by HughPope (Author)
An Oxford-educated scholar of the Middle East and former foreign correspondent for The Wall Street Journal , Hugh Pope lived and worked in two dozen countries throughout the region. Following in the footsteps of Sir Richard Burton and Lawrence of Arabia, Hugh Pope's explorations of the people, politics, religion, and culture of Islamic nations shows there is no such thing as a monolithic 'Muslim World'. His probing and often perilous journeys - at one point he is forced to quote Koranic verse to argue against his being murdered by a top al-Qaeda leader - provide an eye-opening look at diverse societies often misportrayed by superficial reporting and 'why they hate us' politics. With U.S. foreign policy under Obama aiming to more constructively engage with Muslim nations, this lyrical and often poetic voyage is one of the truly important books of our times.
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 352
Edition: 1
Publisher: Thomas Dunne Books,US
Published: 04 Apr 2010
ISBN 10: 0312383134
ISBN 13: 9780312383138
A very good book, and one that raises essential questions about journalism and our understanding of the world. --Mariane Pearl, author of A Mighty Heart: The Brave Life and Death of My Husband, Danny Pearl Hugh Pope's deftly told account of 30 years in the Middle East recounts the region's troubles with bracing honesty and its charms with genuine affection. Often a page-turner, populated by a colorful cast of deeply human characters, Dining with al-Qaeda goes beyond the day's headlines to offer a nuanced and compelling portrait of the region. Pope brims with remarkably brave and crucial insight into the Western media's coverage of the Middle East. --Azadeh Moaveni, author of Lipstick Jihad and Honeymoon in Tehran
The tales of [Pope's] wanderings from Sudan and Egypt to Pakistan are not only fascinat