From School Library Journal
Gr 6-10-Cooper covers aspects of Bahraini society and daily life from the history, religion, government, and economy to the people, the arts, dress, and food. A particularly interesting chapter addresses the ancient findings of the prehistoric era. Good-quality, full-color photographs are well-matched to the text. Sidebars offer additional information, as does a short glossary and a convenient "Quick Notes" page. The index is thorough and useful. One small drawback is with the organization; the chapter on religion comes halfway through the book, well after terms and discussion of Muslims, the Koran, and Shiites have been used in the text. Also, the statement that "Mohammad received messages from God when he was in a trance" is incorrect. Muhammad received messages as he meditated, and was terrified when they first began. He had to be convinced that they were genuine revelations from God. Women's dress is always a big issue in books on Islam. Unfortunately, the two photos in the section on a "lady's wardrobe" show a woman in a fancy costume reserved for special occasions and rural women in a tent wearing face veils. The text itself, however, and other pictures of a nurse and a salesgirl, show women in western-style dress. Women dress modestly but with great variety. Quibbles aside, this is an attractive, comprehensive introduction to this Persian Gulf state.-Carol Johnson Shedd, National Outreach Center for Middle Eastern Studies, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA
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