A review by lennyankireddi
Islam and the Future of Tolerance: A Dialogue by Maajid Nawaz, Sam Harris

5.0

The book reads, as the title suggests, like a dialog between two individuals with divergent views on a topic and different experiential backgrounds, offering a perspective, asking and answering questions and debating a topic that few intend to approach with candor and honesty. I felt most gratified from the way the authors set the parameters for the conversation and define terminology with early on, so that when either of them is mentioning a certain concept, one knows exactly what they are talking about. Both participants seem to have made a very sincere attempt to stay honest to the conversation and desist from needlessly sugarcoating or exaggerating subjects. There are occasions when one might find themselves disagreeing with the change in tone one might perceive of the authors, especially if they are aware of their former positions on issues. One might find there is a certain softening of tenor and a shuffling towards the center in the positions taken but for the most part, this does not tarnish the quality of the discourse. For anyone who feels this topic is of unavoidable and prime importance in this day and age, this dialog will clarify and inform a lot of things. What it will not do is provide definitive solutions. It is not meant to. The focus of the authors was to get a conversation started with a clear definition of terms and to make people feel like it is alright to engage in such. In this, the dialog has a great chance of succeeding with those who read the book with an open mind.