Funky Cold Medina

There is a big controversy, or conTROversy if you're British, going on about the book The Jewel of Medina.

What? You've never heard of it? Well, that is because it was supposed to have been released yesterday and it wasn't. Why? Well, that is the question. Random House pulled the book from its release schedule and it isn't clear if it was because the book wasn't so hot, or because the book is going to make Muslim extremists fly into a rage and civilization, as we know it, will be destroyed. One of those scenarios seems more likely than the other, but I'll let you make up your own mind.

Anyway, as you might have guessed, right wing reactionaries are ALL IN AN UPROAR about the "American way of life" being subjugated by "liberal media" (yak) and bowing down to Islam. Really? Is that what happened?

I find it humorous, if not a little ridiculous, that everyone is jumping to the defense of a book they've never heard of, let alone read. Andrew Klavan stated, in some editorial, that "but I know for a fact that the history of literature and thought will be poorer for its absence." Really? You know that for a fact, never having read the book? Wow. That's pretty good.

If you're interested, here are some links to the controversy. I highly recommend the Smart Bitches discussion, because there are a few Muslim women who give real insight into lots of things dealt with in the book. Also, there is also a link to the prologue so you can be more informed than Mr. Klavan, at least.

From GalleyCat

From Smart Bitches, Trashy Books (thread with prologue)

The original SBTB thread.