Friday, February 21, 2014

Tuesday, February 18, 2014

Review: Burqas, Baseball and Apple Pie by Ranya Tabari Idliby

Burqas, Baseball, and Apple Pie: Being Muslim in America
After listening to an interview with Ranya Tabari Idliby, author of Burqas, Baseball, and Apple Pie: Being Muslim in America, I published a response/rant the guilt from which compelled me to buy and read the book.

My response to the interview reflects my views, but the book impacted me more deeply and, upon reflection, helped me appreciate Ustaza Ranya's positions. I present some criticism unique to the book and a few observations, and I end with a strong promotion of the book and Professor Ranya.

Interview with Mark Cohen, Contributor to A History of Jewish-Muslim Relations

A History of Jewish-Muslim Relations: From the Origins to the Present Day
Joseph Richard Preville conducted an interview with Professor Mark R. Cohen, and it was published in IslamiCommentary.org on January 28, 2014.
Jews and Muslims have been intertwined for fourteen centuries. Their long relationship is the subject of A History of Jewish-Muslim Relations: From the Origins to the Present Day (Princeton University Press, 2013). read more
Professor Cohen is one of the contributors to the book. I have not read the book.

Friday, February 14, 2014

Review: The Muslims Are Coming!: Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror by Arun Kundnani

The Muslims Are Coming!: Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror
The Muslims Are Coming!: Islamophobia, Extremism, and the Domestic War on Terror by Arun Kundnani

Arun Kundnani (Twitter) has written a thorough critique of the Age of Obama War on Terror. And you are right, Obama supporters, that your Nobel Peace Prize-receiving hero does not call it a War on Terror like that once-reviled but now surprisingly familiar cousin George W Bush did. Obama and his people are fighting extremism. Isn't that a good thing?

Tuesday, February 11, 2014

Film "David" Examines Boundaries of Interfairth/Interethnic Relations in Brooklyn

Thanks to Augusta, Georgia's Morris Museum of Art (Twitter) (Facebook) and the Southern Circuit 2013-2014 Tour of Independent Filmmakers, I was able to watch David (Twitter) (Facebook) and meet its director and producer Joel Fendelman. It premiered in 2010 at the Brooklyn Film Festival, and you can read the synopsis there.
David (2011) - Trailer from Joel Fendelman on Vimeo.

Review: Black Liberation and Palestine Solidarity by Lenni Brenner and Matthew Quest

Black Liberation and Palestine Solidarity
Black Liberation and Palestine Solidarity by Lenni Brenner and Matthew Quest

Authors Lenni Brenner and Matthew Quest collected in this volume some of the essays they published between 1993 and 2013 analyzing the positions of prominent figures in the movement for black liberation towards Zionism and Palestinian resistance to Zionism. These positions were reflections of their owners' evolving understandings of the liberation struggles in the United States.

Thursday, February 06, 2014

Review: Ms. Marvel #1 - KAMALA KAHN IS A MARVELOUS NEW HERO

I have not read this issue. G Willow Wilson has other appearances on this blog.

Added February 15, 2014: Another positive review from Billy Donnelly at The Wesleyan Argus, February 13, 2014.

Review: Salaam, Love: American Muslim Men on Love, Sex, and Intimacy

Salaam, Love: American Muslim Men on Love, Sex, and Intimacy
Salaam, Love: American Muslim Men on Love, Sex, and Intimacy by Ayesha Mattu (Twitter) and Nura Maznavi.

Rasha Madkour of the Associated Press reviewed the book. I have not read it.

I suspect the link will go dead at some point. If it does, please add a comment so I can update the entry.

Wednesday, February 05, 2014

New Site for Arabic E-Books

H/t to M Lynx Qualey
I had suggested to some elderly relatives who complained that changes in their eyesight made it difficult to read normal print size books to try e-books. The devices which allow the user to read these e-books have font size adjustment. One relative mentioned that he wanted to read Arabic books, and I did not know a good source of Arabic e-books. Hopefully Kotobi.com will solve that problem. I "purchased" 20 or so free books off the site. The prices are in Egyptian pounds for the books. There is a Facebook page and a Twitter account. The application is available in Google Play for Android and the Apple Store. There still is not a lot of content, especially in science.