Colleagues, on the final list that our questioner will present to the
synagogue for consideration as a study guide on Islam, was the author David
Pryce-Jones. Since I hadn't read any of his books, I checked one out of the
public library: The Closed Circle--and am reading it now.
I heartily recommend this book to a study group wishing to understand the
Arab world and culture. The first 2 chapters alone (on tribal/clan loyalty and
on the honor/shame basis of culture, which is so alien to us) should clarify to
readers the reasons there has been no peace between Israel and the
Palestinians, why modernization and scientific progress continue to pass the
Arab states by, why Arab despotisms overthrown are always replaced by new
despotisms, why Christians are being "cleansed" from the Arab world, although
the world pays little notice, why what we call "corruption" plagues all these
states, how every conflict is a "zero-sum" game and compromise equals the
appearance of disgrace, and more.
The culprit is not colonialism, it's not Zionism, it's nothing external; as
Tom Friedman said shortly after 9/11: The lesson he learned from that day "can
be summed up in two words: Culture matters."
This very readable book goes a long way in fleshing out Friedman's observation.
Andrea
__
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