Early Reviews of A Deadly Misunderstanding
A Deadly Misunderstanding: A Congressman’s Quest to Bridge the Muslim-Christian Divide, which I wrote last year with former congressman Mark Siljander, is due for release in June (on my birthday, as it happens!)—and we’re starting to see some early reviews (excerpts below).
You can also see some excellent videos of Mark talking about different aspects of the book—and read the entire Introduction—on the book’s official web site.
A February 1 review from the Library Journal (you have to scroll wayyyyy down) says:
“[Siljander’s] accounts of amazing interviews with heads of state and leaders like Muhammad Abdelaziz of the Sahrawri peoples and Tenzin Gyatso, the 14th Dalai Lama, are very revealing. . . Finally, Siljander declares that love and relationships are more important than political strength and posturing. An understanding of the principles in this important book could help heal the rift between Islam and the West. Recommended for all libraries.”
To which a February 27 review from Publishers Weekly adds:
“In this memoir, Siljander recounts his ‘paradigm crash’ after discovering that much of what he’d been taught about his faith was nowhere in the Bible, and that the Christian and Muslim religious texts are surprisingly compatible when studied in their original languages. He has since made it his life’s mission to find common ground between Christian and Muslim worlds, meeting with a dizzying list of political and religious leaders in the process. . . .
“Siljander is deft at providing balance when discussing controversial subjects, and careful to show support from academics. Though his theological argument is based almost exclusively on the study of Muslim and Christian scriptures, in the current atmosphere it’s hard to argue with his dictum for what’s needed: ‘Making friends with the people you thought you hated. It’s that radical, that simple and that necessary.’”