The Koran

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Not for beginners ... but essential - Rated
This book is not for beginners. If you only want to know what the Quran says and what its teachings are, look elsewhere (and not the least in the Quran itself ...). But for those, who already have some ideas about the content of the Quran, Cook's book is essential reading: It will tell you neatly what the problems are in interpreting the Quran; what its role in daily Muslim life was and still is; what impact it has had as a sacred Scripture down the centuries. And yes, it does demand some attention from the reader, and it is not the classical book to be read in the tube, so the book's designation as "Introduction" comes with a grain of salt. But things are not easy, and it is much to the credit to the author that he doesn't shun difficult and long-winding explanations if they seem necessary. There is, simply, no "Quran made easy", and if you don't like putting your brain in motion then just get interested in other arguments. After all, mankind's sacred Scriptures are not meant to entertain people going to work or getting bored on a sunny afternoon. I like to add that the book contains numerous illustrations which are very helpful to the lay reader and the non-Muslim in general.

Not an introduction - Rated
As a summary of contemporary academic Quranic scholarship, there are few books to compare to this one. Despite a number of contentious standpoints and omissions, Cooks glib tone and dry wit and have won him many admirers, and his doesn't let up even in the face of this most sacred Muslim text.

Yet whatever the books merits or otherwise, Cook does not succeed in providing an introduction that would make sense to people without substantial study experience in either religious or Islamic studies. There is sparce consideration of the actual content of the Qur'an - except to illustrate academic disputes, and allusions to Veda, Confuscius and other sacred texts would simply fly over the head of most non-specialists.

Certainly not light reading - Rated
This book is obviously aimed way above my head. I was looking for a short insight into the Koran and I found myself in the middle of a phylosophical discussion about Arabic script and the subtleties of 'little slanting lines above the consonantal script'.

If you are just an average joe who want's to read something before tackling the Koran itself then look elsewhere.

Personally, I gave up before then end.

A Very Short Introduction - Rated
An Inteligent and compact little book which is not a real attempt at a spiritual analysis but never the less might be useful. Though it does seem to linger a little too long on the aesthetics of various printed additions down the ages, but even so, in a relevant manner. Recomendable to a complete novice of Islam. One area of complaint : No mention of the good books criminal homophobia.

Like a brilliant introductory series of lectures - Rated
I have been impressed by the "Very Short Introduction" series, and this is perhaps the best of them that I have seen so far. It is like attending a series of brilliant introductory lectures - it isn't so much that it gives you basic facts (although these are covered) as that it enables you to make sense of the topic, and to get some orientation. Most westerners have some idea about how the Bible is interpreted by Christians (fundamentalist or otherwise), but would not realize that the interpretation of the Koran "works" differently. For example, one part of the Koran may be held to be abrogated by another part. At the end of the book, you realize that you only know a little, but you feel that you know enough to start making sense of more advanced books.