List of Books 2008 page 1

List 2007

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Women and Sexuality in Muslim Societies

Edited By Pinar Ilkkaracan

Women and Sexuality in Muslim Societies Pinar Ilkkaracan

It consists of 34 articles about women and sexuality in Muslim societies by various female writers, poets, caricaturists and researches. They discussed the matter from various views of point, with their different attitudes, with a touch of feminism gathered among them all.

Personally I am not a feminist and also I am not on the other side. However, I think if those feminists change theirs style; I mean turning it to a justice issue more than a gender one they would had gained more advocates.

I am afraid many of them don't care of justice, the sound of favoritism toward their gender is very loud, which means the same present dilemma but in a different shape.

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The Great Commentary (or The Unseen's Keys)

Fakhr Al-Din Al-Razi D. 1209 C.E.

The Great Commentary or The Unseen's Keys

It is an old exegesis on the Quran. It is 32 volumes, each is 2 parts. I only finished the first volume. I have the intention to read it all even if it will take me another 30 years. The most interesting thing that he studied philosophy, and that reflected on his work; mentioning various kinds of thoughts and sects, arguing with logic and reasoning.

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Narcissus & Goldmund

By Herman Hesse

Narcissus and Goldmund Herman Hesse

Another beautiful profound novel By Hesse. Narcissus and Goldmund were friends. Goldmund wandered throughout Germany after leaving his Catholic monastery school, searching for the meaning of life. Narcissus, was a young teacher at the cloister school, chose to stay and search for the meaning in studying and worshiping. After many years of separating they met. They discovered that they almost found the same meaning.

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Western Views of Islam in the Middle Ages

By Richard Southern

Western Views of Islam in the Middle Ages

Some lectures delivered by Southern about westerners views of Islam. Though it is about middle ages, I couldn't stop thinking what has changed since then in this image, with all modern facilities for information and communication. Somehow the image is still there in the collective conscious, however, it has changed a lot in the individual's. Now, thousands of westerners approach Islam and many embrace it, which was impossible in middle ages.

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The Daily Events of Damascus

from1741 to 1762

By Ahmed Albudairi Al-halaq

The Daily Events of Damascus

An old classic historic book about Damascus, written by unknown barber about the daily events from 1741 to 1762.

Yeh! I didn't like it much. Some things seem the same since forever, and probably they will keep on forever.

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The Conference of the Birds: Between Chaucer & Farid udin 'Attar;

A comparative study about how Occident got influenced by Orient

By Aisha Ifat Zakarya

The Conference of the Birds: Between Chaucer & Farid udin Attar

A study about how occident got influenced by orient as the title said. It is an interesting beautiful study.

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Flaubert in Egypt 1849

By Gustave Flaubert

Flaubert in Egypt 1849 Gustave Flaubert

A typical orientalistic book, presents orient in a disgusting way. Flaubert's sexual sick abnormal fantasies reflected on his way of talking about orient. He was actually seeing his image of orient more than the orient itself. This book is an example of the sense of ugliness because it dedicates to ugliness and desires it.

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The Palace of Tears

By Alev Lytle Croutie

The Palace of Tears Alev Lytle Croutie

A short romantic simple novel; a love story between an imprisoned oriental slave in the palace of tears and a western man, occurred in the time of Sultans. She was calling him by entering his dreams asking him to save her.

Though, I didn't like the hero; he didn't seem to deserve, really, such an angel, but I enjoyed the novel in general; the environment, the plot; besides I love happy endings.

Shall I reveal a secret? This novel plays for me a desirable charming tune, since I have a private oriental dream too; dreaming to sing this song to...