terrorist named Osama Bin Laden (then again, Tim McVeigh used to work at WalMart). This book gives great insight into the value system and machinations of this culture and its religion, and presents some historical perspective on how its modern day presence evolved. The book is not the first but one of the best narratives of the shocking disparity between men and women in Saudi society. Dr. Ahmed described her experiences with colour, insight, and perspective. Yet she refrains from coarse judgment, appropriately so, as the modern Saudi people are proud and principled society. Hopefully our next President (and Vice president) will bring it to the White House Book Club!

Very Cinematic - This would make a great movie!, September 8, 2008
I read this over the weekend, based on the Dianne Rheme interview and I couldn't put it down. The language is very descriptive in a very personal and equally unconventional way. There are dozens of images and scenes that I can picture vividly.

This was a real joy!

A bridge from East to West, October 18, 2008
I stumbled across this book prominently displayed at a big box bookstore in a predominantly Jewish neighborhood. I think the condemnation of anti-Semitism mentioned on the back cover must have secured its position there. But this book is so much more than an indictment of anti-Semitism in Saudi Arabia! Readers will be disappointed if they purchase it thinking it is a diatribe against Islam. Nothing could be further than the truth.

Ahmed takes great and reverent pains to showcase the beauty inherent in Islam through her own informal education and personal hajj experience. But she does not hesitate to spell out the perversions that have occurred in Saudi society - not as a result of Islam per se, but because of crushing misogyny, intolerance, hatred and fear that has become institutionalized by the state and enforced by the Muhadeen.

Her experiences as a moderate Muslim in the most restrictive of circumstances in Riyadh are gripping, and her "case studies" of how women and men cope with their lives are poignant and revealing (if occasionally less than multi-dimensional portraits). Ahmed is adept at exposing how men and women alike are diminished by Wahabi Islam's hold on Saudi society. Her intensely personal observations and writing style draw the reader into the world as she experienced it. Yes, there are distracting emphases bordering on obsession with the trappings of wealth and personal appearances. But this also mirrors the worst of Saudi cultural obsession with the superficial; a world caught up in minding appearances of impropriety but neglecting its very soul.

Ahmed strengthens the East-West bridge of understanding for readers of this book.

Very good book, September 14, 2008
This is a wonderful book, interesting and honest. I learned a lot from it about a country I will probably never be able to visit (I'm an Israeli). It's not easy to be a woman in Saudi Arabia! But the sympathetic picture painted by Dr. Qanta of her colleagues--both Saudi and ex-pat--is indicative of a country caught in a complex vise of modernity and backward religious elements. The author's description of her haj is fascinating and touching.

working draft of a fine book, August 5, 2009
I almost gave up on this book after just a few pages, frustrated by the sub-par writing and editing. Editing is one of those jobs that's invisible when done well. Not here.
But: I'm glad I kept reading. The substance of the book is compelling and important, and the author's perspective is sane and intelligent.
If you adjust your expectations of writing as art, you can enjoy and appreciate this book. I only wish it were dystopian fiction and not 21st century reality.

The Real World, September 30, 2008
This book is very insightful into the life of women in Saudia Arabia.This is a very good example of the rights and priviledges women do not have.

A sad and honest eye opener, November 5, 2008
Dr. Qanta Ahmed is a Muslin British citizen of Pakistani descent. She grew up in London and then attended medical school in New York City-obtaining certifications in internal medicine, pulmonary disease, critical care medicine and sleep disorder medicine. Then in 2000 her visa renewal was denied. While rectifying this problem, she needed to live and work outside the U.S., so she took a two-year position at the top hospital in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. This memoir details her time there.

Before going to Riyadh, Qanta had been warned about the many ways that the Saudi Kingdom represses women-both Saudi nationals and expatriates working there. She initially felt that being a Muslim with Pakistani coloring would give her a leg up. This was not to be the case. Her Muslin upbringing in a liberal, educated British home and then her experiences in American medical schools barely scratched the surface of what she was expected to know and how she was expected to behave in the different circumstances of Saudi society.

Qanta extremely carefully depicts Saudi life. She covers the mundane as well as a thorough description of her trip to Mecca to complete the Hajj (the religious pilgrimage that all Muslims are required to make during their lifetime). While there she feels a strong religious uplifting that changed many of her previous views about being a Muslim-and being a Muslim woman in a Muslim society that is ruled by theocratic conservatives. The Quran (Koran) teaches that all humans are to be treated with respect, but she becomes more and more aware of the discrepancies between the written teachings and the actions of the religious police (Mutawaeen).

Qanta Ahmed tells about her friendships with Saudi nationals, both women and men, and the difficulties involved with simple gatherings of friends. Like Azar Nafisi's Reading Lolita in Tehran does with Iran, this book provides a realistic picture of life in the Saudi Kingdom.

It is a substantial book and should be savored by readers who feel as I do, that the more we know about the inner workings of countries the more understanding we have of their policies and their view of us.

Armchair Interview says: Just shy of 450 pages, the Reading Group guide makes this an excellent book group choice.

A Visit to Saudi Arabia, September 20, 2008
In the Land of Invisible Women: A Female Doctor's Journey in the Saudi Kingdom
Dr. Ahmed provides an intimate look at life in Saudi Arabia through the eyes of a highly trained female physician. She graciously dealt with the severe restraints upon her personal and professional life there because of her being a woman, and described encouraging views of some significant challenges to them. I was especially touched by her description of the Hajj which had a profound effect on her as it put her in touch with her Muslim roots. Having lived for eight years in Indonesia in the sixties I was particularly impressed with the contrast between these two Muslim countries. During my time in Indonesia women enjoyed a great deal of freedom, and freedom of religion was guaranteed by the constitution.

This book needs re-editing, December 22, 2008
I find it ironic that the author is effusively grateful to her editor as a worse-edited book would be hard to find. Enough was said here about the interesting content and I agree fully that the author is a fountain of knowledge on the fascinating subject of Saudi Arabia. The read is however a jarring experience of purple prose, repetitions, malapropisms and obsessive preoccupation with physical appearance and designer's brands. I found it impossible to gain speed with distractions of that nature. By all means, buy the book for its informative value but don't expect much in the form of language. ... Read more

Editorial Review

2009 Retailer's Choice Award winner!
Inside the Revolution takes you inside the winner-take-all battle for the hearts, minds, and souls of the people of the Middle East. It includes never-before-seen profiles of the Radicals, the Reformers and the Revivalists. It explains the implications of each movement and the importance of each leader–not only through the lenses of politics and economics but through the third lens of Scripture as well. Today, wars and revolutions define the modern Middle East, and many believe the worst is yet to come.

• How real and serious is the threat of Radical Islam to American national security eight years after 9/11?
• Are there any Muslim leaders who oppose the violence of the Radicals—and is there any hope that such leaders will come to power in key countries in the Middle East?
• What is God doing in the Middle East—and is there any hope that Muslims will find faith in Jesus Christ?
• How can we as Christians help strengthen our brothers and sisters who love Jesus in the Muslim world, and how can we reach out to Muslims here at home?

Reviews

A balanced and compehensive work, April 7, 2009
Without this book, the Western mind cannot begin to comprehend the serious threat that radical Islam poses to the world. This book explains the driving forces behind the critical headlines and global crises we face.

There are 1.3 billion Muslims--Islam is a strong voice. Three movements within Islam are in place to change the world forever, for good or evil: Radicals, who believe violent jihad is the way; Reformers, who believe Islam is good but democracy is the way forward; and Revivalists, who believe Jesus is the answer, not Islam.

Rosenberg provides a comprehensive work on the Islamic Revolution--its past, present, and future. He draws from the Qu'ran, testimonials and textbooks to outline the core beliefs of each movement.

The top five scenarios that trouble the world's military and intelligence leaders are based on the jihadist movement obtaining nuclear capabilities. Iran's President Ahmadinejad, a catalyst and powerful influence, is driven by the conviction that Allah is holding him personally accountable to destroy Judeo-Christian civilization.

In the midst of the volatile situation in the epicenter, is another powerful influence--the Revivalist movement. Millions of Muslims have converted to Christ in recent years. The testimonies are gripping.

Rosenberg has been invited numerous times to speak with congressmen, senators, high-ranking military and intelligence leaders, and foreign ambassadors. Recently, he addressed a group of 125 Pentagon officials on why Ahmadinejahd's eschatology (end time theology) is driving Iranian foreign policy. Rosenberg's presentation is in the book.

"Understanding these three Revolutionary movements--including the crises they are responding to and the answers they are offering--is of absolutely critical importance. Those who ignore these trends do so at their peril."

inside the revolution, April 19, 2009
Awesome book; I've read all of Joel Rosenberg's books and found none of them lacking. He has helped me to learn of the current national affairs that almost ALL the media has ignored or been too swayed to see or write. I applaud him on his work, and I also feel that he has had and shared many of the audiences with foreign and homeland leaders. Fox has done well in this area, but CNN and others have bought into the Kool Aid. We need well informed books such as this to give us insight into our current situations, for unfortunately, we are not hearing it from our leaders or media. Rosenberg writes very understandably and gives us the biblical and the current world affairs, which are happening so quickly I am thankful he has a website that can also be checked for daily updates. I would suggest this book to everyone, who, like me, want truth, yet cannot decifer nor depend on getting it from the media. Rosenberg does not slam others, he simply speaks the truth and has an uncanny way of projecting it before it plays out.

I have never quite understood the Muslim culture, why some call it the 'peaceful' religion and yet I see terrorist, etc. This book has opened my eyes to their way of life, Iran's leader Ahmadinejad and his feeling that he must be considered their Iman of prophecy, etc. Rosenberg has met with many who understand this, and others who are thankfully being led out of this radical culture and into the truth of Jesus Christ. He has shown me as no other author the horrible deceit these people grow up in, and the huge destruction they plan to unlease on our world. Unfortunately, he has also shown me the great concern for our nation whose 'socialist' leaders from Obama to many in congress, have either decided to ignore or embraced Islam and chosen to have 'peace talks' with terrorists. I suggest everyone read this book for a greater understanding of Muslim's beliefs and where our world is headed.

Inside the Revolution, April 19, 2009
In this day and age when it is difficult know if you are hearing the whole truth about current events, Joel C. Rosenberg has done a magnificent job of enlightening us to the realities of the volatile happenings in the Middle East. Twenty-four pages of footnotes fill the back pages. This book is not one man's opinion but a compilation of historical facts written in a story like format, enabling a reader to develop for themselves an accurate opinion of the dangers the world currently faces. If we want to stand for what is right and not have history remember our generation as ostriches with our heads in the sand as in WWII, this is a must read. Every politician, voter, or those in the military absolutely will find within these pages a historical, current picture of the dangers the Middle East. Because people are frightened, they want to hide in their busy lives and ignore the monster that could very soon be on their own doorstep. Enlightenment of the subjects surrounding what is happening in the Middle East is imperative for this monster to be tamed, harnessed, or destroyed. Read this and find out for yourself! After reading it I would love to hear your opinion too.

Merits Debate, April 2, 2009
Rosenberg, acclaimed thriller writer has now written an in depth non-fiction look at the current and past issue of Iranian-US relations at a time when the rhetoric is once again reaching a boiling point. ITR is filled with fact checked insights that will inform those that have thus far managed to avoid the subject. From the coup of the Shah, to the current nuclear weapons quest, Rosenberg depicts a regime that is bent on creating the conditions for their own apocalyptic visions.

He then depicts the differences between the Radicals and reformers in Islam and just what they mean for a Judeo-Christian society. The book is a little out of the mainstream because it does rely so much on religion and theology, something that most middle-East commentators go to great pains to ignore or downplay. Rosenberg is an evangelical Christian himself, thereby explaining the themes on a level that matters to himself and his co-religionists.

ITR is not something to be shunned so easily, as I may not agree with all of his points, Rosenberg has put in so much research that this is a book that compels thought and merits discussion. I find it difficult to explain the near absence of coverage, especially during our current entanglements.

Fantastic, March 28, 2009
I had always been looking for a well-researched book that could explain the differences in Muslim ideology. The media would have you believe that all Muslims are terrorists, but Rosenberg goes to great lengths to illustrate the discrepencies between the radicals, the reformers, and the "rank and file" Muslims today.

If you're looking for a book that will help you understand the radical Islamic ideology and their frustration with the West, this is it. In my opinion, much better than Epicenter. This takes the cake, and it's a fantastic read.

Rosenberg hits another homerun!, March 11, 2009

Anyone desiring to understand the mind of the Muslims, read all about them as the Radicals, the Reformers and the Revivalists in this fascinating, well-documented tome. The historical stories surrounding the recent Middle Eastern wars, America's conflicting ideas about the wars, and testimonies of key brave men fighting for their freedom are so insightful. Personal stories of Muslims grappling with their Holy Book and finding a loving God, God revealing Himself to many in miraculous ways, and the courage and commitment of Middle Easterners to bring peace, love and democracy to their lands fill the pages. What an eye-opening historical and inspirational book! Mrs. James Swanson

Comprehensive views on what is driving Islamic thought..., May 16, 2009
I got the chance to read Inside the Revolution: How the Followers of Jihad, Jefferson & Jesus Are Battling to Dominate by Joel C. Rosenberg recently, which was a real treat. Rosenberg spends most of his time analyzing Middle East affairs from the perspective of end-times Christian theology. He's also written a number of political novels centered around Islamic themes, many of which have been eerily played out for real on the world stage, often only months after the book has been released. Inside the Revolution is a non-fiction analysis of what is happening in the Islamic Revolution, what mindsets are driving the power struggle, and what it means for the US and other world powers. While you may not agree with all the conclusions, Inside the Revolution will add to your overall education of the situation.

The three main breakdowns here are as follows:
The Radicals - "Islam is the answer, and Jihad is the way"
The Reformers - "Islam is the answer, but Jihad is not the way"
The Revivalists - "Islam is not the answer, and Jihad is not the way; Jesus is the way"

Our media tends to focus on the first, as it's the most sensationalistic. Rosenberg lays a solid groundwork for the theology behind jihad, and how it is justified. He also makes it easy to understand why this radical form of Islam is so appealing to those of a young age, who want to strike back at the injustices they see leveled at their countries and belief systems. He also goes deeper than typical media coverage, explaining how the "Twelfth Imam" theology of Iran's president makes that country an especially destabilizing force to those around them. By the time I finished reading the Radicals chapter, I had a pretty good understanding as to how and why this form of Islam presents such dangers to the world.

The Reformers section presents a less-often seen view of Islam, the picture of Islam as a peaceful religion, and one that wants to work with and coexist peacefully with those around them. Again, Rosenberg does a thorough job in explaining both the theological basis for this form, as well as the thoughts and views of those who follow this path and are influential within the leadership of Islamic countries. I had a hard time remembering that these individuals are truly putting their lives on the line each day, walking and breathing targets to those who would view them as mistaken and dangerous to the Islamic cause.

Finally, Rosenberg presents the Revivalists, those who are followers of Jesus, and who worship Christ at great cost and danger on a daily basis. These followers are viewed as true heretics by the Radicals, and have little to no protection under Islamic law concerning their lives or freedoms. This is also the group you never see portrayed in mainstream media. It's only in books like this that you realize that the Christian church does exist in the Muslim world, and despite tremendous persecution, continues to grow and change lives.

My biggest complaint about the book is that the American responses as painted by Rosenberg still seem to be largely divided on Republican and Democratic party lines. The standard conservative views tend to prevail, with Republicans being the strongest force to fight Radicals, and Democrats being far too willing to talk and concede until it's too late. Personally, I feel both sides have made numerous mistakes, and I am unable to view all of the Republican stances and actions as pure and well-meaning. But even with that, Inside the Revolution still succeeds as one of the few books available today that paints a comprehensive view of the faces of Islam, and it's well worth reading to enhance your understanding of what's at stake in the coming years.

Who's opinion can you really trust?, May 2, 2009
Has anyone ever just sat down with you and asked if they could help you understand what is really going on? And even if they did, what is their angle...what is their agenda? So much has been written about terrorism that can offer little hope of a future. Fear is most often shrouded in ignorance. I found someone who goes after the facts first hand and reports the way a true reporter should; not just painting a picture he believes his audience wants to see. Joel clearly understands the so called Radicals who mask themselves in a religion called Islam. He has reached out and made friends with the moderate Muslim leaders while at the same time unapologetically draws his insight from the prophetic word of old. Past, present and future held together with a thread that can only be seen through the third eye. This book brought understanding to the often confusing reports I hear from the Middle East. I thoroughly enjoyed this authentic, factual and insightful look at the real enemy and the blessed hope for those caught in the conflict.

Radicals - reformers - Revivalist, April 17, 2009
After listening to this book,I was educated and enlighted with real knowlede and understanding of the middle east. It brought a new understanding to the struggle going on and the reason for the heatred for the United States and Israel. Would recommend it very highly.

Good book., March 28, 2009
As opposed to works of some history "scholars" and "experts", the book gives pretty simple background for understanding of cultural and religious wars. The book is based on Christian view, so "wise" secularist completely won't get it. ... Read more

Editorial Review

The Bible predicts that in the last days a charismatic leader will establish a global following in the name of peace. The Koran also predicts that a man will rise up to lead the nations, pledging to usher in an era of peace. The man in the Koran is called the Mahdi, or Islam's savior. However, the man in the Bible is the Antichrist. Joel Richardson's stunning research and analysis suggest that the Mahdi and the Antichrist are actually one and the same.

In The Islamic Antichrist, Richardson exposes Western readers to the traditions of Islam and predicts that the end times may not be far away. His book will stun readers unaware of the similarities between the Antichrist and the "Islamic Jesus." His research on the relationship between Christian end-time prophecy and Islamic expectations of world domination will shock readers and shape the debate over radical Islam for years to come. This is the book to read on the world's fastest growing religion and the future of the world. ... Read more

Reviews

water, August 5, 2009
I am so glad this book is being presented again to the public. What I loved so much about this book, besides that fact that I believe it to be an accurate reflection of reality, is that it is presented cleanly, concisely, and without any amount of stretch to prove the point - basically exactly what one would expect from the truth - it needs no dressing.

The time is right for this book and I am praying every day for it to sweep the world...not just so Joel can reap the rewards of his hard work...but so the eyes of the lost can be opened...and the eyes of those found can be pointed in the proper direction.

Remember, the Lord told us to watch. The Lord told us we would know the signs and see it coming. The Lord said that understanding would be increased in the latter days, that we would have visions and dreams to facilitate our understanding of his Word.

That time is now. Don't miss it.

If anyone thinks the US economy turned from good to bad in a short amount of time, watch how fast these end time events move upon us. When all is in place, the final events will sweep the planet with blinding speed.

Recall the Lord's words about a great deception...so great that even the elect would be deceived if such were possible. This book will prepare you for this coming deception, which is being made clear to us today.

Be ready now, not tomorrow. This book is absolutely essential to one's understanding of what is coming.

A Timely, Honest Assessment of Who The Anti-Christ will be, August 8, 2009
Joel Richardson's book, "The Islamic Antichrist: The Shocking Truth About the Real Nature of the Beast" is one every serious student of Bible Prophecy and the end-times needs to read. It is the clearest and most direct picture of Islamic Eschatology that I have read. For over 20 years I have studied the various end-times teachings looking for something that really made sense. Joel's book is the major puzzle piece that perfectly fits with the Scripture that does not need to be crammed into place.

So many folks have gotten turned off of Bible prophecy because so many teachers have had to make up fantastic scenerios - doing twists and turns - to try to fit the "Roman End-time Paradigm" into the books of Daniel and Revelations. If you are one of those people who want a clear picture of what is happening right before your eyes and how it fits into Bible prophecy - GRAB THIS BOOK!

It reads like today's newspaper with the emergence of the Islamic Mahdi and the resurgent Islamic Caliphate emanating from Turkey. The rantings of the Iranian President and the strengthening of Hamas and Hezbollah only confirm this book's premise - The Islamic world is bent on destroying Israel and subjugating the rest of the world under the oppression of Sharia Law. Those who stand up against this force will face but one end - death. The "religion of peace" is the exact opposite. In their view there will be no peace until everyone confesses that "there is no god but Allah..."

If you want an accurate picture of what the Koran and the Islamic commentaries teach and are preached today in every Mosque around the world about the coming Apocalypse, the rise of the Imam Mahdi and the emergence of the Islamic Jesus (Isa) - this is the book to read and re-read again. I have given out copies to friends and family and pastors alike. I seriously urge you to do the same. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.

God Bless and gird yourselves for the appearance of the soon appearing Islamic Anti-Christ!

Excellent book but........, September 1, 2009
I bought this book without realizing that it is simply "Antichrist: Islam's Awaited Messiah" but with a couple of appendices at the end to update it from when it was originally written in 2006. I know that this is a hardcover and the original book was paperback, but if you change the title from the original book at least let people know what they are getting.

This book will rock your escatalogical world, August 13, 2009
The popular end-times teachings of the evangelical church never made much sense to me (A Roman antichrist, a one world government with total control over all its citizens etc.) The Biblical support for these views seems rather sketchy to me, and I wondered how so many prophecy teachers today could totally ignore the growing influence of Islam in the world today. When I read this book, all the pieces came together for me. It was a total paradigm shift for me, and now as I read the Bible and observe world events, I can see Joel's hypothesis falling right into place. I highly recommend this book.

The Islamic Antichrist by Joel Richardson, October 19, 2009
Islam is the 2nd largest and fastest growing religion in the world. Predictions are that by 2055 one-half of the global births will be to Muslim families. Islam is already the fastest growing religion in the U.S., Canada, and Europe. Much of the U.S. increase is among inner-city blacks, and most of these areas will be predominantly Moslem by 2020.
There is a close correlation between the biblical eschatological characters and those in Islam. The main character in Islamic eschatology is the Madhi who closely resembles the Beast in biblical eschatology. According to Islam he will be riding a white horse (which Richardson says could be either figuratively or literally). He will set up a new world order and restore the Islamic caliphate (which was abolished in 1923). The Bible refers to the Beast as the antichrist. Both biblical and Islamic eschatology say the Madhi (Islam) and the Beast (biblical) will make a 7 year truce with Israel but will break it after 3 1/2 years. The Old Testament prophet Daniel says the antichrist will change the times and the laws which Richardson says could be the institution of the shariah law and the Islamic calendar.
Joel Richardson explains the relevance of biblical eschatology in light of Islamic beliefs, and it is relevant and frightening future.

A Solid & Credible Book, May 31, 2010
Islamic Antichrist is a solidly researched and written comparison of Muslim and Christian end time expectations. The author discusses the Islamic Messiah figures, the Mahdi and Jesus as well as the Islamic Antichrist figure called the Dajjal. The author then compares these three figures to the Biblical Antichrist, False Prophet and Messiah showin a wide range of what he refers to as "anti-parallels". This aspect of the book alone is quite compelling. But the arguments do not stop there. The remainder of the book is well argued and presented clearly and sytematically. It is clear that the research that went into this work was thorough and careful. The author also peppers the work with heart-felt and effective qualifiers reminding readers of their Christian responsibility to love Muslims. A highly recommended and valuable contribution to the field of Christian Muslim comparative theology.

The Islamic Antichrist: The Shocking Truth about the Real Nature of the Beast, September 12, 2009
The true nature of Islam has been exposed in spite of the political spin espoused by its muslim members. Joel Richardson has the correct credentials in exposing the deception inherent in the so-called religion of peace. Although I disagree with some of his eschatalogical opinions, over all this book re-enforces the alarm that other ex-muslims have sounded to the western world.

Cold unholy War, October 16, 2009
The author shows that Islam is an ancient, popular, and possibly demonic-inspired religion through its sacred texts, and that it's currently a powerful political force bent on world domination. Its scriptures encourage terrorism and imperialism, and threaten the U.S. Constitution with its Sharia Law, and provide explicit directives to commit human rights abuses (prejudice, torture, beheadings).

In my opinion the U.S. response against Muslim states should be a political, economic, and military response, though the author recommends only a religious response based on prayer and martydom in the face of Islamic terror. Such a single-minded, conciliatory response is an act of surrender and enables an inevitable, intractable, self-fulfilling prophecy. I disagree with the author's recommendation.

Similar to the Cold War, where conflicting ideolgies contested for world influence, the U.S. could project a powerful net of containment, hindering the spread of Islam and its empire-building ambitions. There is no distinction between Islam and a militant Islam. There is Islam, and it is militant, as its holy books brashly proclaim and its bloody history proves. There is no New Testament in Islam to overcome its past sins, and no Golden Rule to reconcile people. On the contrary, the author shows that Islam is spread by compulsion, not compassion.

The U.S. should no longer waste blood and treasure in the construction of new Muslim states in either Iraq or Afghanistan. Unless amendments are added to the Quran requiring tolerance toward other religions and atheists, and respect for their continued existence, Islam in the U.S. should be treated as a political organization under the law, not as a religious organization, for without amendment Islam will continue to be an intolerant force, and its religious and political leaders dangerous.

As the author aptly pointed out, 90% of the wars and acts of terrorism throughout the world are performed under the banner of Islam.

Exploring Islamic eschatology and Christian apocalypticism, the author shows convincingly how both religions' anticipated destinies are intertwined, and adversarial, with Armageddon the result. This isn't just a matter of personal religious belief kept hidden away in somebody's mind to be used for self-examination and betterment. Islam is a cause, and its zealots die for it, and kill for it. A political, economic, and military response to Islam as a political, economic, and military force is necessary, if one believes the prophecies on either side, and connects the dots as the author has. As Islam moves, anti-Islamic forces should move.

The Islamic Anti Christ, October 1, 2009
This book is clearly and concisely written to show the Church of God, the identity of who the End Time Anti Christ will be and how the Islamic religion will fill that role. It's time for the church to wake up to the reality of how we are crashing head long into the tribulation, and each person that makes up these local bodies must ask themselves, "What is God's plan for me in these last days?" Then get busy doing it!

Is this not the same book as Antichrist: Islam's awaited Messiah?, September 11, 2009
I have the prior book and they both have the EXACT same chapters? Did Joel just want to give a different picture on the cover? The first book i read is stunning and it will radically change your views of the end-times which have been taught for decades in evangelical churches. ... Read more

Editorial Review

Editorial Review

Soon after the fall of the Taliban, in 2001, Deborah Rodriguez went to Afghanistan as part of a group offering humanitarian aid to this war-torn nation. Surrounded by men and women whose skills–as doctors, nurses, and therapists–seemed eminently more practical than her own, Rodriguez, a hairdresser and mother of two from Michigan, despaired of being of any real use. Yet she soon found she had a gift for befriending Afghans, and once her profession became known she was eagerly sought out by Westerners desperate for a good haircut and by Afghan women, who have a long and proud tradition of running their own beauty salons. Thus an idea was born.

With the help of corporate and international sponsors, the Kabul Beauty School welcomed its first class in 2003. Well meaning but sometimes brazen, Rodriguez stumbled through language barriers, overstepped cultural customs, and constantly juggled the challenges of a postwar nation even as she learned how to empower her students to become their families’ breadwinners by learning the fundamentals of coloring techniques, haircutting, and makeup.

Yet within the small haven of the beauty school, the line between teacher and student quickly blurred as these vibrant women shared with Rodriguez their stories and their hearts: the newlywed who faked her virginity on her wedding night, the twelve-year-old bride sold into marriage to pay her family’s debts, the Taliban member’s wife who pursued her training despite her husband’s constant beatings. Through these and other stories, Rodriguez found the strength to leave her own unhealthy marriage and allow herself to love again, Afghan style.

With warmth and humor, Rodriguez details the lushness of a seemingly desolate region and reveals the magnificence behind the burqa. Kabul Beauty School is a remarkable tale of an extraordinary community of women who come together and learn the arts of perms, friendship, and freedom.


From the Hardcover edition. ... Read more

Reviews

Beauty in Conflict: The Kabul Beauty School, June 20, 2007
A work of non-fiction Deborah Rodriguez's book could almost be fictional. Only that it isn't. It's a story about determination, challenge, love and heartache. It is the story of an American woman who catapulted herself from Holland, Michigan to Kabul, Afghanistan.

A maverick by nature, Rodriguez came to Afghanistan in 2002, with an American non-governmental organization (NGO) trained in emergencies. Also gregarious by nature, Rodriguez very early on turned her attention to befriending Afghans who spoke some English. Her checkered background in multitasking and a rich personal life helped her in being sought after what was badly need in Kabul - hairdressing. With this, she developed a deep bond with Afghan women, who were just coming out of the tyranny of living under the Taliban. Their heart rending stories are told poignantly by Rodriguez, throughout the book.

I lived in Kabul for a month in 2004 and for four months in 2006. I also went o Rodriguez's beauty parlour, Oasis, in April 2006, with a friend. It took us forever to find it, as houses have no names or numbers in Kabul (security reasons). I called her four times on her cell phone to get to the right place. I waited while my friend got a haircut, was served tea, and got a chance to observe my surroundings. She had a presence and charisma that was hard to miss. Her energy was infectious. When Rodriguez took a cigarette break, she told us parts of her story, all in the book.

I first read about The Kabul Beauty School in an opinion piece posted in the Kabul Guide e-list I subscribe to, a few months ago. It talked about how some people that worked with Rodriguez in starting the Beauty School felt they did not get the credit they deserved in the book. And, that in the beginning of the book (enjoyable and shocking to me) is a piece about Rodriguez helping an Afghan bride fake her virginity on her wedding night by providing her with a blood stained handkerchief. Shouldn't this be the mother's role, questioned the author of the article? I smiled as I read this.

There were so many roles for women (just as there are for men) in Afghanistan that it could get tiring. But, there are more expectations and restrictions when it comes to women. In most traditional societies in transition to modernity, these roles are shifting. Yet, both Afghans and non Afghans have a hard time with this. What to cling to, what to let go? What to support, what to oppose?

However, Rodriguez had little patience with all this questioning. With a fierce determination she dealt with men and women, ministries, bureaucracies, hoodlums, louts, children and older people. She wore her heart on her sleeve, and was not afraid to show her emotions - be it anger, frustration, love or appreciation. She was certainly not a coward.
She did some pretty unconventional things. Most of all, she married an Afghan, and became his second wife. The first wife, with her seven children, lived in Saudi Arabia. He supported her in many things and said no when he couldn't help her. While Rodriguez did a lot to blend in, she also held on dearly to what she believed in, from her background and upbringing.

Rodriguez weaves the book around her own story and those of the women she comes across in Afghanistan. Choosing to focus on setting up a beauty school, she opted to work with women most of the time. She loved them, got cross with them, and yelled at them. She cried with them, danced with them and got involved in their most intimate stories - from violence to sex.

Raised in a country where life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness are guaranteed in the constitution, Rodriguez was often outraged about what she discovered and experienced in Afghanistan. This is understandable. But, slowly she learned and adapted, often at a high cost to herself and others around her. However, that is the nature of life and work as an expatriate in Afghanistan or any other post conflict country. I myself made some mistakes in dealing with the Afghans I worked and interacted with. I too experienced all the emotions Rodriguez did.

Rodriguez ends her book in May 2006, just after riots and curfews in Kabul. I was in Kabul at that time. The women who have studied and graduated from her beauty school have gone their various paths - some to new lives and others back to the old ones (but as changed and economically independent persons, with a skill). Rodriguez's experience in Afghanistan transformed her life and the women around her. Her book is deeply personal and gives a pretty accurate picture of what goes on in today's Afghanistan.

There are whisperings (quietly and openly) that Rodriguez has betrayed and endangered the women of the beauty school - that they could be targeted by conservative elements. Also, about her going back on her promises of getting them out of the country to safe and greener pastures. And, was she going to share the profits of her book with the women whose stories she told?

Above the whispering and questioning, the truth is that the reality of Afghan woman can be changed by themselves -with some help from the Debbie Rodriguez' of the world. Just like development aid and expatriate technical assistance and expertise, it is only a helping hand to the Afghans. And, all this will take time. Decades of oppression from inside and outside Afghanistan, have left a deep impression on Afghan women and men, in separate ways. They suffered collectively and differently, each to their own, in their own way. I too, heard many of these stories. A great need in Afghanistan today is individual and collective healing. Rodriguez realised this and tried to do something about, in the way she knew best.

Rodriguez offered freedom and friendship, within the confines of Afghan society. More than that she could not do, and no outsider can. The book rings true, reads well, and is highly descriptive of a country and people Rodriguez was privileged to be part of. And, that, no one can take away from her. Just like no one can take away from the Afghan women what they got from Rodriquez.

Yes... and ultimately No, June 28, 2008
When I started reading this book, I was surprised to learn that the author is from my hometown in Michigan (I moved cross-country two decades ago, but still visit once a year). So, from the get-go I was extra curious about Debbie's story. At first glance, I thought the book was fascinating, and I admired the author's tenacity and heart. I didn't mind her writing style (I thought that was part of the charm), and I gave her ditzy personality a lot of latitude because I figured, at the end of the day, her efforts were having a positive impact. Naively, I assumed that Debbie had the Kabul women's best interests at heart... even though she chose to reveal "secrets" and privileged information about her beauty school students and peers. But, post-book, as I've learned more about the story (with a good bit of googling), my curiosity and fascination with the book has been replaced by sadness and disappointment. A recent (June 2008) article in the Chicago Tribune tells how the story has unfolded, or unraveled, since the book's been published... and it ain't pretty. Since she's a hometown girl, I still want to believe that Debbie's intentions have always been above board... but, either way, it's had a devastating impact on the women left behind in Kabul. Debbie's gotten some degree of glory, but her Kabul "sisters" are paying the price, and having to do it all by themselves. Very, very sad.

Has Life for Afghani Women Improved Because of Rodriguez?, September 27, 2007
I have mixed feelings about this book. It's easy to read and certainly provides an interesting and informative portrayal of what life is like for the women of Afghanistan. Unfortunatley, for me it dragged on in the end, and I started counting pages wondering when it would be over. There is one heartbreaking and shocking story after the next, and too many "characters" to wrap one's mind around. This m�lange of stories primarily boils down to this: Terrorizing Men and Terrorized Women. I don't believe life for Afghani women has improved because of the Kabul Beauty School, and from what I understand, because of their portrayal in this book, some of the women are in more danger now that the book is out and Rodriguez has fled.

In the end, reading Kabul Beauty School did not elicit the feelings I thought it might, which was to have met an extraordinary, selfless woman who achieved a major accomplishment. Throughout the reading, I didn't understand or appreciate the author's motivation and, as a result, found it difficult to champion her cause. It's excellent memoir or journal material, but that's where the excellence ends. Does it entertain a broad audience? Absolutely not. In addition, there's a certain lack of credibility from the merely average writing skills of the author. In the retelling of this tale, Deborah Rodriguez often comes across as victim of circumstance. She makes a series of foolish choices particularly when it comes to marriage, acts rashly, and often irreverently, probably drinks too much and smokes. (This may be harsh, but these traits, to me, have nothing to do with "beauty.") For example, it doesn't make her the least bit likeable when we learn she verbally assaults a man at an outdoor market when he follows her around and grabs her backside. Embarrassing and endangering her closest friend (and translator) in the process, the friend tells her outright that she will "never go to the market with her again." Rodriguez brings her strong, independent and liberated American woman traits with her, wears them on her sleeve, and it does not earn her respect from the people around her, or from this reader. It makes her nickname "Crazy Debbie" perfectly understandable. Also, she lets her friends arrange a marriage for her, (and granted the presence of an Afghani husband, "Sam," does help her cause in one dangerous and surprising circumstance after another), but this man already has a wife, and we soon learn, a baby on the way. It's all very bizarre.

It feels as though Rodriguez returned to Afghanistan (after her first genuine venture there to provide aid after the ousting of the Taliban) in search of an extraordinary life rather than because she wanted to be the savior of Afghani women. I'm not saying this is true (I don't know this woman), but if the purpose of this book was to tell the world who she is and why she went to Afghanistan at great personal expense to become the director of a beauty school with the hope of making life better for the women there, she has been successful. The book, published by a major house, and the movie deal also deem her "successful." As for the school and the cause? A failure. She is not, like the book jacket indicates, living in Afghanistan and still running the school. According to an article on NPR, "the subjects of her book say Rodriguez and her newfound fame have put their lives in danger. They say they've seen none of the money or help to get them out of Afghanistan that Rodriguez promised them in exchange for having their stories appear in the book." Rodriguez counters by saying the women misunderstood what she promised them.

In spite of this rather negative review, I do think Kabul Beauty School is an EXCELLENT CHOICE for book clubs as it will no doubt, provoke a very interesting and thoughtful discussion about the lives of women living in Afghanistan, and whether or not the outside world should or shouldn't have something to say or do about this culture and the emancipation of women there. I also suggest Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time.

Michele Cozzens is the author of Irish Twins

Misguided, Selfish American Ruins Afghan Lives, January 14, 2008
First, the good:

The book is written in an informal, yet extremely engaging, style. It is well put-together. After I started reading it, I just wanted to keep reading until I finished. (I guess you could call that a "page-turner".)

Now, the bad:

The book starts out with great promise. The narrator is a hairdresser from Michigan who is having a difficult time extricating herself from an abusive marriage. (It is not clear to me why she doesn't just leave the guy, but that's OK. It seems to be a combination of abused wife reasons: money, psychological control. Common enough.) Then, for some reason that is never made clear, she gets the idea to use her beauty skills to travel to Afghanistan and help women there learn cosmetology. She has no money to do this, but ends up convincing a famous beauty supply company to fund her project.

She then makes the first of many selfish, and questionable, decisions revolving around responsability: She decides to move to Afghanistan. That would be fine if she was on her own--- but she isn't. She is a mother with small children. Moving to Afghanistan entails leaving her dependent children in the US without her. (It is never made clear who exactly is taking care of her children while she spends months at a time in Afghanistan. It is heartbreaking when later in the book one of her sons decides to move to Afghanistan just to be closer to her; she allows this, putting him into extreme danger. He then transfers to go to school in Cyprus just so he can be on the same continent; not long after he makes this life-altering decision, his mother abandons Afghanistan and moves back to the US. This is simply the first life of many she has irrevocably changed for the worse.)

This theme of abandonment of responsability caused by questionable, headstrong decisions is one that plays out with ever-increasing devastation as the book continues.

After arriving in Afghanistan, the author succeeds in starting the beauty school. There are many colorful anecdotes about life in Afghanistan, and the many colorful and interesting characters she meets. They are especially interesting since they are told from the perspective of an American woman. Unfortunately (as I should have gathered early in the book if I had been paying attention) this perspective is a subtle one of cultural superiority. (As an example, she lives in Afghanistan for over a year, and even by the end of the book, she has never bothered to learn any form of the local language. After YEARS there, she still gets by by speaking English, using friends as translators, and hand-gestures.)

She becomes "friends" with Afghan women who she trains in her beauty school. At first everything goes well--- the women love being independent and earning their own money--- but she soon comes up against
cultural norms that threaten the school. This is not unexpected, of course. However, she deals with most of these with little cultural perspective, and which put the Afghan women under her tutelage in personal danger time and again.

Somewhere along the way, she meets an Afghan man at a dinner with friends; without either of them speaking the other's language, she agrees to marry him and become his second wife only a few WEEKS after they meet. She knows nothing about this man, yet agrees to marry him mere weeks after they meet! (Another questionable, headstrong decision, which will end badly.)

Near the end of the book, she travels one last time to Afghanistan. A lot of troubles have ensued, the beauty shop is basically closed, a lot of the women who she has dragged into her little experiment are now in danger for their lives. She decides to leave Afghanistan almost immediately, saying only that she felt danger and had to get away. She doesn't explain this at all in the book. She abandons the beauty school, the Afghan women who were her "friends", and her new Afghan husband as well-- leaving him and them without so much as a goodbye or explanation for her abandonment. It is never explained why she does this in the book, either-- but seems par for the course given her previous actions.

Even worse is what happens when she returns to the US. She basically stops calling and helping her Afghan friends. The women she brought into the beauty school rightly feel abandoned. Some of them are now political refugees in other countries because they are in danger for their lives in Afghanistan. (Even if she can't help them financially, she still hasn't even bothered CALLING them in over a year. In a recent interview in the Chicago Tribune, she questions: "When is enough enough?" Apparently after you write a bestseller and ink a movie deal after destroying dozens of lives and livelihoods.)

By the end of the book, I was left with a feeling of disquiet and unease. I really wanted to like the author (she comes across as very dynamic and engaging)-- let's be honest, it takes a certain dynamic personality to pull something like this off. Personality-wise, I ALMOST liked her. But I finally had to conclude that-- whether accidentally or purposefully--- she is also the type of person with no self-awareness, a high degree of selfishness (which is even more dangerous because she doesn't see it!), and headstrong tendencies and disregard for others that leave devastation in her wake no matter where she goes. A walking tornado.

I am giving the book three stars because it works AS A BOOK: It really kept me engaged and made me want to read it to the end.

However, it sort of left me feeling like I might feel after eating a gallon of ice cream at one sitting: Kind of uncomfortable, nauseous and, in the end, sick at heart.

Kabul is really like this...sort of, June 7, 2008
My mother eagerly sent this book to me (yes here in Afghanistan) because she knows how much my heart bleeds for people (read: women) who do not relish in the wonderful things we westerners take for granted.

At times, I applauded Debbie for taking a stand, and never in a million years would I critize her for leaving, because the folks who are the heaviest criticizers have NO concept of bombings, kidnappings, beheadings, and the like. It is truly one of the most horrifying things I have dealt with.

Now...Kabul...I am going to attempt to describe this large city in layman's terms so the average person can understand where I am coming from. I apologize for any hurt feelings or protests, but unless you can meet me downtown Kabul tonight for tea, please take this for what it is: a description of someone who is there.

Yes, some women still wear Burqas (chadris), but while I detest the things more than I can describe, many women still wear them to protect themselves from stares, fondling, cat calls, etc. This is not to say no woman is exempt from these things, but many prefer to wear it, much to their chagrin, because women by themselves are truthfully considered "whores" by many and thus "deserving" of being fondled and hollered at. One of the things I had to get used to as a western woman (obviously, I am rich and a prostitute because I'm not married..."obviously") is the CONSTANT gaping by young men. Truckloads of young men will physically hang out their entire bodies to gawk at a western woman. Shuras won't look at me, though (usually). I have gotten my hand shaken, however, which was considered a huge step up by many in my circle.

For those who wear it, the preferred chadri/burqa is a lovely shade of periwinkle, if only because white is nearly impossible to clean in a country that does not have running water, reliable electricity (only government offices and hospitals are required to maintain electricity; most homes only have the equivalent of a 40-watt light bulb in terms of lights...please note I said MOST), and proper (western) sanitation. You cannot stereoptype Afghans (NOT "Afghanis" like so many people have called them in these reviews) because like any other country, they are not all the same. Kabul is arguably the most "progressed" city, but there are other smaller provinces that boast more progress than Kabul, but I'll concentrate today on the capital. Kabul is a filthy city by western standards. I have lived all over the world (southwest Asia, the middle east, Europe, 12 states, etc.), and my passport is nearly filled with stamps. The nicest parts of Kabul, at least the public areas, are as nasty as the bad parts of big U.S. cities (this is a comparison so people who have never been outside the U.S. can understand...I'm sorry if I offend anybody. It's not my intent.) There is trash, feces, and dead animals along the pocked roads, but the roads are greatly improved since the Taliban was "thrown out." The Taliban is still present, and not a lot of Afghans approve of them in the least, but in some cases, it's like a pesty fly they just swat and and choose largely to ignore (for various reasons, including but not limited to, protecting their families, which is paramount.) In no other country have I ever seen such love for one's family, no matter how far apart the "cousins" are. It's truly heartwarming but can also be a downfall, like the author discusses in some cases.

However, amongst the sea of chadris are also the women who proudly wear high heels with their polished toes and glittering gold bracelets through the dirty streets, but I have never seen an Afghan woman in public without at least a head scarf. There are women in schools, colleges, and those who proudly work, and there is much reformation in parts of the cities. There are men who strongly encourage their daughters to become more educated, but just like any other family, there are some fathers who do not let their daughters do anything beyond their destiny, which is to get married and have sons. Like so many countries that take the Koran literally, the belief males are the dominant gender is held fast.

Every day is Market Day it seems, with thousands of people crowding the narrow streets filled with produce (tangerines are huge here...who knew?), Coca Cola by the liter (doesn't taste the same), nuts, carcasses of dead animals for sale with the head sitting in the middle of the shop to prove what kind of animal it is, children playing, people sitting around listening to the radio (still the most frequent way people get their news), carts pushed by men or donkeys, an occassional horseback rider who narrowly misses the old Opal cars on the side of the road, the useless traffic circle with everybody going whichever way he/she chooses, etc. etc. On Fridays, traditional Afghan music is blared throughout the markets while people noisily chat to one another. Mixed in with the robes and chadris is occassionally a child wearing a Mickey Mouse sweater and Nikes. It is a beautiful place, a dangerous place, and that brings me to my final point before I ramble too much.

I only gave this book 3 stars because, while I understood everything she discussed, I was alarmed about how blase Debbie was about certain cultures...she honestly at times came across as The Ugly American. I wanted to like her, and I loved what she did, but I cannot comprehend why she thought it was okay (spoiler) to put her friend in danger in the market. Nobody is as indignant about being touched by strangers as I, but she did not think about how her actions could have put her friend in danger, or in the very least, embarrassed her. Embarrassment in the U.S. is easily overcome; in this part of the world, you rarely get second chances (Debbie was alloted many because she is a "heathen" American). Why after so long she didn't understand that, or chose to, baffles me.

Reviewed by Karen Morse, April 10, 2007
Deborah Rodriquez, known by Kabul shop owners and Michigan prison inmates alike as "Miss Debbie," first came to Afghanistan in 2002 as part of a group from the Care for All Foundation, a Christian Humanitarian Organization. A hairdresser by trade, Rodriguez is deemed significantly less useful than her medically-trained compatriots and is given any number of odd jobs and a good deal of free time to explore the city. Little did she--or the relief group--realize exactly how desirable her skills might be in that war-torn city.


When the expatriate community discovers a hairdresser in their midst, Rodriguez is swamped with requests. One woman summed up the situation quite succinctly: "We have literally risked our lives for highlights. [...] Once I drove ten hours over the Khyber Pass to get my hair done in Pakistan" (39). During Taliban rule, hair salons and their feminine space were banned. In 2002 salons were only just starting to reopen, struggling without the supplies and skills needed to be truly successful.


As she begins to befriend both westerners and Afghans in Kabul, Rodriguez begins to see a niche that she can fill. She returns to Michigan hoping to find a way to open a teaching salon in Kabul. Armed with her dream and a lot of gumption she manages to get $500,000 worth of donations from Paul Mitchell and other large beauty companies. Just when Rodriguez is at a loss as to how to proceed, she discovers Mary MacMakin and her nonprofit, PARSA. Aligning herself with PARSA, she returns to Kabul in Spring 2003 as a founding faculty member of the Kabul Beauty School, eventually becoming its lead instructor and administrator.


While Rodriguez's story of an American woman helping to make a difference in the lives of Afghan women is not unique, it is both moving and powerful. KABUL BEAUTY SCHOOL is compulsively readable. A strong opening chapter illustrates both the struggles of modern Afghan women and Rodriguez's inimitable blend of brazenness and kindness, leaving readers with a desire to know more about this spunky, resourceful hairdresser and her students.


The stories of Rodriguez's students fill the pages of this memoir: the wife of a Taliban-aligned opium addict, the bride who must fake virginity, and the young girl sold by her parents to an older man, just to name a few. The author, however, is just as interesting as her students.


One of the things that sets Rodriguez apart is her ability to empathize with her students. Having suffered an abusive husband, she is attuned to the indignities--both large and small--that affect Afghan women every day. Rodriguez is dynamic and personable; more than that, she clearly loves Afghanistan and its people. As she so elegantly puts it,

"as soon as I set my foot on this soil, I knew I'd somehow managed to come home. I've been renewed by the spirit of this place and roused by its challenges" (269). While Rodriguez maintains both her personality and independence throughout the period covered in this memoir, she becomes ever more a part of the Afghan community, even allowing her friends to arrange a marriage to an Afghan businessman.


The history of the school--and Rodriguez's life in Kabul--is not without drama. The school has political and financial problems. There are cultural misunderstandings, most perpetrated by the clueless, but well-meaning Rodriguez. At the memoir's end, we learn that both the school and affiliated salon have been closed. Nevertheless, the reader is left with a sense of hope: if anyone can turn things around, it is Rodriguez.


The narrative is a bit uneven (for example, the handling of her son's stay in Afghanistan is cursory, simply tagged onto a story about one of her students). However, that is almost to be expected in a first effort and the natural charisma of the author, and the compelling tale of the school, will be enough to keep readers interested.

okay, June 12, 2008
This is a quick read, and it is interesting. However, I never really liked the author, and it seems irresponsible for her to divulge so many details about the lives of her students.

Concerned about the women she exposed, June 8, 2008
After reading this book, I was so concerned about what would happen to these women in war torn Afganistan. I felt she revealed so much about them and then fled the country to probably never return.

Dangerous Beauty, May 3, 2008
First, let me say that the writing in this book is not bad - it's not great either, but it is readable. The content is a different story. The first chapter of this book describes how Debrorah saves her friend by tricking her friend's new husband (and everyone else in the family) into believing that her friend was a virgin when she got married. I spent the next 15 minutes leafing through the rest of the book, hoping to see that the friend had somehow escaped what was undoubtedly the death sentence that Deborah had committed her to when she published her book. Not getting any such assurance, I have been hoping since then that Deborah was lying through her teeth. I can not believe that anyone who knew fully well what would happen, could have been so irresponsible. Deborah comes across like Amazonian airhead - after all, she must be fairly muscular to collar a fully grown man when he groped her bottom and drag him across the street to a cop; and marrying a man who she knew absolutely nothing about can't be considered the wisest move in world. She is obviously very proud of being feisty and not standing for any nonsense, but she has an American passport and could (and did) get the hell out of Dodge when the going got rough. All those girls she "liberated" and then wrote about might not agree that their lives were worth the story she lived to tell.

Looking for a role model? Here you go., April 10, 2007
Her husband was a minister --- and a pig. You know the type: jealous, possessive, calls the wife 70 times a day if he suspects she's in the mere presence of another man. She had no college --- she'd worked as a prison guard and was now on her second stint as a hairdresser --- and she lived in Holland, Michigan, not exactly a center of opportunity.

But Debbie Rodriguez had a personality as vivid as her short, red, spiked hair. She'd taken emergency and disaster relief training in the summer of 2001. And she had a big heart.

So what did she do right after 9/11?

She volunteered to spend a month in Afghanistan. At the first meeting of her group with other foreigners living in Kabul, the women burst into wild applause when she was introduced --- there wasn't a decent hairdresser in the entire city.

Debbie Rodriguez loved Afghanistan. When she returned to Michigan, a friend suggested that she move to Kabul and start a beauty school. The idea itched. She couldn't stop watching television footage of the Taliban. She read book after book. She knew, from her own experience, that she could help Afghani women: "A salon is a good business for a woman --- especially if she has a bad husband." And she identified with them: "I was still married to such a mean man that Afghanistan, then considered by many people to be the most dangerous place on earth, felt like paradise."

"I hope you die in Afghanistan," her husband said as she left for the airport in March of 2003.

"I'd rather die than live here with you," she said. And, with that, "a door in my heart opened, and the tiny piece of him left inside tumbled out. I flew to Afghanistan, where my heart would soon fill with new people to love."

And, it turns out, for you to love. Debbie Rodriguez is the kind of fearless woman that women instinctively adore (and men, at their peril, learn to respect). And in a beauty salon, women literally let their hair down --- that is, once they've removed their burkas. So you get stories.

There's the long-deflowered bride who, on her wedding night, needs to prove she's a virgin. The woman who takes her burka off for the first time in fifteen years and has to shield her eyes from the sunlight for the first three days. The woman who hadn't been out of her house in eight years. The hairdresser who had been jailed by the Taliban for practicing her trade.

And you get a glimpse of Afghan customs. Did you know that, in Afghanistan, both men and women get their bodies completely waxed before they marry? That at the wedding party, some women dress as men so they can more authentically dance with other women? That there are no rude Afghans? ("Even when they're pointing a gun at you, they're polite.")

And, mostly, you get Debbie. Her determination: When the owner of Paul Mitchell phones her in Kabul, it's only seconds before the question of donated beauty supplies becomes "how much do you need?" Her ferocity: I counted two incidents --- there may be more --- when she lifts her burka so she can see better to punch an offending Afghani man in the face. And her wild spirit: The story of her semi-arranged marriage to an Afghani will have you slack-jawed more than once.

"One person can make a difference." I usually cringe when I hear that. But Debbie Rodriguez is living proof. She set a stage upon which women transformed their lives. She brought laughter into rooms that had only known tears. And, in the process, she found her own joy.

In May of 2006, some American military vehicles crashed into civilian cars. Several Afghanis died. A riot followed. American troops said they fired over the heads of the rioters, but several Afghanis were killed and many were injured. After that, strict curfews were imposed. And the Kabul Beauty School had to close.

Count that as a shadow. Debbie Rodriguez kicked open doors and smashed windows, and now there is light in the hearts of hundreds of Afghani women. I can't imagine there are men tough enough to put those lights out. ... Read more

Editorial Review

In this captivating book, award-winning journalist Geraldine Brooks offers an intimate, often shocking portrait of the lives of modern Muslim women, and shows how male pride and power have warped the original message of a once-liberating faith. "A valid, entertaining account of women in the Muslim world."--The New York Times Book Review. ... Read more