ISLAM WITHOUT ILLUSIONS: Its Past, Its Present, and Its Challenge for the Future

Hotaling, author and former Middle East bureau chief for CBS News, offers a fine book that lives up to its title: it covers a variety of topics, focusing on Islamic history and politics, in an honest and fair fashion. The book is admirably succinct, addressing core beliefs of Islam, the prophecy and life of Muhammad (probably the strongest portion of the book), Muhammad's wives and daughter Fatima, jihad, and more in fewer than 200 pages, drawing on credible sources and exemplifying a skilled understanding of Islam and Muslims. His juxtaposition of the widely accepted Yusuf Ali translation of the Qur'an with the more political and extremist Saudi Arabian translation is rarely done, and shows how interpretation diverges greatly in the Islamic world. Anecdotes from his days as a correspondent and bureau chief are enjoyable. He even compares President Nixon's directing Air Force One to avoid flying over the then-enemy airspace of Israel with Muhammad's miraculous night journey from Mecca to Jerusalem. Hotaling concludes with a chapter that addresses several common "illusions" Americans have about Islam. The book does lack a strong guiding theme, as some sections seem to serve no purpose, and Hotaling's discussion of jihad is weak. It is inaccurately described as a sixth pillar for many Muslims, which causes them to attempt to convert the world to Islam. These shortcomings, however, can easily be overlooked. Hotaling's bold observations—for example, giving reasons why Muhammad would want to be an American if he were alive today—will engage the reader. (Oct.)