Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land by David K. Shipler

Shipler shows the history of Israel from 1948 on. The book provides information on a lot of the contemporary issues of the country. It shows how terrorism, racism, and prejudice have been practiced by both sides. It looks at how Israel has fought and won its wars and the measures it takes to prevent terrorism. It provided me with a lot better understanding of Israel.

The War Against the Terror Masters by Michael Arthur Ledeen

The most shocking revelation of this book is that In 1996, the Clinton administration rejected three, Sudanese offers to watch bin Laden, provide his connections to Hizbollah and Hamas, or turn him over to U.S. authorities. In 1997, the U.S. again refused the Sudan's offer to nail bin Laden, even preventing transfer of crucial data to Britain. Only in the late 2001 did the U.S. get the information.

The Clash of Civilizations and the Remaking of World Order by Samuel P. Huntington

The thesis of this provocative book is the increasing threat of violence arising from renewed conflicts between countries and cultures that base their traditions on religious faith and dogma. This argument moves past the notion of ethnicity to examine the growing influence of a handful of major cultures -- Western, Eastern Orthodox, Latin American, Islamic, Japanese, Chinese, Hindu, and African--in current struggles across the globe.

The Complete Idiot's Guide(R) to Understanding Islam by Qasim Najar, Yahiya John Emerick

Using the Idiot's Guide's formula of questions and answers, sidebars, and small, easy-to-digest essays, Emerick makes Islam accessible to anyone who is inclined to learn more about this influential religion.

The Complete Idiot's Guide to Middle East Conflict by Mitchell G. Bard

From the Forward: If the new "Complete Idiot's Guide to the Middle East Conflict" has any advantage over in-depth geopolitical reporting in newspapers or analytical academic treatises based on years of research, it is in its humility. The book points out historical misunderstandings in side-bars topped by a picture of a pharaoh wagging a finger and saying "Tut Tut!" It doles out trivia beneath a cartoon of a smiling sphinx. It contains subheadings such as, "Hello Haganah" and "Too Many Jews, Not Enough Space."