The relationship between Islam and
the West is one of the most urgent and hotly debated issues of our time. This
book is the first to offer a comprehensive overview of the way in which Muslims
are represented within modern English writing, ranging from the novel, through
memoir and travel writing to journalism. Covering a wide range of texts and
authors, it scrutinises the identity 'Muslim' by looking at its inscription in
recent and contemporary literary writing within the context of significant
events like the Rushdie Affair and 9/11. Examining the wide range of writing
internationally that takes Islam or Islamic cultures as its focus, the author
discusses the representation of Muslim identity in writing by non-Muslim
writers, former Muslim 'native informants', and practising Muslims.