An intriguing overview of a unique approach to reading the Quran.
A short introduction to the author’s interpretation of the Muslim holy book, the Quran.
The author has written a number of other books on “decoding” the Quran’s meaning. Here he presents a brief overview of his theory, centered on his understanding of the meaning of the letter “B” as used in the Quran’s text. In his interpretation, Allah is seen not as a distinct entity but rather part of everything—an idea drawn from the Muslim mystic tradition of Sufism, which the author practices. Hulusi emphasizes the Quran’s metaphorical nature, and he blames the proliferation of sects within Islam on the tendency of some scholars to read those metaphors literally—as rules rather than frameworks for understanding esoteric concepts. For example, he writes that a verse commonly interpreted as permitting multiple wives in fact refers not to spouses but to “connected souls.” All the Quranic verses here are rendered in English, but the author asserts that the text can only be correctly interpreted in the original Arabic, where it is free from misunderstandings and inaccuracies contributed by translators. After several introductory essays, he includes a list of all the Quranic names for God, with explanations of the meanings of each, and a selection of verses from the Quran. The author’s passion for his subject is evident, and not only because of his frequent use of exclamation points. He tries hard to render a complex topic understandable to laypeople, and largely succeeds, although it may still be difficult for readers to make sense of some of the interpretations. Overall, the book is likely to appeal to those interested in ideas about the Quran and Islam that fall outside of the mainstream.
An intriguing overview of a unique approach to reading the Quran.Pub Date: Nov. 20, 2012
ISBN: 978-0615728971
Page Count: 116
Publisher: CreateSpace
Review Posted Online: Feb. 5, 2013
Review Program: Kirkus Indie
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s...
Music journalist and musician Wald (Talking 'Bout Your Mama: The Dozens, Snaps, and the Deep Roots of Rap, 2014, etc.) focuses on one evening in music history to explain the evolution of contemporary music, especially folk, blues, and rock.
The date of that evening is July 25, 1965, at the Newport Folk Festival, where there was an unbelievably unexpected occurrence: singer/songwriter Bob Dylan, already a living legend in his early 20s, overriding the acoustic music that made him famous in favor of electronically based music, causing reactions ranging from adoration to intense resentment among other musicians, DJs, and record buyers. Dylan has told his own stories (those stories vary because that’s Dylan’s character), and plenty of other music journalists have explored the Dylan phenomenon. What sets Wald's book apart is his laser focus on that one date. The detailed recounting of what did and did not occur on stage and in the audience that night contains contradictory evidence sorted skillfully by the author. He offers a wealth of context; in fact, his account of Dylan's stage appearance does not arrive until 250 pages in. The author cites dozens of sources, well-known and otherwise, but the key storylines, other than Dylan, involve acoustic folk music guru Pete Seeger and the rich history of the Newport festival, a history that had created expectations smashed by Dylan. Furthermore, the appearances on the pages by other musicians—e.g., Joan Baez, the Weaver, Peter, Paul, and Mary, Dave Van Ronk, and Gordon Lightfoot—give the book enough of an expansive feel. Wald's personal knowledge seems encyclopedic, and his endnotes show how he ranged far beyond personal knowledge to produce the book.
An enjoyable slice of 20th-century music journalism almost certain to provide something for most readers, no matter one’s personal feelings about Dylan's music or persona.Pub Date: July 25, 2015
ISBN: 978-0-06-236668-9
Page Count: 368
Publisher: Dey Street/HarperCollins
Review Posted Online: May 15, 2015
Kirkus Reviews Issue: June 1, 2015
BOOK REVIEW
BOOK REVIEW
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BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
BOOK TO SCREEN
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis...
Privately published by Strunk of Cornell in 1918 and revised by his student E. B. White in 1959, that "little book" is back again with more White updatings.
Stricter than, say, Bergen Evans or W3 ("disinterested" means impartial — period), Strunk is in the last analysis (whoops — "A bankrupt expression") a unique guide (which means "without like or equal").Pub Date: May 15, 1972
ISBN: 0205632645
Page Count: 105
Publisher: Macmillan
Review Posted Online: Oct. 28, 2011
Kirkus Reviews Issue: May 1, 1972
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