What Went Wrong: The Clash Between Islam and Modernity in the Middle East.
Bernard Lewis
This book was written based on a series of lectures and originally published just prior to 9/11.
It's a short, highly readable look into how and why the Muslim world fell behind progress elsewhere around the globe over the last 500-600 years, and the anger that has fueled.
The gap appears to boil down to an inflexible dogmatism that refuses to allow the separation of religion from politics, governance and law, and equality for women.
What is terrifying is that the backlash against the West that is resulting in a return to rigid dogma is perverting even positive Islamic principles.
I didn't see much in the book to reassure me, however it did help me get some idea of where the anger is coming from and why. Not encouraging.
Posted by Paul at July 28, 2004 07:05 PM