An Attempt to Understand the Muslim Reaction to The Satanic Verses

La’Porte (world religions, Brunel U., London) explores the many dimensions of the controversy sparked by the fatwa issued against Salman Rushdie’s 1988 novel The Satanic Verses , focusing on arguments between Muslims and liberals in Britain. She frames the controversy within a theological and philosophical rather than a sociological or anthropological context, arguing that Muslims were entitled to argue for the censorship of the novel (although she does not defend the death edict). She also critiques British liberals who use Rushdie as an icon for a secular racism, asserting that the West needs to find a way of legally accommodating the sensitivities of those who are deeply religious. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)