Varisco's Islam Obscured is an excellent review and theoretical analysis of the "anthropology of Islam." It is also written with an acerbic wit and a poetic control of the English language rarely found in academic writing. Organized around 4 key texts, it is not limited to them.

It is not really a book about Islam or even about Muslims. It is a book about Anthropologists who try to study Islam (or as Varisco insists correctly is more appropriate -- study Muslims).

It is a must read for those who want to think about the theory and method of studying Islam/Muslims from an Anthropological perspective.

This book will be best received by highly motivated and thoughtful readers. Those who are just want to learn "something about Islam" will be bored. Those who want to think about issues of representation and the nitty-gritty of how anthropology really works will be fascinated.


Ron Lukens-Bull, PhD
Associate Professor of Anthropology
University of North Florida