Miniatures: Views of Islamic and Middle Eastern Politics

Rating:
Summary: Thoughtful and informative
Review: I've read several books by Pipes. It's my impression that most of what he says is rather tame and cautious. And that most of what he says is not very controversial. He often has something illuminating in his essays, but much of this is relatively apolitical.

At least in this book, I was able to figure out which political party he favored!

Now, it is true that Pipes has often said that militant Islamic attacks on Americans were a form of war as opposed to individual criminal acts. He's said that our government ought to take seriously the ideology that has been motivating such attacks, and that we ought to make policy changes in order to win this war and destroy the effectiveness of any enemy forces. Well, our administration has regarded the 9/11 attacks as war. It has tried to destroy the enemy forces. As near as I can tell, what Pipes has advocated here has been fair and reasonable.

Pipes feels that the battle is not against Islam but against militant Islamists, a group that can be marginalized and defeated with the help of moderate Muslims. Again, this does not sound all that radical an idea.

Pipes is indeed bothered by Islamic militants who manage to pass themselves off as moderates. If they get away with it, Pipes' recommendations will be misimplemented and doomed.

I liked the essays and found them informative. Maybe you will as well. But if you were looking for something wild and maybe, um, raging and fuming, you won't find it here.

Rating:
Summary: The pompous, misleading propaganda readers expect from Pipes
Review: If you have been following the essays and articles that Pipes has written in numerous newspapers and magazines, you may find this book a bit redundant. However, it is one-stop-purchase if you want a concise overview of the author's social and political views. A must read for all those concerned about the war on terror and its roots. Against the tide, Pipes has spoken out eloquently and urgently. Miniatures is no exception. Highly recommend.

Rating:
Summary: The lucidity readers have come to expect from Pipes
Review: If you have been following the essays and articles that Pipes has written in numerous newspapers and magazines, you may find this book a bit redundant. However, it is one-stop-purchase if you want a concise overview of the author's social and political views. A must read for all those concerned about the war on terror and its roots. Against the tide, Pipes has spoken out eloquently and urgently. Miniatures is no exception. Highly recommend.

Rating:
Summary: The pompous, misleading propaganda readers expect from Pipes
Review: Saw this in the bookshop, and was not at all surprised at the raging, fuming, one-sided ill-informed content of Mr Pipes' new book. He has not said anything new for the last five years. It is still the dangerous war-mongering diatribe dressed up in a false academic garb that it always has been. Mr Pipes seems to have a small and loyal following. However, judging by his pomposity he obviously believes that the majority of the book-reading public are as blinkered as he is. Buy this book if you want fuel for the fires of your own bigotted ignorance. For truth and wisdom look elsewhere.