PERSEUS BOOKS GROUP - Search Results

Search by author, title, or keyword

The Malady Of Islam

by Abdelwahab Meddeb, University of Paris X--Nanterre

Hardcover
Availability Date: 06/12/03
Available Jun 2003
Retail Price: $24.00
($37.00 Can./£18.99 UK)

Basic Books
ISBN: 0-465-04435-2

Description
In this impassioned, erudite, and deeply moving book, Abdelwahab Meddeb, born and raised in Tunis and now living in Paris, details the breadth and scope of the Arab intellectual tradition and dismantles common preconceptions held by the Islamic and Western worlds. He describes the growing resentment between the West and the Islamic world as being due, in large part, to Islam's drift away from its own pluralist tradition. Tracing the history of the "conquering" of the Arab world by the West, he provides a detailed history of the ways in which Islamic fundamentalism has come to compensate for Western dominance. Directly addressing the terrorist attacks of September 11, he challenges us to reconsider the presumption that the gulf between the Islamic world and the West is too wide to breach. The "malady" of Islam lies in its alienation from the West and the corrosive influence that fundamentalism has wrought. This book is a correction of the historical record, a passionate description of the best of Islamic thought and culture, and an absolutely necessary read for those seeking a better understanding not only of Islam but also ourselves.

Biography
Abdelwahab Meddeb is a prolific novelist, poet, translator, and essayist and the editor of the journal Dédale. The author of ten books, he is Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Paris X--Nanterre. He lives in Paris, France.
Number of pages: 224
Trim Size: 6-1/8X9-1/4
Season: SPR2003
Selling Territory: WORLD EXCL. UK & COMMONWEALTH

Booksellers: Please feel free to copy and reuse any of the information on this page.
Simply highlight the text you want to copy, select "copy" from your browser's menu options,
and paste the text into another document.

Description In this impassioned, erudite, and deeply moving book, Abdelwahab Meddeb, born and raised in Tunis and now living in Paris, details the breadth and scope of the Arab intellectual tradition and dismantles common preconceptions held by the Islamic and Western worlds. He describes the growing resentment between the West and the Islamic world as being due, in large part, to Islam's drift away from its own pluralist tradition. Tracing the history of the "conquering" of the Arab world by the West, he provides a detailed history of the ways in which Islamic fundamentalism has come to compensate for Western dominance. Directly addressing the terrorist attacks of September 11, he challenges us to reconsider the presumption that the gulf between the Islamic world and the West is too wide to breach. The "malady" of Islam lies in its alienation from the West and the corrosive influence that fundamentalism has wrought. This book is a correction of the historical record, a passionate description of the best of Islamic thought and culture, and an absolutely necessary read for those seeking a better understanding not only of Islam but also ourselves. Biography Abdelwahab Meddeb is a prolific novelist, poet, translator, and essayist and the editor of the journal Dédale. The author of ten books, he is Professor of Comparative Literature at the University of Paris X--Nanterre. He lives in Paris, France. Number of pages: 224 Trim Size: 6-1/8X9-1/4 Season: SPR2003 Selling Territory: WORLD EXCL. UK & COMMONWEALTH