Book Reviews

Thanks to constant repetition from wishful thinking among politicians eager to keep a lid on latent sectarian tensions, it has become a popular saying that Islam is a religion of peace.  That this belief system bears any responsibility for the atrocities carried out in its name is not a popular view. Nor is it a widely held view, particularly in the United States, that faith and undue respect for it are dangerous. However, some prominent authors and public figures, not connected with Ground Zero mosque-fearing xenophobic right, are presenting an alternative view that deserves attention in an age of prolific weapons of mass destruction.  Sam Harris is one such author.

Fintan O'Toole makes it clear from the start that Ship of Fools is not a piece of academic work and hence doesn't have conventional annotations and footnotes, but all the information is readily available and much has been taken from the newspapers. This helps to explain the tone of the book, since the reader gets the impression that the author was as mad as hell, could not wait to get the rage expressed on paper, and didn't have time to stop for such niceties as citations.

David McWilliams has a relaxed writing style that tells a complex story in terms of named characters to whom the reader can easily relate. His message goes beyond saying "I told you so" in explaining what happened to Ireland's economy and how so many of the country's resources were misallocated into the home construction industry. He also proposes a solution.

Derek Bok goes into impressive depth in uncovering the problems with the American higher education system. While commercialism has brought in considerable funding to institutions that need the money, there has also been a cost that may end up exceeding any benefits.