Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #183542 in Books
• Published on: 2000-10-19
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 192 pages

Synopsis
A lucid enquiry into the precise meaning of one of the most misapplied words and concepts in our language and one that has given rise to some of the most heated passions and crimes throughout history: identity - that which makes each of us unique and dissimilar to any other individual. The notion of identity - be it religious, ethnic, national or other - has been one of the fundamental questions of philosophy from Socrates to Freud. In this series of reflections, the author, a Lebanese who now lives in France, considers how we define ourselves and what identity has meant and continues to mean in different cultures.

Customer Reviews

I enjoyed Maalouf's book very much, it is nicely written
I enjoyed Maalouf's book very much, it is nicely written and well translated. Being a Lebanese immigrant who lived in Europe at much earlier age than Maalouf did, I have especially enjoyed his book. However, this doesn't mean that I always agreed with him. For instance he seems to equate modernity with westernism, and moreover to assume that there is one thing as such called 'the west'. There is a common dominator called 'western democracy' but nothing such as a 'western society'. The Dutch and the Italians have little in common more than say Italians and Lebanese. Also, Maalouf devotes more than necessary a chunck of his book to Europe's relationship with Islam. The book is about identity in general and not the European-Islamic relationship. This gave the book a Euro-centric position rather than a universal one. Perhaps this was Maalouf's intention, but the title did not reflect this and it takes you by surprise. The book would have benefited greately from the Japanese and East Asian experiece where modernity was achieved with a minimum of "westernization". Overall though it is a very nice book and very right in most of its messages.

Distilled Wisdom from a life observing the human condition.
Just finished this book. It expresses thoughts I have been starting to put together about the human condition and the background for all the conflicts we are now seeing develop and grow.
Maalouf looks from above, not getting dragged down into details of conflicts but seeing through to their essence. He shows his optimism and verve for life and the 'human adventure' and does not just analyse the situations and the problem human nature causes, but suggests paths towards solutions. Totally inspiring, light in its style , and short. It is the overview which comes from a background where identity is paramount, and a lifetime of looking, observing, researching, reading, listening and learning the human condition.
Totally inspiring and light in its style, you couldn't have a better book about identity. A fantastic basis for seeing seeing those currents in our lives and in our world and thinking further on them..It isn't even remotely about anything sacred and secret! Rather our very unsecret attributes! Highly recommended.

the most fantastic book of Amin Maalouf
there is no need to spend lots of words... this book is just amazing, fabulous, wonderful, and introduces you with the sacred and secret face of East. Get it.