The book isn't yet available. But, just reading its description and the brief background of the author, I'd question whether I would add this book to the several shelves of books I already have on Islam.

This is a "brief" guide, but is 416 pages. How does that qualify as brief???

More importantly, the author is described as: "...a London-based writer and self-styled student and traveler of the Islamic world". I have encountered many books on Islam already, by "self-styled" student/traveleer/writers on Islam. Most are not insightful, but superficial. It seems he was motivated to explain the escalating bad reputation that Islam has been getting.

The book probably shouldn't have gone to press. How up to date can this book really be? Does it deal with the world-wide intifada of Muslim violence over the Muhammad Cartoons from Denmark? Does it comment on the London demonstrations by Muslims, carrying signs calling for the beheading of cartoonists, or another "real" holocaust, or 9/11, for Britain? Does it comment on the Iranian president calling for Israel to be wiped off the map, and the other threats as that president moves headlong toward producing nuclear weapons?

Before WWII, there were "self-styled" students and travelers writing about Nazi Germany after visiting it, saying how people were mis-perceiving the rising Nazi tide.

There are more substantial books available dealing with Islam, like "Why I am not a Muslim" by Ibn Warraq; or the books by Robert Spencer. Spencer has two worthwhile websites: www.jihadwatch.org and dhimmiwatch.org. There are also websites by ex-Muslims, such as www.faithfreedom.org It will be intersting to compare this information to what Mr. Greive's book offers.