New Reference Books, Issue 1, 2006

1- Historical dictionary of Western Sahara / Anthony G. Pazzanita.Published Lanham, Md. : Scarecrow Press, 2006. Edition: 3rd ed.
Call# Ref DT 346 S7 P38 2006

 

The most recent edition of a dictionary that started in 1982. Quite interesting! has some distinctive features:

-Has a chronology that ranges from 5000 BC all the way till 28th of October 2005!! (19 pages!) extremely useful too.

-Here is the most striking (for me): The extensive bibliography that ranges from page 459 till page 521 has its own table of contents! there is even an introduction there!

Apart from this, the dictionary itself is a very strong and useful tool for anybody interested in this part of the MENA region and its dynamics.

easy to manage format, could follow you easily to any conference (if you ever needed it)

2- Encyclopedia of the Palestinians / edited by Philip Mattar. Published New York : Facts on File, c2005. Edition Rev. ed.
Call# DS 113.6 E53 2005

 

It's another Facts on File good source, not too big to handle yet not so convenient to carry around for too long.

Has Maps, Illustrations, tables and charts..., a good chronology (very useful Year 638-Jan 9 2005) and an annotated bibliography that is indeed quite useful! Also you want to check the part entitled "Documents" pages 605 till 665...what any student would eventually need! extremely interesting!!

3- Encyclopedia of Arab and Islamic units of measurement ,With Their Modern Equivalents, (lengths, Areas, Weights, Measure) (Arabic source) Published Bayrut : Maktabat Lubnan Nashirun, 2002. (Librairie Du Liban Publishers)
Call# QC 89 A65 F35 2002   

 

A heads up: Watch out for these publishers: "Librairie Du Liban Publishers" They issue extremely interesting material concerning Arabic language and linguistics!!

 

This is a first of its kind source according to the description given inside, of an extremely interesting subject. The rather "long" title says it all.
However, inside, you will also find records the job-related units of measure like for men of medicine and Arab pharmacologists...fascinating!
I had the chance of handling some of the Arab glass weights that belonged to a friend of the family and I must say they were really like little precious things! captivating!
Carries explanations and comparisons to more than 400 units of measurement!!
Great resource!

 

4- Dictionary of Expressions (Arabic source) Published Bayrut : Maktabat Lubnan Nashirun, 2002. (Librairie Du Liban Publishers)
Call# PJ 6167 Q25 2002 

 

Another great resource from Librairie du Liban publishers! Arabic expressions explained. the real control of a language (or how to blend in) rests in its expressions (in my humble opinion). So there you have it: Idioms, Terms and phrases,...etc.
very convenient tool.

 

5- Dictionary of confusable words / [edited by] Adrian Room ; acquisition director, Anne-Lucie Norton. Published Chicago, IL : Fitzroy Dearborn Publ., 2000
Call# PE 1591 D53 2000

 

Another helpful tool but this time for the English language. Exposes some errors of usage in the English language. For instance: Complement & Compliment, Grand & Great, Obstacle & Obstruction, Naked & Nude (there is a difference??), Tortuous & Torturous, and the curious Arabic origins of Zenith & Nadir (highest & lowest points)
I enjoyed this one as you might suspect...

 

6- Women and Islam : critical concepts in sociology / edited by Haideh Moghissi. 
Published New York : Routledge, c2005
call# HQ1170 .W555 2005

 

3 volumes of everything you wanted to know about Women and Islam!! quite an important resource! Tackles subjects like social conditions, legal status, laws, etc. Also Feminism and the like, all concerning Muslim women.
vol 1 talks about "Images and realities", vol 2 is about "Social conditions, obstacles, and prospects", and finally, vol 3 works on the issues of "Womens's movements in Muslim societies".
Very very interesting and useful!!

 

7- Human rights and the world's major religions. Published Westport, CT : Praeger, 2005.
Call# BL 65 H78 H8595 2005

 

5 volumes taking up the many issues of human rights and pitting these against the world's major religions! vol. 1, The Jewish tradition, v. 2, The Christian tradition, v. 3, The Islamic tradition, v. 4, The Hindu tradition, v. 5, The Buddhist tradition.
Very extensive, covers historical periods as well as present issues: Life, Women, slavery, War...
Has primary sources, biographies and annotated bibliographies that: "offer excellent resources for further study".
Also the major religious views vis-a-vis human rights are duly related.
quite good and useful.

 

8- The destructive power of religion : violence in Judaism, Christianity, and Islam / J. Harold Ellens, editor. Published Westport, Conn. : Praeger, 2004
Call# BL 65 V55 D47 2004 

 

4 volumes entitled as follows: v. 1. Sacred scriptures, ideology, and violence. v. 2. Religion, psychology, and violence. v. 3. Models and cases of violence in religion. v. 4. Contemporary views on spirituality and violence.
Fits extremely well with the previous resource (Human rights and the world's major religions)
Printed on the back cover is a very precise annotation, and here it is: "Dozens of studies by 30 senior experts from five nations examine the influence of sacred texts shaping human nature, society, and political and military strategies in the Western world over the last 3,000 years."

The contributors backgrounds and the religions they wrote about seem to be an interesting angle when tackling such a work in my humble opinion...don't know why I wrote that...

 

9- Encyclopedia of religion and war / Gabriel Palmer-Fernandez, editor. Published New York, NY : Routledge, 2004.
Call# BL 80.3 E53 2004

 

Another resource dealing with religion and violence...seems to be very popular here!
Indeed the connection between war and religions is a hot topic at the moment...
The pictures on the cover however (for me) convey a somewhat different meaning...7 out of 8 pics are making me think more of Martial Arts, Racial Violence and Civil War rather than linking war and religion together, but that's maybe just me.
This work is of but one volume and presents about 130 entries that analyze why religious beliefs can and did generate and fuel wars. Many past & present conflict's religious roots are examined here. Very useful and interesting.