The Spiders of Allah
Author: James Hider
Publisher: St. Martin’s Griffin
Price: $18.95 (Paperback)
The inaugural book by the Middle East bureau chief for the Times finds him hitting the streets from Israel to Iraq, a disbeliever in the midst of holy wars and fundamentalist infighting. Trying to comprehend how people can murder and suffer in the name of faith, Hider attempts to gauge the mindsets of terrorists, religious leaders and suicide bombers, but is only left with more questions. He also explores how West Bank Zionists are still embroiled in ancient battles; how a U.S. president fights a war in the name of a higher power; and how combat can be perpetuated because of cultural misunderstanding.
