From the introduction - 'My gut feeling is that the honour/shame tension is central to the manner in which many Muslim communities and cultures cohere - and fundamentally alien to the way that most Westerners function.'
Bill Musk brings a first-hand view of the issues underlying the divide between the culture of Islam and the worldview of the West. Relying on his encyclopedic knowledge of the Muslim people and mindset, he compares and contrasts for the English-speaking world these often competing cutural models, shedding light on a somewhat isolated and (more often than not) misunderstood people-group.
Enduring themes of family and familial ties, gender, and the tension between honor and shame are brought to the fore and given the proper context for those unfamiliar with the subject. Stories and tales illustrate the themes and bring more understanding than the average comparative text. Although the separation of our cultures will probably exist for the forseeable future, Musk has laid the groundwork for understanding and healing to take seed.
