Being Muslim

This is indeed the best book on the subject. I heard the interview of the author on NPR while driving to the airport from a client site! I could not wait to get this book from the library. I just finished reading the book and I will soon be buying it to add to my library. The author takes a very balanced view on the sensitive topic but spares no punches when dealing with the facts. The book deals with post 9/11 issues very directly and at the same time provides a very nice intro to the Islamic culture and traditions. I recommend this book to anyone who really wants to know what it is to be a muslim in this world that is torn apart by religious conflicts.

Mr. Siddiqui represents Muslims whose voices often go unheard amidst the Islamophobic ravings of the likes of Irshad Manji and the violent rhetoric and actions of extremists, both of whom have come to define Muslims and Islam in the public mind. A must read.

If it's an easy overview of key issues, topics and social and political concerns you need to serve as an introduction to Muslim concerns, you can't go wrong with BEING MUSLIM, based on travels in Muslim lands and interviews with experts there and in the West. Here's an analysis of the impact of terrorism on Muslims, explaining how Islam affects daily living and surveying differences between East and West perspectives. A very simple, easy introduction, this lends equally well to middle to high school libraries strong in social and political history. Diane C. Donovan California Bookwatch