sidewinder

I just started reading the biography of Muhammad written by Karen Armstrong. I wanted to ask for anyone's opinion who has read this book. Is it an objective biography? Thanks.

Pomp

I haven't read it, but I'm reading her The Battle for God, about the origins of fundamentalism, right now (well, not right now), and it seems fairly unbiased. The only thing I dislike about her work so far is her implication that human beings are incapable of being fulfilles without some sort of religion.

sidewinder

I already dislike her one-sided negative remarks toward how the Western world has regarded Islam. I think she should be fair and mention the Islamic "mistakes" throughout history. Most of her remarks are directed toward how Christians (Catholics and Protestants) have regarded Islam. I'm guessing that she has this attitude because she was once a Nun and now perhaps she's bitter about her experience.

I tried to read her book "The History of God" but I couldn't finish it. The writing was confusing and it jumped around so much that it was hard to follow. So far, this book seems coherent.

Ford Prefect

I’ve read it for a class on Middle Eastern History and had to write a report on it. I’ve been looking over the report trying to make out what I thought of it. Once you get past the first chapter on why westerners are wrong about Muhammad it picks up. Not that the chapter wasn’t probably necessary, most westerners I know do look at Muslims somewhat as Barbarians, even before 9/11. Most of it is a pretty good account of the life of Muhammad as far a historians can make it out. Once or twice it does present things I thought were probably myths, but that's always a problem when dealing with a oral tradition. If I recall my professor had one criticism of it, but I forgot what it was. Anyway he thought that aside for that, whatever it was, that it was a pretty good general account of Muhammad's life.