posted
Recently read the OSC essay on The Only Issue This Election Day and enjoyed it. No, I'm not going to discuss it here. What I am looking for is recommendations on books that cover Islam/Muslim traditions, maybe comparisions to other religions and/or history of their conflicts with the Jews and/or history of the various regions. OSC covered some interesting points about Sunnis and Shiites in his essay and I'd like more information. Books on the Lebanon conflicts count too.
The only caveat is that is MUST be audio. I'm looking at "From Beirut to Jerusalem" by Freidman as a possibility although obviously some of his conclusions are not going to fit the current situation anymore since the book was written a while ago.
If anyone has other suggestions, I'd appreciate it.
Posts: 8 | Registered: Nov 2006
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posted
Why does it have to be audio? Are you having difficulties with your vision? Or planning a long car trip and figure to audio your way through it? Feel an ethical imperative to save trees from the murderous destruction at the hands of the publishing industry?
Posts: 10397 | Registered: Jun 2005
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I know you said it has to be audio, but my Economics of the Middle East teacher highly recommends this book: Islamic Finance: Law, Economics, and Practice. According to my teacher, it's not dry and it covers Islamic finance in ways that laymen can easily understand.
Posts: 33 | Registered: Feb 2005
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Link to the National Library Service for the Blind searchengine, type Islam into the keyword slot, select "NLS Only" in the location box, and select "Sound Recording" in the material type box. You'll come up with 137 titles, some of them repeats. Select "All" in the location box, and you'll come up with 1003 titles; many of them repeats.
And there are ~700 hits, many of them repeats, if you use Islam as the keyword in LearnOutLoud's searchengine.
I could have sworn that National Public Radio stations offered audio versions of eg Horse of Karbala , Reap the Whirlwind , etc as pledge drive gifts, but I can't locate them there.
Posts: 8501 | Registered: Jul 2001
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Thanks everyone--and yes, it's a vision problem so it does have to be audio! I will look into these titles and search engines! I'm bound to find some interesting stuff!
Posts: 8 | Registered: Nov 2006
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quote:Originally posted by BearMountainBooks: I'm looking at "From Beirut to Jerusalem" by Freidman as a possibility although obviously some of his conclusions are not going to fit the current situation anymore since the book was written a while ago.
It's okay. His conclusions were just as bad when they were written.
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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Is it political? I really don't want to read a book that is pushing a particular view. More something that is educational about what has happened in the region, why there is so much unrest...a non-political overview if possible. I know, I know, the problems are political and religious (and the two aren't far apart) so that will color any book, but I really don't want to read something that is trying to "push" a particular political agenda. It probably doesn't exist. Rats.
Posts: 8 | Registered: Nov 2006
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posted
"America's secret War" is available on Audible.com. It's an excellent breakdown of the post 9/11 situation with the middle east circa 2004, when I first DLed it.
Posts: 9912 | Registered: Nov 2005
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posted
Thanks everyone for the help. This is a great start. I appreciate the specific suggestions and I found a lot of titles at the library service for the blind. That is going to be a most excellent resource.
Posts: 8 | Registered: Nov 2006
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quote:Originally posted by BearMountainBooks: StarLisa,
Is it political? I really don't want to read a book that is pushing a particular view. More something that is educational about what has happened in the region, why there is so much unrest...a non-political overview if possible. I know, I know, the problems are political and religious (and the two aren't far apart) so that will color any book, but I really don't want to read something that is trying to "push" a particular political agenda. It probably doesn't exist. Rats.
With all due respect, an overview that leaves out politics or religion isn't giving you an accurate picture of the middle east.
If you want balance, I recommend that instead of looking for middle-of-the-road books, you look for medium-extreme books on both sides. Really and truly, that's going to give you a much clearer picture of what's going on. Let me know if you want recommendations on either side.
(I have a strange habit of reading material that I probably should find really objectionable.)
Posts: 12266 | Registered: Jul 2005
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I guess what I meant was that I don't want obvious hate books. Yes there are political issues and I want to read about them, but anything too far to one side is just going to make me discredit the entire book. I'd love it if you could recommend any books you found reasonable and maybe readable ones from both sides. If you have reviews already published somewhere on any of these books I'd love to go read the reviews, just let me know where they are posted.
Posts: 8 | Registered: Nov 2006
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What I am looking for is recommendations on books that cover Islam/Muslim traditions, maybe comparisions to other religions and/or history of their conflicts with the Jews and/or history of the various regions. OSC covered some interesting points about Sunnis and Shiites in his essay and I'd like more information. Books on the Lebanon conflicts count too.
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