Islam and the West: Bernard Lewis

This was an interesting book covering the history of Islamic/Western relations. It was amusing to picture the dynamics hundreds of years ago when the Middle East viewed Europeans as barbarians, since they had the advancements of Greece (the Mediterranean) and China (the orient) whereas the Europeans were still farmers. It also discussed that the first book printed in England was an Arabic translation, showing the importance other places put on the Middle East. The idea that "Abd" means slave and Abdallah means "slave to God" was very interesting. As was the idea that Christianity is a larger concern to Muslims since the Jewish community doesn't try converting like both Christians and Muslims.