The Arab Mind

Abstract

It is Raphael Patai’s ambition to chart the fundamental components of theArab worldview that most compels the reader to leaf through the 400 pages of The Arab Mind. In one text, in less than 20 brief chapters, he seeks toprovide the elements that define the culture and mindset of the entire halfbillion-strong Arab world. For many readers, this enormous goal provokesenough skepticism to prevent any hope for objectivity before reading a singleword. In this new printing, however, Norvell B. DeAtkine (director ofMiddle East Studies, JFK Special Warfare Center, Fort Bragg, NC) providesa foreword that offers the highest praise for Patai’s work. Forinstance, he acknowledges that this book provides the foundation for hisown instruction and coursework.Hatherleigh Press, the publisher of this revised edition, is known forits Body Sculpting Bible series, its Living With line of health books, andits Flex series of athletic books. A more unlikely pairing reveals itselfwhen we discover that the original edition of The Arab Mind appeared in1973, the same year as Clifford Geertz’s groundbreaking TheInterpretation of Cultures. Though Patai republished this book a decadelater, and this new, current edition appears less than a decade after hisdeath, it is clear that despite his familiarity with Geertz’s writings, hechose not to embrace Geertz’s methods. Though none can deny the widthand depth of Patai’s insights, his own methods provide more problemsthan solutions ...