Arabs

If the extent of your knowledge of Arabian culture is confined to Lawrence of Arabia and what you see on the nightly news [typically encompassing the following three things 1) Middle Easterners sitting in cafes smoking hookas 2) big protests 3) big explosions], then this book will be informative for you, as it was for me. A previous reviewer was right in saying that the political chapter meanders a bit, but on the whole I found the book very useful and interesting. I read with particular interest the points on the interrelatedness of religion, family, tribe and state, as well as the inherent problems presented by democracy in Arab society. It is also worth noting that the title is "Arabs", not "Extremists" or "Islamists". This book is not about "why they hate us" nor "why they are evil." It highlights differences without passing judgment.