Book Description
In this startling new book, New York Times bestselling author Robert Spencer, provides a warts-and-all portrait of the Prophet of Islam and draws out what his life implies for reforming Islam and repulsing Islamic terrorists. Spencer relies solely on primary sources considered reliable by Muslims and evaluates modern biographies to show how Muhammad has been changed for Western audiences, lulling them into consoling but false conclusions.
Customer Reviews:
Oh political bias..........2007-10-04
While it is certainly true that Spencer utilizes recognized primary sources to construct his arguments, he fails entirely to place the sources in context, or interpret them in a manner consistent with the vast majority of Muslims. I find it heavily amusing that he believes so strongly in Islam's intolerance that he includes it in his title. The reason for this amusement is that up until modern times (Ottoman Empire forward), Islam was arguably the most tolerant of the three religions of the book. In addition to this, Islam is the only one of the three which allows for Muslims, Christians, and Jews to be judged equally (Al-Baqarah 112). When compared to Christianity's views on salvation, and its history of Conversion by the sword (1st-5th crusades, Spanish Inquisition), Islam looks quite tolerant.
take Spencer with a grain of salt. His citations of the hadiths, Qur'an, and other primary sources may be correct, but his conclusions are massively off. You would be better off reading the Qur'an yourself and making your own decisions, as it is fairly obvious that Spencer is merely playing off of America's current ignorance of Islam to paint a picture consistent with our stereotypes.
A Very Eye Opening Book!.......2007-10-03
This is a very eye opening book about the founder of one of the world's most dominant religions. The author uses Muslim references to obtain his facts. He also quotes Muslim scholars and what they have to say. It is not a long book, but it is packed with very informative and very eye opening information about Muhammad and his followers. This book will help people understand the ideas and motivation behind why so many Muslims in the Middle East and elsewhere can be dangerous. This is not a book on Muslims today, as a rule, but does greatly help one understand why many radical Muslims act as they do. It is an easy read and very informative. He explains why the Jewish people are looked down upon along with the Christians, and goes into why the various areas like Medina and Mecca are so important to Islam. I think this is a very good book for anyone wanting to greater understand the reasoning behind Islam, and the man that founded it.
Wht Everyone Needs to Know.......2007-10-01
This is a detailed exploration of the meaning of the Qur'an, and the sayings of Muhammad. Spencer informs the reader that the Qur'an is not set down in chronological order. Rather, it is arranged from longest verse to shortest verse.
As the word of God, the Qur'an can never be amended by man, but verses can be abrogated by God. God can change His mind, and make earlier verses void. However, those same voided verses must remain in the Qur'an, as God did not direct that the voided verses should be removed.
Spencer guides the reader through this confusion, by explaining which verses are still in effect. The reader needs to obtain one of the translations of the Qur'an, referenced by Spencer, inorder to be able to to lookup the Qu'ranic verses to which he refers.
The peaceful verses of the Qur'an, with regard to the treatment of nonbelievers, date from the Meccan period, when Islam was struggling to get established. Those verses of the Qur'an, added after Muhammad fled to Medina, exhort the believers to make war upon the nonbelievers, and to spread the religion by force.
Those who mantain that Islam is a religion of peace, are referenceing verses which have been abrogated, or voided,and are no longer in effect.
A must read for anyone seeking to understand Islam.
A Must Buy for those Intolerant of Islam and Muslims........2007-10-01
This is a good book for anti-Islamic enthusiasts. But if one is looking for a good book on Islam and Islam's Prophet Muhammad, I'm afraid one will have to look elswhere.
Firstly, many non-scholars who write books about Islam will not use normal hermeneutical principles when reading and interpreting Quran passages, even if they are biblical scholars who believe the Bible must be interpreted according to specific principles. For instance, several there are passages in several chapters of the Quran that give rules for defensive warfare. The early Muslim state was attacked by the rulers of Mecca who didn't want to remove the idols from the Kaaba because of the prestige Mecca had being the focus of worship for all the tribes of the Arabian Penninsula. Thus, the Meccan rulers declared war on the early Muslims, continuing the persecution against the early Muslims on a larger scale now that there was an Islamic state in Medina. It was not until then that Muslims fought any wars. Some chapters of the Quran will have passages without conditions when discussing warfare, but these passages must be interpreted by those passages which have conditions. Certainly, not all who call themselves Muslims follow that interpretative principle. But then, not all Christians have at all times and places have followed the traditional Christian view of a just war, either.
Secondly, after the death of Islam's prophet, the Islamic Government soon became imperialist. The Myth is that Islam was spread by the sword. However, later caliphs (successors to the Prophet) conquered lands so they get get the taxes from the Christians and Jews and Zoroastrians and others, despite the Quranic teaching that warfare must be defensive. Traditional Sunni Muslims usually believe their were only 4 very good Caliphs, the first 4 after the death of Islam's Prophet (Abu Bakr, Umar, Uthman, and Ali Ibn Talib). Traditional Shia Muslims believe only Ali Ibn Talib (cousin of Muhammad and husband of his daughter Fatima) was a very good caliph. After the murder of Ali, the Caliphate became a dynasty of the Ummayad family. The first Ummayad ruler, Muhawiya, was the son of Abu Sufyan, the leader of the Meccans who became a Muslim after a treaty between the Muslim State and Mecca was broken by agents of the Meccans. Muhawiya's son, Caliph Yazid, demanded fealty from Ali's son Husain and would not let Husain and his followers go into exile. When Husain refused to give fealty to a Caliph that Husain believed openly did not emulate the Prophet, Yazid's army fought and killed Husain small group of follows and all but one of his sons. In the time of the Ummayad dynasty, the name of Ali was cursed within the Islamic caliphate. Many histories which came to be used by Sunni Muslims were written at the time of the Ummayads that sometimes have different accounts of early Islamic history than in the Shia books. These books are considered "authentic" by the Sunnis but are not considered to always be reliable by Shias.
Some examples of differences between one Sunni history or another, and one Sunni history and Shia history follow: Some Sunni histories say that Muhammad had a speck of "black" taken from his heart by the Angel Gabriel. Shias state that never happened. Some Sunni books state that that Muhammad didn't know he was supposed to be a Prophet and also that he was afraid and thought he was demon-possesed. Not so according to Shia books. One Sunni history states that Muhammad consumated his marriage to Aisha the daughter of future caliph Abu Bakr when she was 9 years old. What many anti-Muslim scholars will not tell you is that other Sunni histories say she was 14 or 15 years old, and that Shia books say she was 18, and that Muhammad was not really interested in marrying her but did so to please Abu Bakr and his party. Now, why would histories that paint Muhammad in a bad light be written during the Ummayad dynasty? Perhaps to undermine Ali and Husain and their supporters (who became know later as the Shia Muslims).
Thus, The Truth about Muhammad does not really give the whole truth about Muhammad. Why not buy the classic Sunni histories and read them for yourself. They are available in English translation. One can buy Shia books that discuss Muslim history from the Shia viewpoint (although not all the histories have been translated into English).
However, for those who don't want to understand Muslims, one can read this book. There are those who call themselves Muslims who don't want to try to understand Christianity or the West. What happens when one group doesn't want to understand the other? I believe the answer is too obvious to state here.
Muhammad was a con artist.......2007-10-01
Perhaps it was the sequence of presentation, but I marvaled at the great number of revelations allegedly from Allah,conveniently acquired that Muhammad used to find answers to simple daily problems. I can't believe that. It is too convenient for the man.
Amazon.com
It began with a simple $27 loan. After witnessing the cycle of poverty that kept many poor women enslaved to high-interest loan sharks in Bangladesh, Dr. Muhammad Yunus lent money to 42 women so they could purchase bamboo to make and sell stools. In a short time, the women were able to repay the loans while continuing to support themselves and their families. With that initial eye-opening success, the seeds of the Grameen Bank, and the concept of microcredit, were planted.
After earning a Ph.D. in economics at Vanderbilt University, Dr. Yunus returned to Bangladesh to settle into a life as a professor. But a famine in 1974 ravaged the country, leading Dr. Yunus to alter his thinking and his life profoundly: "What good were all my complex theories when people were dying of starvation on the sidewalks and porches across from my lecture hall?.... Nothing in the economic theories I taught reflected the life around me." Armed with little more than a lofty dream to end the suffering around him, he started an experimental microcredit enterprise in 1977; by 1983 the Grameen Bank was officially formed.
The idea behind the Grameen Bank is ingeniously simple: extend credit to poor people and they will help themselves. This concept strikes at the root of poverty by specifically targeting the poorest of the poor, providing small loans (usually less than $300) to those unable to obtain credit from traditional banks. At Grameen, loans are administered to groups of five people, with only two receiving their money up front. As soon as these two make a few regular payments, loans are gradually extended to the rest of the group. In this way, the program builds a sense of community as well as individual self-reliance. Most of the Grameen Bank's loans are to women, and since its inception, there has been an astonishing loan repayment rate of over 98 percent.
Banker to the Poor is an inspiring memoir of the birth of microcredit, written in a conversational tone that makes it both moving and enjoyable to read. The Grameen Bank is now a $2.5 billion banking enterprise in Bangladesh, while the microcredit model has spread to over 50 countries worldwide, from the U.S. to Papua New Guinea, Norway to Nepal. Ever optimistic, Yunus travels the globe spreading the belief that poverty can be eliminated: "...the poor, once economically empowered, are the most determined fighters in the battle to solve the population problem; end illiteracy; and live healthier, better lives. When policy makers finally realize that the poor are their partners, rather than bystanders or enemies, we will progress much faster that we do today." Dr. Yunus's efforts prove that hope is a global currency. --Shawn Carkonen
Book Description
This autobiography of the world-renowned, visionary economist who came up with a simple but revolutionary solution to end world poverty--micro-credit--has become the classic text for a growing movement.
In 1983 Muhammad Yunus established Grameen, a bank devoted to providing the poorest of Bangladesh with miniscule loans. He aimed to help the poor by supporting the spark of personal initiative and enterprise by which they could lift themselves out of poverty forever. It was an idea born on a day in 1976 when he loaned $27 from his own pocket to forty-two people living in a tiny village. They were stool makers who only needed enough credit to purchase the raw materials for their trade. Yunus's loan helped them break the cycle of poverty and changed their lives forever. His solution to world poverty, founded on the belief that credit is a fundamental human right, is brilliantly simple: loan poor people money on terms that are suitable to them, teach them a few sound financial principles, and they will help themselves.
Yunus's theories work. Grameen Bank has provided 3.8 billion dollars to 2.4 million families in rural Bangladesh. Today, more than 250 institutions in nearly 100 countries operate micro-credit programs based on the Grameen methodology, placing Grameen at the forefront of a burgeoning world movement toward eradicating poverty through micro-lending.
Customer Reviews:
Turning Inspiration into Action.......2007-10-05
Not wanting to repeat the accolades mentioned in the reviews posted I would like to instead share how reading this book and meeting Yunus was a catalyst to some actions I took both on a personal and professional level. The intent is not self promotion or to showcase my efforts. Instead, I am providing ideas and addressing those of you who may find, as I did, that after finishing the last page you are left with a desire to do something. The dilemma was what could I do ......I am not a bank or live in a developing country. I did give copies of the book to friends, colleagues and family but I wanted to do something more concrete. Well, with micro finance "on my radar" I took some actions both on a personal and professional level that I hope are making a difference and are in some ways increasing the visibility and awareness of micro financing.
First a little background and comments on the book.....I had the great honor of meeting Muhammad Yunus shortly after he received the Nobel Peace prize in 2006 at an event in Paris sponsored by Planet Finance. Yunus is truly an inspirational person, charismatic in a subtle way, who has touched the lives of many. His enthusiasm is contagious. The book Banker to the Poor is a fascinating read.... humorous, touching and informational as it traces the evolution of the micro finance model from concept (starting with Yunus lending the equivalent of $27 to stool makers) to what it is today with over 7.2 million clients. What resonates with me is the idea of lending versus aid dumps from the World Bank, UN, NGO's and charity organizations. I don't want to discount the millions given as direct charity to the needy but the concept of micro finance creates a sense of pride and responsibility not to mention innovation and creativity. Micro finance can also generate incremental improvement versus charity or outright donations which, in many cases dries up, is short term and results in dependence instead of empowerment.
Some actions I took:
* I became aware of KIVA (www.kiva.org) an organization that facilitates micro loans (as little as $25) from individuals like you and I to a specific entrepreneur in a developing world empowering them to lift themselves out of poverty. These individuals are in fact showcased on the site where you can see a picture and read about the entrepreneur you have chosen. KIVA is founded by an impressive team of "Social Entrepreneurs". Using technology, KIVA brings the lenders and borrowers together and provides an online community for lenders who are also showcased on the site. Involving my daughter (10) in the decision process we are lending to an entrepreneur in Samoa, so she can buy timber to improve her greenhouse for her flower business.
* As President of my alumni association (Thunderbird) I organized an event around Micro Financing with the Managing Director of Planet Rating, a microfinance rating agency, as a guest speaker.
* At a university in Paris I run a project based course involving teams of MBA students. Proposing a project related to micro finance the students were enthusiastic and completed a study on micro finance in Europe.
* Professionally, I work with individuals in career transition and entrepreneurs in helping them to identify their unique strengths and values and message their brand appropriately both online and offline. Fundamentally, I find that people have a social conscious and want to do something concrete. To this end I suggest lending to a KIVA entrepreneur as a way to concretely incorporate a social conscious into their brand.
* As part of my involvement in a Global Telesummit entitled a Brand You World www.personalbrandingsummit.com I am involved in raising $100,000 in loans for KIVA entrepreneurs in the developing world. Incidentally, Kiva was featured on Oprah and is mentioned in Clinton's book "Giving".
Having shared how I was inspired by reading this book I would be more then interested in hearing how it inspired you and what actions you took.
Bernadette
Bernadette Martin
www.visibilitybranding.com
Enlightening work.......2007-08-12
Muhammad Yunus believed that every human being had a basic right to credit. He believed in the human spirit and peoples' hard work and honesty when given a chance to sustain themselves above poverty. His accomplishments have proven his theory over and over in several countries to millions of people. Micro-lending will surely be a part of the future success in Africa, Asia, and South America. A modified form of Mr. Yunus' model has worked in the USA, unfortunately, we as Americans aren't schooled nor molded to be basic entrepreneurs. We must change our school systems from teaching how to become good employees to how to become entrepreneurs as well. Mr. Yunus' model includes 5 person groups to help each other and support each other when one gets behind in loan repayments and/or family crisis. This is a very important requirement to micro-lending and must not be excluded when trying to duplicate the success of the Grameen Bank.
Thank goodness we have people in our world like Muhammad Yunus to teach us how to treat other human beings.
Poverty should be extinct!.......2007-08-09
This book is a testament to the good one can do to millions of people!
Poverty belongs in museums! One day, thanks to humanitarians like Muhammad Yunus, poverty will be something of the past and totally extinct, and the next generation will wonder how poverty was ever allowed to exist within our midst. Indeed that will be a glorious day!
Professor Yunus recounts his early life living in India, Bangladesh, and then in the United States. He was born in 1940 in British-ruled India. He was one of fourteen children born to devout Muslim parents. His mother was often ill, but despite this, his father never left her. Yunus later obtained a scholarship to study in the States, earned a Ph.D. in economics at Vanderbilt University, and later became a professor. He once commented to his students, "What good were all my complex theories when people were dying of starvation on the sidewalks and porches across from my lecture hall? Nothing in the economic theories I taught reflected the life around me."
As a young man he was very involved in the independence of Bangladesh when hundreds of thousands died, and many more after Bangladesh declared itself independent. The country was devastated, and stripped of its natural resources. Professor Yunus quickly left the US and headed to Bangladesh in order to help create a government, and thus get international help and support.
He was very concerned about the poor, and decided to help them. He was surprised why banks did not lend them money. Also the majority of the poor couldn't write or read, so they couldn't even fill out the forms required by banks in order to obtain a loan.
Grameen Bank (The name means the "bank of the village") was thus started in 1976 as an experimental project to combat rural poverty by providing credit to the very poor. Professor Yunus loaned $27 from his own pocket to forty-two stool makers living in a tiny village. These women only needed enough credit to purchase the raw materials for their trade. Yunus's small loan helped them break the cycle of poverty for good. Throughout the book you'll read of many such success stories.
Professor Yunus faced a lot of obstacles in creating his bank. He was accused by the Muslim clergy (Mullahs) of wanting to destroy Islamic traditions, and of promoting Christian values in Bangladesh. Some of his staff were even threatened. This was due to the fact that the bank encourages women to take loans and work, something of a taboo and highly unacceptable to Muslim women living in Bangladesh. In fact, many women were beaten by their husbands for the mere mention of money, let alone taking a loan. Women were also not encouraged to receive an education or work. Professor Yunus says, "All her life she has been told that she is no good, that she brings only misery to her family, and that they cannot afford to pay her dowry. Many times she hears her mother or her father tell her she should have been killed at birth, aborted, or starved. But today, for the first time in her life, an institution has trusted her with a great sum of money. She promises that she will never let down the institution or herself. She will struggle to make sure that every penny is paid back (65)."
In 1983 Grameen Bank (GB) was officially established. It is unique in that it has reversed conventional banking practices by removing the need for collateral and created a banking system based on mutual trust. It promotes credit as a human right. Its mission is to help the poor families to help themselves to overcome poverty by issuing them with microcredits (very small amounts, like $7, something a conventional bank would never do). It is offered for creating self-employment for income-generating activities and housing, as opposed to consumption. It is particularly targeted towards poor women. It provides service at the door-step of the poor based on the principle that the people should not go to the bank; the bank should go to the people. This principal is helpful in a Muslim society where women are not allowed to leave their homes without the approval of their husband, and are not allowed to speak with men.
In order to obtain loans a borrower must join a group of borrowers, with each borrower recommending another. If one member of the group defaults on payment of his loan, then the whole group is denied further loans! However, to encourage destitute members to join, he/she does not have to belong to a group, no saving is necessary, no weekly repayment is necessary, his/her loan terms are decided by him/her, in consultation with his/her mentor.
A member is considered to have moved out of poverty if her family fulfills the following criteria:
1. The family lives in a house worth at least Tk. 25,000 (twenty five thousand) or a house with a tin roof, and each member of the family is able to sleep on bed instead of on the floor.
2. Family members drink pure water.
3. All children in the family over six years of age go to school or have finished primary school.
4. Minimum weekly loan installment of the borrower is Tk. 200 or more.
5. Family uses sanitary latrine.
6. Family has adequate clothing for everyday use and for winter, and mosquito-nets.
7. Family has sources of additional income, such as a vegetable garden, so that they are able to fall back on these sources of income when they need additional money.
8. The borrower maintains an average annual balance of Tk. 5,000 in his/her savings accounts.
9. Family has three square meals a day throughout the year. No member of the family goes hungry any time of the year.
10. If any member of the family falls ill, family can afford to take all necessary steps to seek adequate healthcare.
Professor Yunus distrusted dealing with the World Bank. According to professor Yunus, the world bank, with its headquarters away from Bangladesh, does not see poverty, but relies on theories. He also was wary of how they took full control of a country's financial needs.
There were a number of major natural disasters in Bangladesh. The 1998 flood was the worst of all. Half of the country was under flood-water for ten long weeks. Grameen borrowers lost most of their possessions including their houses because of the flood. Soon borrowers started to feel the burden of accumulated loans. They found the new installment sizes exceeded their capacity to repay. Grameen Bank repayment started to show quick decline. This was a good opportunity to design a new Grameen methodology, incorporating all the lessons learnt. As a result, Grameen Bank II was created.
The bank believes that the poor always pay back their loans, unlike the very rich. On some occasions they may take longer time to pay back than it was originally stipulated. Many things can go wrong for a poor person during the loan period. According to professor Yunus, since the borrower is paying additional interest for the extra time, where is the problem?
Grameen Bank has introduced higher education loans for all students who can enter into the higher educational institutions (medical, engineering, etc). Students are made responsible to repay the loans when they start earning. Half the scholarships are reserved for girl students. The remaining 50 per cent is open for both boys and girls. Each year Grameen Bank gives out 3,704 scholarships.
Grameen believes that poverty is not created by the poor; it is created by the institutions and policies which surround them. In order to eliminate poverty, all we need to do is to make appropriate changes in the institutions and policies, and/or create new ones.
Muhammad Yunus and his Grameen Bank of Bangladesh won the 2006 Nobel Peace Prize.
As of May, 2007, Grameen Bank had 7.21 million borrowers, 97 percent of whom are women. With 2431 branches, it provides services in 78,659 villages, covering more than 94 percent of the total villages in Bangladesh.
About 3 billion people live on less than $1 per day. Professor Yunus' vision is of eliminating poverty by 2050.
This is really a fascinating book and I highly recommend it.
Great for those interested in poverty relief/development.......2007-08-07
After reading, we bought multiple copies to give away to colleagues working in various capacities in poor areas of the world. Yunus' ideas and experience need to be examined and considered. This is no World Bank/UN/WMF big program aid-dump, but a reasonable, realistic, measured path from poverty to empowerment for the world's poor.
Lateral Banking.......2007-07-03
Learn how limiting entrenched Eurocentric thinking can be. Be inspired by the lateral thinking of Muhammad Yunus! A heartwarming read with just a touch too much description of the complexities of beaurocracy, but a must read nevertheless.
Average customer rating:
- SKIP THIS AND BUY SOUL OF A BUTTERFLY OR FIND HAUSER'S MUHAMMED ALI HIS LIFE AND TIMES
- G.R.O.A.T. (Greatest Review of All Time)
- Pretty amazing book
- Ali as object of conspicuous consumption
- Ten Stars!
|
GOAT: A Tribute to Muhammad Ali
Benedikt Taschen , and
Howard L. Bingham
Manufacturer: Taschen
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Hardcover
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Release Date: 2004-04-15 |
Book Description
Muhammad Ali is one of the most remarkable personalities of our time and the greatest sportsman to ever walk the earth. To honor this living legend, TASCHEN has created a work that is both epic in scale and just as unique and vibrant as the man himself. It is more than appropriate that a worthy tribute to his life would reflect the scale of his achievements, and "GOAT - Greatest of All Time" proves itself up to the task.
Four years in the making, and the most comprehensive look at Ali to date, "GOAT" tips the scales at 34 kgs (75 lbs) and is 50 cm x 50 cm (20" x 20") in size. 800 pages of archival and original photographs, graphic artwork and articles and essays - many of them previously unpublished - chronicle six decades of his life in stunning detail. To cap it all, the project takes place with the participation of Ali himself and those members of his inner circle who have been closest to him over the years: from managers and key ringside cornermen to friends, family and children; from spiritual and other advisers to broadcasters, essayists and journalists.
No stone has been left unturned in telling this remarkable story: the book features written contributions from hundreds of writers and photographers, as well as over 3,000 photographs of Ali's dazzling life. Plus Ali's own insights, writings and drawings, and reproductions of fight posters and classic memorabilia.
In addition, new work - commissioned from artist Jeff Koons - gives the Ali mythology a twenty-first-century edge and an entirely contemporary context. "GOAT" will come in two versions: the (Champ's Edition), limited to the first 1,000 copies and featuring a specially-commissioned congenial multiple by Jeff Koons as well as four silver gelatin prints by Howard L. Bingham, signed by the photographer and Ali himself. The remaining 9,000 copies come with a photo-litho made by Jeff Koons. All 10,000 copies are individually signed by Muhammad Ali and Jeff Koons.
Customer Reviews:
SKIP THIS AND BUY SOUL OF A BUTTERFLY OR FIND HAUSER'S MUHAMMED ALI HIS LIFE AND TIMES.......2006-09-14
If you love Ali get his own SOul of A Buterfly or the other bio - if you can find it, as it really gest into the soul of this great man, and into his depp and abiding faith, which is a place no one any longer goes.
Of course if any of the three thousand or twelve thousand DO get to Ali and his family it will make up in a SMALL way for all the millions managers and damagers stole form him, and will get distributed to good working charitable and humanitarian organizations that actually help people, as Ali gives it all away to those in need, unless Bush has declared him officially a funder of bad and dubious causes
so if it goes to Ali, live large y'all
sting like a bee
G.R.O.A.T. (Greatest Review of All Time).......2006-02-03
First things first: This book has got talent. It might have once weighed in at a measily 40 pounds (500 pages), but has built up its strength and is now a strong contender. Few could question the book's power when it overcame several best sellers, rising up the non-fiction ranks like a soaring upper cut to truly punish George Foreman's jaw. The only question remaining for the experts is this: Will this book have what it takes to take on in a heavy weight bout its subject ?
Pretty amazing book.......2005-01-24
I had a chance to check out this book at the Tattered Cover of Denver
It is MASSIVE and HUGE
The photographs inside are amazing! It definitely attracts the non-reader, and visual lover, within all of us
The price is VERY steep - only purchase if you're a REALLY big fan
Otherwise, I at least suggest that you find a copy, just to see what a really huge book, about a pretty big dude, is like ----- the book is a feat, in itself - just like Muhammad Ali
Ali as object of conspicuous consumption.......2004-07-21
I revere Ali. I had the honor of meeting him for an author appearance for a previous photo essay book when I worked for a New York-based publisher. The Champion Edition at $10,000 and the cheaper edition at $3000 are antithetical to who the man is, or has been. He has always been a man of the people, and not a sycophant for the wealthy who buy books like they buy shares of Berkshire Hathaway. If there was any information about proceeds from the sale of the books benefitting someone other than the publishers and authors I would feel differently. As it is, this is just an opportunity for those who'd have sent him to jail for avoiding the draft to own him. I'd wager that they care less about what the man stands for than that they can now own something their friends can't afford. If you love Ali and have $3000 or $10,000 to spend, give to a charity in his name.
Ten Stars!.......2004-05-09
"Goat: A Tribute to Muhammad Ali" is seventy-five pounds of the finest photos, essays and articles on the man himself. The packaging is great, with a box to protect the cover from shelf wear.
Nearly every photograph in this huge book is a work of art, many of which have never before been seen. The composition and details of the photographs are amazing. I found myself staring at them for hours.
The hefty price will scare off many, but it really is worth it. Don't forget that it comes autographed by Ali and Jeff Koons. (Meaning it will only go up in value.)
Overall, this beautiful book really is the ultimate tribute. It rates at least ten stars!
Book Description
ASP.NET allows web sites to display unique pages for each visitor rather than show the same static HTML pages. The release of ASP.NET 2.0 is a revolutionary leap forward in the area of web application development. It brings with it a wealth of new and exciting built-in functions that reduce the amount of code you'll need to write for even the most common applications.
With more than 50 new server controls, the number of classes inside ASP.NET 2.0 has more than doubled, and in many cases, the changes in this new version are dramatic. This book will alert you to every new feature and capability that ASP.NET 2.0 provides so that you'll be prepared to put these new technologies into action. Greatly expanded from the original best-selling Professional ASP.NET 2.0, this new special edition adds hundreds of pages of new coverage of advanced and new techniques relating to data and data sources, the provider model, personalization, membership, role management, localization, configuration, migration, and Altas.
Bonus CD-ROM and DVD
* The bonus DVD includes a 180-day trial of Microsoft Visual Studio 2005 Professional
* The accompanying CD-ROM features a valuable library of chapters from other key Wrox books. It contains more than 1,000 pages from more than 15 Wrox ASP.NET 2.0, C# 2005, VB 2005, .NET 2.0, and SQL Server 2005 books.
What you will learn from this book
* The idea of the server control and its pivotal role in ASP.NET development
* How to create templated ASP.NET pages using the new master page feature
* Techniques for debugging and handling errors
* How to work with data from enterprise databases including SQL Server 2005 and Oracle(r)
* Ways to package and deploy ASP.NET applications
* How to retrieve, update, and delete data quickly and logically
* How to implement the cultures and regions features to localize your web site into multiple languages for different visitors
* How to use the new "Altas" add-in for ASP.NET 2.0 to add Ajax-style capabilities to your ASP.NET applications
* An understanding of how to use and extend the new pro?vider model for accessing data stores, processes, and more
* How to keep track of your application's performance and health with new monitoring tools
* When and how to migrate your ASP.NET 1.x applications to 2.0
Who this book is for
This book is for experienced programmers and developers who are looking to make the transition to ASP.NET 2.0.
Wrox Professional guides are planned and written by working programmers to meet the real-world needs of programmers, developers, and IT professionals. Focused and relevant, they address the issues technology professionals face every day. They provide examples, practical solutions, and expert education in new technologies, all designed to help programmers do a better job.
This book is also available as part of the 5-book ASP.NET 2.0 Wrox Box (ISBN: 0-470-11757-5). This 5-book set includes:
- Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Special Edition (ISBN: 0-470-04178-1)
- ASP.NET 2.0 Website Programming: Problem - Design - Solution (ISBN: 0764584642 )
- Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Security, Membership, and Role Management (ISBN: 0764596985)
- Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Server Control and Component Development (ISBN: 0471793507)
- ASP.NET 2.0 MVP Hacks and Tips (ISBN: 0764597663)
- CD-ROM with more than 1000 pages of bonus chapters from 15 other .NET 2.0 and SQL Server(TM) 2005 Wrox books
- DVD with 180-day trial version of Microsoft(r) Visual Studio(r) 2005 Professional Edition
Customer Reviews:
Comprehensive but not in depth.......2007-03-09
This is a nice book for people who have the basic idea of ASP.NET. This Book covers almost all topics for .Net2.0 . It is a very good reference book for newbie.
Unfortunately, this book isn't in-depth for lots of topics, basically it just introduces most common cases, and you probably can't find what you want for some topics. (Eg implement Sorting and Pagation for ObjectDataSource, Crystal Report, memory management, ADO.NET in depth, .Net Virtual Machine etc). The source code is another down side for this book. Most of the code doesn't run, also the connection string wasn't right at the first place, I have to spend hours and hours to get it right.
In conclusion, it worth to buy, if you just want learn asp.net in a fast way. It will give you the solution for most tasks. Pretty good reference book.
Great ASP.NET 2.0 Reference.......2007-01-22
This is a great ASP.NET 2.0 reference book. It is absolutely packed with information covering all areas of the product. The book is also somewhat unique in that all code snippets are provided in both VB and C#, making it useful to all developers.
The authors are fantastic technical experts and speakers on .NET and ASP.NET. I think you can learn a lot from this book.
Encyclopedia of ASP.NET.......2007-01-21
Wrox is a great publisher of quick and massive volumes with multiple authors. I'm a teacher and look for good values that combine clear technical information and a broad range for a low cost. This is a good choice if you have experience with ASP.NET, know your web architecture (query strings, cookies, sessions, etc.), and don't want an extended tutorial. The reasoning for why you use these things wasn't clear but the details on how to use them exceeded most of the current fare which is why I chose to teach from the text recently. The quantity of code that was provided in VB and C# was excellent but the topics were out of order for classroom use. For the ASP.NET beginner, I feel it needs to be supplemented with a more tutorial based text and then this makes an excellent companion volume.
A Professional Level Book in Every Way.......2006-10-25
This is a monumental book. Almost sixteen hundred pages of hi-tech stuff. It is not for the faint of heart. It is intended for people who have at least a general understanding of how the web works with particular attention as to how a database driven web site is set up and works. Knowledge and experience with earlier versions of ASP (Active Server Pages) would be very helpful, but so would experience using other technologies such as Cold Fusion, PHP, or Java. Such knowledge is to provide you with the concepts of doing a dynamic web page consisting of a framework or template with the actual data being displayed coming from a database.
The book builds on this basic understanding to start with a very simple page and go on to much more complex tasks such as the building XML web services. Along the way every aspect of ASP.NET 2.0 is discussed.
ASP.NET 2.0 is the second major release of ASP.NET, Microsoft's main concept for programming dynamic web pages. The focus of the new release is on productivity. A major goal of the development team was to reduce the number of lines of code needed to program a page by two thirds. On the whole they suceeded.
In addition, the book contains two CD-ROMs. One is a 180 day trial version of Visual Studio 2005. The other has about a thousand pages from about 15 other WROX books that you may find helpful in looking up background information. The book is in reference format rather than tutorial. It will be very helpful for quite a long time.
Book Description
A fresh look at Muhammad Asad's classic English translation and explanation of the Qur'an is offered in this redesigned and updated edition of his work. A new typeset and index is complimented with a prologue by the distinguished British Muslim Gai Eaton and original artwork by internationally renowned artist and scholar Dr. Ahmed Moustafa. Asad's translation is widely considered to be the foremost in conveying the meaning and sensibility of the original Arabic text, making this edition a must-have for English readers with a budding interest in Islamic studies and veteran scholars alike.
Download Description
The Message of the Quran is one of the most respected translations and commentaries of the Quran in existence in any language. The commentary is drawn from classical Islamic sources and contains in depth linguistic and historical information. Muhammad Asad was born in Austria in 1900 as Leopold Weiss and went on to become one of the foremost Muslim intellectuals of the 20th Century, as well as Pakistan's first ambassador to the UN.
Customer Reviews:
Unsurpassed English Interpretation.......2007-06-18
Just a short review as others have expressed better than I the unsurpassed job of interpretation of the Holy Qur'an into English which Asad was able to achieve - his interpretation and footnotes are far, far better than any before.
The layout of the book is also a gift to those who are learning Qur'anic Arabic: with English, Arabic, and a transliteration on one page (along with the all-enompassing guide to pronouncing the transliteration) Asad has provided a powerful tool to those who are students of Arabic.
A wonderful, wonderful work. The best interpretation of the Holy Qur'an in English that I've read, and a book of beauty printed on fine paper and with exceptional typography. This should be the standard text for all English speaking Muslims as well as any English speaking person desiring to raed the Qur'an in the very best interpretation.
My only complaint, and the reason I 'deducted' a star, is that the book with its fine heavy paper does not have a proper heavy-duty binding. After 2 or 3 weeks I had to have my copy re-bound as the cover began to tear off and the signatures began to break the stitching. I would hope that in subsequent editions the publishers would provide a better binding so that this text would not unravel after a short period of heavy use,
This is the best translation of the Quran in English.......2007-04-24
Of the translations I've read (Yusuf Ali, Dawood, Dr. Mohsin, Pickthall), this one by far contains most insight into the meaning of the Quran, command of both langauges (Arabic and English), ease of understanding, and authenticity of commentary (much of it is supported by classical commentators). While the Quran is impossible to truly translate, this is the best you'll find in English.
It's also interesting to note that the dude spent 6 years living with the Arab Bedouins, you can't get a more authentic Classical Arabic than that! He also knew Aramaic (the predecessor to Arabic) and Hebrew (a sister of Aramaic), which facilitated the creation of this translation (it took him 17 meticulous years).
An incredible translation and work of art!.......2007-03-05
Determined to find out the truth about Islam myself rather than rely on other people's impressions, I decided to read the Quran for myself. Over the last 2 years or so, I bought and tried about 3 different translations. I tried several times to get through the Quran, but found it difficult to wade through. I have read the entire Bible in the past, in the NASB translation, so I am not used to having trouble reading religious texts. I still needed to read the Quran, though. I found a website that discussed different translations, and the one by Muhammad Asad got good marks. So I decided to order a copy. I was not disappointed. The translation itself is wonderful - very readable and so much clearer to my American ears. Not only is the actual English translation of the Arabic excellent, but each page also contains Muhammad Asad's very learned and helpful commentary. I am grateful for this. In addition, the book itself - the physical book and its pages - is a work of art. I don't say this lightly - The book is filled with gorgeous calligraphy throughout. The pages are not thin onion skin like so many bibles - the paper is heavy and has a gloss which really shows off the art work and renders the text (the original Arabic, the English translation, and even the transliteration which is provided to help you sound out the Arabic should you so desire) crystal clear. This edition also contains essays and basic instruction on the Arabic system of writing. There is also an attached ribbon to keep your place. This edition is pure class - full of beauty both visual and textual. Definitely worth the cover price - especially if you are a native speaker of English trying to read the Quran for the first time. Also: this edition is promoted by CAIR, so I trust its orthodoxy.
The Message of the Quran by Muhamad Asad.......2007-03-02
Beautiful translation and explaination.
Use of classical commentators of the Quran was very helpful.
Clarifies many misunderstood concepts of the Quran.
I read and re-read again and again.
I do find this 'Message of the Quran' refreshing.
The best translation for non-Arabic readers.......2006-11-06
If you're sincerely after an understanding of the Qu'ran, either learn Arabic and read it (translations are not technically "The Qu'ran"), or buy this book! Like many of the translators of the Qu'ran, Asad was not born into the religion and was not a native speaker, but unlike the rest, he spent many years living among the Bedouin who are the only ones still speaking the Arabic in which the Qu'ran was written down. Modern Arabic is taught in schools and spoken by millions, but many of the words in the Qu'ran have fallen out of common usage, so even the best of scholars may almost be forgiven for not always getting it quite right. But in translatin the Qu'ran, it HAS to be right. The multiple meanings of the original words of the Qu'ran make faulty translations and confusion altogether too prevalent for Western readers. Asad was born a Polish Jew who discovered Islam and spent most of his life researching Qu'ranic language. He became a highly respected scholar, even in the Islamic world. He was a close friend of King Abdul Aziz (Ibn Saud), a confidant of the Indian poet Iqbal, and was appointed to represent Pakistan to the United Nations after India's partition. His translation and abundant footnotes are invaluable to anyone who is really looking to penetrate this 1400 year-old text. The Prologue by the English Islamic scholar Charles Le Gai Eaton is fascinating, the footnotes are a joy to read and extremely helpful in understanding the nuances of the words and context in which the verses were brought forth, and the book itself, with its gorgeous insertions of calligraphic art, is beautiful to look at. In many footnotes, Asad compares his own translations to that of Pickthall and several other translators and explains his choices and leaves the decision to the reader to accept or reject them. I never enjoyed reading introductions or footnotes until I got Asad's book. It's not exactly portable, since the original Arabic, as well as transliterations are presented along with the English, but it's worth its weight in gold. If you're trying to get an idea of what the Qu'ran is all about, this is the one for you.
Book Description
Named by Time magazine as one of the 100 most important innovators of the century, Tariq Ramadan is a leading Muslim scholar, with a large following especially among young European and American Muslims. Now, in his first book written for a wide audience, he offers a marvelous biography of the Prophet Muhammad, one that highlights the spiritual and ethical teachings of one of the most influential figures in human history. Here is a fresh and perceptive look at Muhammad, capturing a life that was often eventful, gripping, and highly charged. Ramadan provides both an intimate portrait of a man who was shy, kind, but determined, as well as a dramatic chronicle of a leader who launched a great religion and inspired a vast empire. More important, Ramadan presents the main events of the Prophet's life in a way that highlights his spiritual and ethical teachings. The book underscores the significance of the Prophet's example for some of today's most controversial issues, such as the treatment of the poor, the role of women, Islamic criminal punishments, war, racism, and relations with other religions. Selecting those facts and stories from which we can draw a profound and vivid spiritual picture, the author asks how can the Prophet's life remain--or become again--an example, a model, and an inspiration? And how can Muslims move from formalism--a fixation on ritual--toward a committed spiritual and social presence? In this thoughtful and engaging biography, Ramadan offers Muslims a new understanding of Muhammad's life and he introduces non-Muslims not just to the story of the Prophet, but to the spiritual and ethical riches of Islam.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting book about the prophet.......2007-10-01
This book was great to show details about the prophet Mohammad's life. Tariq Ramadan captured in his very well researched book an unkown side of a great man. Unfortunately at some points he writes somewhat differential between sunni and shia, not realizing that at the prophet's time there was no such distinction.
Tariq is a true Muslim.......2007-06-07
this is a must read for all Muslims, curious non-Muslims and Islam-haters alike.
Tariq provides a beautiful meditation on the life of the Prophet, quoting great ayats from the Qur'an and hadith. IN THE FOOTSTEPS OF THE PROPHET is an easily-digestable yet profound work of truth. This book provides all who read it with the essence of Islam and the life of the Prophet.
Islamist Apologist.......2007-04-24
An Islamist apologist through-and-through. While couching the traditional Islamic double-speak in PC terms appealing to many in the West, distorts the true history of Muhammad's actions and words, as well as the real method by which Islam spread which was by the sword and not by persuasion.
His condemnation of intentional attacks on civilians is tempered by an innocuous-seeming suggestion: that they will cease when European, U.S., and Israeli foreign policies bend to terrorists' underlying demands.
There is nothing of worth here or in any similar work which seeks to justify Islamist aspirations and methods, while ignoring the real problem which is the reformation of Islam, necessary in order to allow it to live in peace with other beliefs and customs.
better than Jesus.......2007-04-16
In the West Jesus is held up as a model. But his teachings can be used only in a period just before the end of the world; he expected the end to come soon. You cannot practice his teachings in a world that will last; they are not practical. Mohammed, unlike Jesus, was a normal man; he had normal feelings, not the sado-masochistic feelings of Jesus which he got from the whole Judaic messianic complex. Mohammed is someone who can admire, can emulate, can respect.
I am not a Muslim but I think Ramadan has shown Mohammed to be a better guide than Jesus.
Great Read, whatever your personal belief.......2007-04-06
This biography of Prophet Muhammad can be called a "spiritual biography" that tells the story of a life but emphasizes decisions, revelations, and the spiritual and emotional lessons therein. Emerick's biography of the Prophet and that by Karen Armstrong are good, this is better. Incidentally, it hints at the paranoia of those in government who cancelled the author's visa while he was en route to teach at Notre Dame University. (I taught there briefly and can assure you that it is not a hot bed of radicalism.)
The position of women, place of jihad, role of law, and relations with non-Muslims are totally different than the media caricatures and also different from some Fundamentalist politicization and corruptions.
Under duress and attack we see un Islamic practices claiming to be Fundamental (the Western media is more than happy to second that claim). One needs to know that the Shari'a is partly a product, close to two centuries later, that evolved to empower scholarly elite promoting its own interests by which time patriarchal elements had also degraded practice regarding women some - although women had right of inheritance not much available in the West until the 19th and 20th centuries except for royalty.. Also, the most infamous practices predated Islam in much of the Mediterranean - the stoning of adulterers was now much harder to prove that before.
It is reading for those who have an open mind and would learn more, for those who aren't quite sure what to believe after the pervasive toxic climate of criticism. Christians and Jews are very much at a disadvantage in that Muslims know far more about their faiths naturally from reading the Qur'an than they would know without significant effort. Moses, Noah, Jesus and Mary are Prophets of Islam (Mary appears in the Qur'an more times than the Bible).
It should be reading for the many shamefully ignorant critics like Robertson, Graham, Hagee, Falwell who do not have the least basis for their declarations. Their ignorance is itself a measure of disrespect and narrowness that spreads widely among their followers. Equally it could begin to educate those who should know better and who make decisions based on fear and hate - including those who seem superficially have some knowledge when talking about "abrogation" of versus in the Qu'ran etc. Bashing Islam is a profitable cottage industry and so much easier than a small measure of understanding or empathy.
Prophet Muhammad lived ihsan (beauty appreciated and demonstrated) with charisma even before the first revelation. His role is not like that of Jesus in important ways: neither he nor his followers claimed Divinity: he had immense practical worldly family and political responsibilities that Jesus never had; he provided no redemption or way of evading personal responsibility.
Average customer rating:
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ASP.NET 2.0 Wrox Box: Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Special Edition, ASP.NET 2.0 Website Programming Problem-Design-Solution, Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Server ... and ASP.NET 2.0 MVP Hacks and Tips
Bill Evjen ,
Scott Hanselman ,
Devin Rader ,
Marco Bellinaso ,
Shahram Khosravi ,
Stefan Schackow ,
David Yack ,
Joe Mayo ,
Fredrik Normén ,
Dan Wahlin ,
J. Ambrose Little ,
Jonathan Goodyear ,
Farhan Muhammad , and
Srinivasa Sivakumar
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ASIN: 0470117575 |
Book Description
The professional developer's best buy on ASP.NET 2.0!
Includes:
- Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Special Edition
- ASP.NET 2.0 Website Programming Problem-Design-Solution
- Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Server Controls and Component Development
- Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Security, Membership, and Role Management
- ASP.NET 2.0 MVP Hacks and Tips
- CD-ROM with more than 1000 pages of bonus chapters from 15 other .NET 2.0 and SQL Server(TM) 2005 Wrox books
- DVD with 180-day trial version of Microsoft(r) Visual Studio(r) 2005 Professional Edition
Learn the newest, most advanced ASP.NET 2.0 techniques
The key new features and capabilities of ASP.NET 2.0 are identified and defined here. Learn to:
- The pivotal role of the server control in ASP.NET development
- Create templated ASP.NET pages using the Master Page feature
- Work with data from SQL Server™ 2005 and Oracle®
- Add Ajax-style capabilities to ASP.NET applications
- Localize your web sites into different languages
Design and implement feature-rich sites
Create information or e-commerce sites using the focused problem-design-solution format. You will:
- Implement a ready-to-use professionally coded complete ASP.NET 2.0 site
- Discover unique and resourceful ways to handle common problems
- Master GridView, DetailsView, Wizard, SiteMap, and other new server controls
- Implement themes, membership, localization, caching, and more
Master writing custom ASP.NET 2.0 server controls
Explore step-by-step recipes that help you write your own custom components and learn to:
- Use Ajax patterns, ASP.NET client callback, CSS, DOM, and XML
- Implement custom Web Parts and ASP.NET 2.0 security
- Build custom tabular and hierarchical data source controls
- Develop custom HTTP modules, HTTP handler factories, and control builders
Ensure security in your ASP.NET 2.0 applications
Here’s the developer’s perspective on maximizing ASP.NET security. Discover how to:
- Use ASP.NET trust levels to provide secure environments
- Write your own custom provider-based features
- Take advantage of new options for locking down configuration sections
- Extend Membership with password histories and custom encryption
Share solutions developed by Microsoft MVPs
They’ve faced every challenge and developed a solution. For example:
- Page templates, multiple forms, URL rewriting, and SQL cache dependencies
- Improvements in ASP.NET 2.0 that originated as hacks
- Built-in functions that reduce the amount of code required
- Hacks that can be adapted to your application or business environment
Book Description
All new, for ASP.NET 2.0, this bestselling book provides experienced developers with real-world examples of the powerful new time-saving, code-saving features in this new version. Seasoned author and International .NET Association founder Bill Evjen along with Scott Hanselman help developers make a smooth transition to this new version of ASP.NET with their clear explanations of even the most dramatic changes.
Helpful examples in both VB and C# clearly show how to build ASP.NET 2.0 applications.
Some of the key chapters and topics you'll find in this book include:
- 4 chapters on server controls, including an entire chapter dedicated to the controls that are new to ASP.NET 2.0
- A chapter each on the new Master Pages and Themes/Skins features in ASP.NET 2.0
- 2 chapters on data presentation
- Data Management with ADO.NET discussing some of the radical ASP.NET 2.0 changes incorporated in ADO.NET
- Personalization, Membership, and Role Management
- A complete chapter on Portal Frameworks and the popular new Web Parts functionality of ASP.NET 2.0
- Security beyond the built in membership and role management features
- Caching including the new SQL cache invalidation feature in ASP.NET 2.0
- Proper debugging and error handling techniques for your applications
- Building your own server controls and HttpHandlers
- Business Objects, Mobile Development, XML Web Services
- Configuring, Administering, managing, packaging, and deploying ASP.NET 2.0 Applications
According to Brian Goldfarb, Microsoft Product Manager - Web Platform and Tools Division, this book "... is a solid one, Professional ASP.NET 2.0 and I recommend to anyone who is serious about working with VS 2005 and ASP.NET 2.0 -- Bill Evjen, Scott Hanselman, Farhan Muhammad, Devin Rader, Srinivasa Sivakumar all did a fantastic job putting together a great read with easy to understand examples and high-quality guidance. This is a must-have for every ASP.NET developers bookshelf (I already have 2 on mine :))"
Download Description
All new, for ASP.NET 2.0, this bestselling book provides experienced developers with real-world examples of the powerful new time-saving, code-saving features in this new version Seasoned author Bill Evjen helps developers make a smooth transition to this new version of ASP.NET with his clear explanations of even the most dramatic changes Helpful examples in both VB and C# clearly show how to build ASP.NET 2.0 applications Experienced developers get more in-depth coverage about changes within the programs provided in previous ASP and ASP.NET versions
Customer Reviews:
Good Introduction or Reference.......2007-08-25
As context, I programmed in classic ASP and had experience with Java and VB.NET prior to purchasing this book, but I had not really worked with ASP.NET. I found this book an easy read, very clear, and broken up nicely to that I can use it as a reference. The examples are especially helpful, as they contain just enough context for each concept, but are not so specific that I have trouble translating them to match my own needs.
Great Overview of how to develop professional ASP.NET 2.0 websites.......2007-05-02
It is difficult to find one book that will tell you everything you need to know. I do believe this book makes an honorable attempt at showing you what you need to know to develop 2.0 websites. The book topics range from talking about how to use the new features within the ide to packaging and deploying your finished products. Get up to speed on master pages, validation, themes, membership and roles security, caching, etc. Although you won't necessarily become an overnight expert by reading this book it will certainly show you what you need to get up to speed on how to develop 2.0 websites professionally.
Check newer book.......2006-11-13
I bought this book before realizing that there was probably a newer edition "Professional ASP.NET 2.0 Special Edition" by the exact same authors released in Oct 2006 with 300 more pages. I haven't seen the new one, but I suspect it is this one in a newer release. Why this title hasn't been retired is a mystery, but I can't fault Amazon because it is still listed on the Wrox site as if it is a current book.
Provides a great Reference........2006-11-10
Provides a great reference to almost all classes, excellent for the beginner. One suggestion would have been to create an entire application - step by step at the end of each chapter as an exercies .
Not For Professionals.......2006-09-14
This book only mostly explains basic functionality like how to drag and drop controls, etc. When I purchased this book, I expected to find out how to go beyond this basic functionality like customizing controls, using templates and thorough explanation about them.
This book is not for professionals.
Book Description
This vivid and detailed biography strips away centuries of distortion and myth and presents a balanced view of the man whose religion continues to dramatically affect the course of history.
Customer Reviews:
A Love Poem.......2007-07-20
I feel strongly that, in this book, Armstrong's passion for her subject shines through magnificently. Her adoration for the Prophet shines through on every page, bringing one closer to the warm, conflicted, human personality of the Prophet, which can be so obscured in modern Islam. I found this book refreshing, engaging and informative. Its principal shortcoming seems to be the author's unwillingness to say ANYTHING bad about the Prophet. But, on the other hand, don't we already have enough people around doing that?
a powerful narrative.......2007-06-21
Having read a number of books on this topic I can safely say that Karen Armstrong has written a very gripping biography of Prophet Muhammad, which makes us THINK instead of holding onto preconceived notions - a sign of a great book. It is very relevant to what is happening today in the world, as one fifth of the world owe it's faith to his efforts. The author very expertly explains how the Prophet with his devotion and powerful personality turned around a people primarily belonging to the desert, into a nation which conquered the two main world powers of that period, within 16 years of his arrival into medina. We have tried to over simplify the Prophet's life ever since, but as shown beautifully in this book, he was a human being experiencing and facing all the complexities of life as we all do. The book cover is magnificent as well.
Amazing Work.......2007-03-11
If you are looking for a serious work on the life of Muhammad then look no further. This is an amazing read that keeps the reader turning pages throughout the book. This will help any reader get an insight into Islam from a serious academic and unbiased perspective.
A Basis for Understanding Islam.......2007-03-09
Islam, the faith founded by Muhammad, has usually been misunderstood by Westerners in the past, and perhaps even more so since a group of extreme fanatics attacked the United States on September 11, 2001. Like some violent extremists and literalists of all faiths, these people chose to commit a great crime in the belief that their religion required such an act against what they saw as an impious and decadent West. Similar attacks were launched against England, Spain and Australia (the latter in Indonesia) and led to the current impasse that threatens to become a violent religious war, not only between Islam and the West, but between branches of the faith itself.
What is the background of this faith that inspired such fanatical violence? Is it truly more violent than other religions? Exactly who was Muhammad, how did he become the Prophet of Islam and what did he teach?
These questions are to a large degree answered in Karen Armstrong's masterful book "Muhammad: A Biography of the Prophet." In it we learn about what is known and what was said about the life of Muhammad, the most recent of the great religious teachers (unless you count Joseph Smith, the founder of Mormonism). Karen Armstrong has produced an easy to read popular introduction to Islam and the Prophet. This is certainly not a scholarly study, but in general the story as told by a non-Muslim who is trying to portray Muhammad in as good a light as she can. Certainly many people have criticised her for this portrayal, especially in regard to the treatment of women in Islamic societies (not totally Muhammad's fault, as at least some the the problem comes from fairly brutal local traditions, not Islam), his polygamy (probably as much a result of the need for widows and orphaned girls to have husbands as for lust), and his massacre of the Bani Qurayzah, which was certainly violent, but under the circumstances and the times, not exactly unknown. Indeed, Islamic armies were often more merciful than Christian ones during the Crusades. This is not to say they were always so, however.
Despite a few irritating typos, this book is the best popular treatment of the subject that I have encountered so far. Certainly it is a good introduction to the life of the Prophet for Westerners who are not blinded by the excesses of the few. As a non-Muslim I recommend this book as a antidote to the often venomous (and inaccurate) writings that have appeared, especially since 9/11, on Muhammad and the followers of Islam.
A bit surprising.......2007-01-25
I am usually a fan of Karen Armstrong -- her work on comparative religion is normally stellar, and easy to process at any level. This book surprises me, though -- although she seems to very much respect Muhammad as a man and for the historial role that he played, I am a bit disappointed in her characterization of an entire culture. Throughout the book, she refers to the tribal system of Arabia (pre- and post-Islam) as primitive and uncivilized, in relation to the "civilized" agricultural West. As an anthropologist, I was shocked at this characterization, particularly from a noted scholar such as Armstrong. She continually downplays the organization of tribal and pastoral society as somehow "needing" improvement -- a gross misunderstanding of culture and social organization on a landscape. Unforunately, this colors the rest of the book (particularly the early chapters -- I found them disturbing at some points to read).
Although I encourage readers to read this book, I also encourage you to round out your study of Islam and Muhammad with other books so that you have a rounded view. I particularly recommend "No God But God" (Aslan) -- hopefully it will provide a broader perspective to Armstrong's book.
I am heartened by her attempt to humanize a very dehumanized character in history -- I just wish she would have taken the time to look at the society in the same humanizing light.
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Infidel
