First, I assure you that this is a serious book, not a humorous or satirical work.It does not start out saying something like, "Yiddlach, of all the other meshuggenah religions which we know are not (G-d Forbid) of any interest to you, the one called Islam is especially..." Well you get the point.
So you ask how does the book really start?
An Introduction to Islam for Jews
By Reuven Firestone
 | View a short, slick and meaningless video about this book and author. |
Sorry but this appears to be the introduction to quite an immature and naive approach. Any properly edited book bearing this title would say something meaningful on the very first page about the writer's approach to the study of religions and would never ever say, "It is fascinating to learn the complex ways in which we are both so similar and so different from one another." Never say something that empty of meaning anywhere in a serious book.
"Never say something that empty of meaning anywhere in a serious book."
ReplyDeleteGood line.
However, I must disagree. I think that many of my junior high school book reports started off like that. (smirk)
How do you define "properly" edited?
ReplyDeleteI take the sentence to mean: "Yes, I'm a scholar, but my publisher wants me to write a book that will be adopted by synagogue discussion groups. I'll be informal, because that's what my publisher is asking for."