In the light of A Blessed Tree presents an absolutely original; experientially textured introduction to Islamic belief; practice; and history for both the intrigued newcomer as well as for those who already possess some basic literacy in Islam. Slowly crafted over the years following the terror attacks of September 11; 2001; this modest book speaks with scholarly integrity but in an everyday voice; full of real-life narratives that ""illuminate"" the beliefs; practices; and histories described. More; it brings the reader in touch with the psychological; social; and cultural forces that shape the way we come to the question of Islam in a wounded world; still grappling with the trauma of 9/11 and very much still in a state of war. For these and other reasons; In the Light of a Blessed Tree speaks to contemporary images and realities; even as it walks through the ancient origins of Islam. ""In the best sense of the word; this is a deceptive book. Although written in such approachable terms; that simplicity conceals the author's deep scholarship and his extensive exploration of the faith of Islam; especially in a Western context. In the Light of a Blessed Tree is an inspiring work; and I hope this thoughtful book finds the wide audience it deserves."" -Philip Jenkins Edwin Erle Sparks Professor of Humanities Pennsylvania State University ""In our times; it has come to take considerable effort to dispose western readers to grasp something of the mystery and beauty of Islam. Yet Timothy Gianotti does so with an apparently effortless prose approaching the poetic; melding experience with history; practitioner with scholar; to bring this rich and multi-faceted tradition alive in our minds and hearts. It is hard to imagine a better way of helping students and seekers to appreciate the wonders of Islam."" -David Burrell; CSC Professor of Ethics and Development_ Uganda Martyrs University ""In the Light of a Blessed Tree is a multi-faceted work. It is a reliable and informative textbook. It is an academically sound and spiritually illuminating introduction to Islam. And it is a moving and personal faith statement. Above all; it is a spiritual meditation; well-worth reading."" -Mahmoud Ayoub Professor of Islamic Studies and Christian-Muslim Relations Hartford Seminary ""It is unusual for an author on religion to capture both the 'body' and the 'spirit' of a faith tradition; to provide a rational; critical articulation of a religion's ideas and practices along with an accessible entry into the deep and complex corridor of a religion's inner spaces. Professor Gianotti has managed to accomplish exactly this in his very special book on Islam. This is both a personal meditation based upon his own profound experience as a Muslim; and an analytical and unapologetic articulation of Islam as subject of critical analysis. Through personal anecdotes as practitioner and professor; Gianotti reveals a special sensitivity to the difficulty of understanding Islam in this time of uncertainty. I will use this book in my own teaching."" -Reuven Firestone Professor of Medieval Jewish Studies Hebrew Union College-Jewish Institute of Religion Timothy J. Gianotti is a scholar and interfaith advocate who has served on the faculties of the University of Virginia; the University of Oregon; and Penn State University. Most recently he has served both York University and the Noor Cultural Centre (Toronto) as the Noor Chair of Islamic Studies and the Noor Fellow in Arabic Islamic Studies. He is the author of Al-Ghazali's Unspeakable Doctrine of the Soul (2001).
#550871 in Books 2015-04-22Original language:EnglishPDF # 1 8.93 x .66 x 6.02l; .0 #File Name: 1608933741218 pages
Review
10 of 10 people found the following review helpful. This is just an excellent read! Carefully researchedBy mainemanThis is just an excellent read! Carefully researched; Macdougall tells the sometimes poignant story of the journey of a girl form a small town from the hills of Maine who achieves her goal of becoming a nurse; enlists in the Army; gets the plum assignment to beautiful Manila-the Jewel of the Pacific; and then watches the world explode in war; going from Manila to Bataan; to Corregidor and then to a prisoner of war camp for nearly three years. Macdougall follows Ms Zwicker through the sometimes difficult post-war years until her death.In the end; this is a story of the triumph of the human spirit in the face of tremendous adversity; a reminder of the preciousness of freedom; and a story for the modern generation of the price paid by an earlier generation so that we may enjoy that freedom.4 of 4 people found the following review helpful. Hard way to go...By HMS Warspite"Angel of Bataan" is the moving story of Alice Zwicker; an Army nurse from the small town of Brownville; Maine; who became a prisoner of the Japanese at the fall of the Philippines in 1942. Zwicker survived her ordeal as a POW; but found her return to ordinary life after the war to be challenging in its own ways. There are lessons here for the generation of young Americans who have so far fought the war against militant Islam from New York City to Kandahar and Baghdad and beyond. Some of the wounds never quite heal...Author Walter MacDougall has done a superb job researching the life and times of Alice Zwicker; capturing the flavor of the town in which she grew up; the Army in which she served; and the post-war environment she faced upon her return. This portrait is a challenging read that pulls few punches but captures Alice's marvelously generous spirit. It should leave few readers unmoved. Highly recommended.5 of 5 people found the following review helpful. What a story!By Diane Burke FesslerWonderful book written lovingly about one of the brave military nurses who were interned by the Japanese in the Philippines. I knew some of these women; having interviewed them for my book; NO TIME FOR FEAR; VOICES OF AMERICAN MILITARY NURSES IN WORLD WAR II; and wish I could have met Alice Zwicker. Much has been written about the horrible conditions in Santo Tomas during their imprisonment; but as one of the nurses told me; they missed three years of not knowing what was going on in the rest of the world; and how the U.S. was changing through the war years. This book tells of Alice's life before the war; during; and how trying to return to a normal life in the U.S. was difficult. The lingering illnesses resulting from malnutrition and starvation had a huge effect on Alice. These were strong women; despite fragile health; and their concern for the service men they cared for kept them going.The author met many of Alice's relatives; and researched her life very well. This is a great tribute.
