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)

Informative but Lacking

I am not a Muslim, nor do I have a good understanding of Islam. Alas, I feel like I am in roughly the same position even after reading this book.

Yes, the author does identify some striking contrasts between religions in identification of schisms both within the Islamic faith and between Islam and other parts of the world (primarily Western). However, I believe that those who understand the Muslim mind most likely already have a good notion of their struggles, and therefore this book would have done well to foster a greater understanding of the Muslim faith in general before identifying their Crises.

Good and relevant analysis

This book does a great job in explaining the diferences between the West and Islam. It makes the diferences between the two side clear and also shows the chalenges that have to be overcomed in order to solve a conflict of more than a thousand years. In todays world this is a very relevant book which will help to understand the issues in the Middle East and Europe

Sad that he has left us! He had such insight

Bernard Lewis obviously did his research. His book, and I have the hard copy as well helped me understand the intricacies of Islam and the Muslims as a whole.

A must read for everyone.

it's hard for us "Westerners" to understand the terrorists actions of late and how Islam could condone such acts. we want to believe that these extremists have twisted the teaching of Islam but are bombarded by the talking heads. this is an excellent synopsis of the history of Islam and the reason behind the growth of the extremists movements. Lewis takes a nutral approach as he walks us through the changes in the Arab world over the last few centuries.

Very Informative and Very Relevant

I thoroughly enjoyed listening to this. The author gave a wonderfully concise and relevant review of Islamic history...how events in the past have lead up to the attitudes and hostilities that are being expressed today. I had some knowledge of the practice of Islam as well as a familiarity with Islamic terms before listening to this which I feel was helpful in following along. Without this, I may not have gotten as much out of it. It has broadened my perspective and deepened my understanding of Middle Eastern events. I think anyone interested in foreign policy, world religion or current events would benefit greatly from listening to this.

The narrator had a bit of an accent which I thought added to my enjoyment as well. I am looking forward to listening to it again.

An enlightening book

Well narrated, well researched and very informative. I listened to it twice and learned much from it. This book helped me see the world and current events from a different point of view and significantly improved my ability to interpret and understand the political and diplomatic forces at play in the Arab and Muslim worlds.

A little heavy on the rhetoric

What did you like best about The Crisis of Islam? What did you like least?

The author comes off as incredibly knowledgeable. That being said, even to someone like me who knows little about the subject, he's clearly cherry picking to make a political point. I think the idea is basically that he can locate various historical strands to assemble into an ideology, which he ascribes to Islam generally. But the threads are all over the place, and he noticeably flattens the culture - treating a bunch of different people spread over hundreds of years as a single actor with a single set of thoughts and motivations. That's just my sense. It's still an interesting view, but I can't recommend it as a comprehensive primer, which is what I was looking for.

How did the narrator detract from the book?

The author reading lends a certain earnestness to the book, but at times he swallows words or is otherwise hard to hear. It was a bit distracting.

quite good

This is a succinct, compelling, and careful introduction to the world of Islam. While some seem to have a problem with the author's reading, I did not. In fact, his inflection, tone, and cadence was fitting, and I appreciated its authenticity, which is to say the degree it was connected to the meaning: it seemed distinct from "canned" professional jobs.

Excellent contemporary and historical review

Excellent. My first Audible listening experience and well worth the time. I enjoyed the narration by the author. The historical citations would be valuable to anyone with an interest in the historical context of the tension between the extreme and moderate elements of the Islamic religion. Very good explanation of the goals and reasons of those persons within Islam that hold the US and the west responsible for the dire situation of almost all majority Muslim countries today. No solutions to this "crisis", but I have a much better understanding of the rage and contempt for the US among those who wage war against the US in the name of their religion.

Foreign Policy Makers Must Listen to This Book

This book is amazing, insightful and very, very scary. I sure hope the foreign policy makers in this country have read or listened to this book.