From Publishers Weekly
One of several forthcoming books on the subject, this sober study by a senior lecturer at the University of Pennsylvania describes and analyzes the international repercussions to the publication of The Satanic Verses. Pipes demonstrates convincingly that, although Salman Rushdie was preoccupied with the twin issues of religious sensitivities and censorship, he wanted to shake the world without accepting responsibility for what he wrought. Pipes also explains why the book is regarded as blasphemous and why many Muslims are convinced that it is part of a Western conspiracy against Islam. He questions the legality of Khomeni's death edict against Rushdie, and surveys Muslim reactions to the edict and Western responses to Muslim intimidation and state-sponsored terrorism. He shows that, ironically, the strongest opinions on all sides came from those who had not even seen, much less read, the novel.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
From Library Journal
There has been a sudden deluge of books about Salman Rushdie and the attempt to silence him. This book, written by an expert on Middle East politics, is one of the better ones. Besides recounting the events that took place between the publication of The Satanic Verses and the Ayatollah's edict, covered elsewhere by the republication of source documents and news accounts (see, for instance, The Rushdie File, LJ 3/1/90), this work examines the text of Rushdie's novel to see why the book was considered blasphemous by the Ayatollah. Pipes suggest that with his knowledge of Islam Rushdie must have known that his book would be considered blasphemous. The text and legality of the edict are also considered. Because of Pipes's expertise, this section and the subsequent evaluation of the re percussions of the edict are valuable, making the book of primary importance in its coverage of this controversy.
- Gor don Stein, Univ. of Rhode Island Lib., KingstonCopyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
