From Booklist

Finally, a good, up-to-date introduction to Islamic faith and history. Providing compelling analysis of contemporary Islam and its conflicts without overwhelming the reader with information, Nasr, one of the most admired Islamicists, introduces all the important movements and beliefs of Islam in broad, sweeping sections on the history of Islam, the schools of Islamic thought, and other topics. Whereas most introductions breeze past the diversity within Islam to focu (more…)

From Booklist

Note that Doniger is the Mircea Eliade Distinguished Service Professor of Religions at the University of Chicago and the author of many books. Note that alternative neatly defines her. Learned, fluent, and entertaining in spite of the complexity of this ambitious undertaking, Doniger is also controversial, a role she embraces, confident that fresh viewpoints are essential to understanding the worlds that shaped the Hindu tradition, and the ways Hindus shaped society (more…)

Review

‘exceptional frankness and understanding of national psychology’ –Haaretz.com

Product Description

Product DescriptionThis five-part documentary explores 4,000 years of Jewish history, starting with the origins of the Jewish people in the Middle East right through to present day Judaism. The series researches the roots of the Jewish people, seeking clues about Judaism at the archaeological excavation sites, the centers of culture and in the written ev (more…)

Amazon.com

Watching this enthralling documentary, one inevitably wonders how Islam, a beautiful religion, could have become synonymous with fear and hatred, even after 9/11. Inside Islam explores the historic and poetic wellspring of the Muslim people and illuminates startling commonalities among Islam, Christianity, and Judaism. Shades of difference between Islam’s foundation and that of its counterparts prove more fascinating than divisive, e.g., Islam claims a direct lin (more…)

Product Description

AN EXCELLENT HISTORY OF THE JEWISH PEOPLE DONE BY THE PRESIDENT OF BRANDEIS UNIVERSITY.

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Amazon.com Review

Paul Johnson says that writing A History of the Jews was like writing a history of the world “seen from the viewpoint of a learned and intelligent victim.” Johnson’s history begins with the Bible and ends with the establishment of the State of Israel. Throughout, Johnson’s history is driven by a philosophical interest: “The Jews,” he writes, “stand right at the centre of the perennial attempt to give human life the dignity of a purpose. Does their own his (more…)

Amazon.com Review

The picture of Islam as a violent, backward, and insular tradition should be laid to rest, says Karen Armstrong, bestselling author of Muhammad and A History of God. Delving deep into Islamic history, Armstrong sketches the arc of a story that begins with the stirring of revelation in an Arab businessman named Muhammad. His concern with the poor who were being left behind in the blush of his society’s new prosperity sets the tone for the tale of a cult (more…)