The Crisis of Islam

Holy War and Unholy Terror

By: Bernard Lewis

Narrated by: Bernard Lewis

Length: 4 hrs and 44 mins

Publisher's summary

Bernard Lewis examines the historical roots of the frustrations and resentments that dominate the Islamic world today and that are increasingly being expressed in acts of terrorism. He looks at the theological origins of political Islam and tells us what the Islamic doctrine of jihad has meant at different times in history. And he takes us, as only he can, through the rise of militant Islam in Iran, Egypt, and Saudi Arabia, examining the impact of radical Wahabi proselytizing and Saudi oil money on the rest of the Islamic world.

Crisis of Islam ranges widely through 13 centuries of history, but in particular it charts the key events of the 20th century leading up to the bitter and violent confrontations of today. The Second World War, the creation of the state of Israel, the Cold War, the Iranian Revolution, the Soviet defeat in Afghanistan, the Gulf War, and the September 11th attacks on the United States have all shaped Muslim perceptions in important ways.

While hostility toward the West has a long and varied history in the lands of Islam, its current concentration on America is new. So too is the cult of the suicide bomber. Bernard Lewis helps us understand the reasons for the increasingly dogmatic rejection of modernity by many in the Muslim world in favor of a return to a sacred past. Based on his George Polk Award-winning article for The New Yorker, The Crisis of Islam is essential reading for anyone who wants to know what Osama bin Ladin represents and why his murderous message resonates so widely in the Islamic world.

©2003 Bernard Lewis (P)2003 Random House Audio, a division of Random House, Inc.

Critic reviews

"Remarkably succinct...offers a long view in the midst of so much short-termism and confusing punditry. Lewis has done us all - Muslim and non-Muslim alike - a remarkable service." (The New York Times Book Review)

"A timely and provocative contribution to the current raging debate about the tensions between the West and the Islamic world." (Business Week)

“Inestimable...replete with the exceptional historical insight that one has come to expect from the world’s foremost Islamic scholar.” (The Wall Street Journal)

Absolutely Worth It, HIghly Recommended!

Prof. Lewis has hit just the right length and level of detail. The author reads his own work, a definite benefit, although you will need to get used to his diction and vocal range (but that is generally true with audio books, and the Professor does better than most in my opinion.) His viewpoint on the current events pertaining to Islam, terrorism and Iraq is an historical one, lending a depth and breadth which are mostly missing amongst the pundits commonly heard on the news channels. He answers, or suggests plausible theories, as to why the events in the Islamic world, and in the Middle East in particular, are taking place. I now find the current Middle East events far more understandable.

The book is much like an extended college lecture, but is constructed more carefully and thus somewhat better listening. I listened on the way to work each morning, and I found myself leaving a little earlier than normal each morning as I looked forward to hearing more. Only a mild criticism, I found that the pace briefly slowed at about the 3/4 point, but in general this book moves forward as fast of most any of the historical/current events genre.

Five Stars!

Great

For most Americans, the history of the Muslim "world" is a complete mystery. The relevance of historical events such as the elimination of the caliphate is a good example of this. Americans (and most "enlightened" Europeans, too, I'd wager) are oblivious to the significance of many such cultural references that mean nothing to us but are major motivating factors for fundamentalist Islamic terrorist organizations. Listen to this book, and I promise that you'll have many "aha -- now I get it!" moments. Potential Muslim readers should be reassured to know that the author strongly emphasizes the errors in interpretation of the Koran made by terrorists like bin Laden. This book is not just a biased critique of Islam.

Good Info but BORING!

I really enjoyed the contect of the book, but the reader/author of the book was painful to listen too. He talks in a very monotone uninterested voice. He is very knowledgable but it was difficult to listen to. I read another review and the reviewer noted the pitiful reading but I didn't think it would be as bad as it was.

Truly Insightful

This is an extremely complex issue and an equally complex read but remained captivating no less. Immediately upon completing the book, I started over and listened a second time to further piece it all together. The book left me pondering America's roll in past and present history, now with a clarified insight into the failures caused by our short attention span and nearsightedness when it comes to foreign affairs.

After 9/11 when so many asked "why us?", this book offers insight to the answer to that question. A strong believer in the current administration's strong handling of the "War on Terrorism" and the Middle East crisis, I think this book offers the much needed understanding of a culture so different from our own, an understanding that will be required to find our way as a nation through this complex time in the world. We can not afford to abandon yet another body of people who will only respond with resentment if we fail them and grow to become the next generation of Anti-American fighters.

The book is a must read... more than once. The one shortcoming is the authors reading who's speech at times was difficult to understand making the listen even more complex. Still, a must read.

Amazing Book

Once you listen to this, you will have some understanding of why it is easy to drum up hate for westerners and to some degree America. I found this book very enlightening even though parts of it shine light on some great national shame.

It is easy to follow, well thought out, and has enough date information to keep the timeline together without putting you to sleep.

the crisis of islam

Bernard Lewis's book is easily understandable, though this is a very complex subject. The range of his vocabulary, the pace of the language, and the voice of the reader makes this facinating subject understandable and yet a pleasure to hear. This is the very best books on current events coupled with history I have ever encountered. I would highly recommend this book to anyone interested in Islam. Lewis was a full professor at Princeton University's Near East Studies program.

Very informative

Great book and a good reading. The historical data is very valuable in understanding the current crisis in the middle east.

Helped me understand current Middle East issues

I didn't care for the content or reader as much as I would like, to be honest. But I think I understand a bit more about the dynamic of some of the things of the Muslim world. I hope I do anyway. I had listened to a book on Islam, which I found rather good, but it didn't really give the history of why the west and America in particular was so hated there. This book give a lot of why's in recent and not so recent history. But, it was difficult to folllow in audio, or at least I found it so.

Excellent content, mediocre reader

The only gripe I have with the book is that the author reads it instead of a professional reader. He's not bad, but not a professional, which something with as many facts and details like this could use to make a little more audibly engaging.

Otherwise, though, it's an EXCELLENT book about the history of Islam, talking about why the Islamic world both has very good reason to hate us, and why we're largely in a "damned if you do/damned if you don't" position. It's an impressively even-handed account of how we've gotten to where we are; he does a great job of acting as an appoligist for the Islamic world for an audience of Westerners. The news coming out of Iraq makes a LOT more sense now.

Minus one star due to quality of reader

Excellent substance which is an excellent work in printed form; however, the quality of the audio is very distracting. That said, it is a work that I look forward to listening to again.