Publishers and bookstores alike have noted the trend: Their customers are looking for answers in books.
By: Kristin Roper
When Americans enter their local book shops this holiday season, it is not unlikely that they will find shoppers with the latest Harry Potter clutched under one arm and "Jihad vs. McWorld" by Benjamin Barber under the other.
Since Sept. 11, American flags have become omnipresent as a symbol of renewed patriotism, but the increased recognition of American culture is not the only consequence of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks. The general public has developed a newfound interest in the Middle East and Islamic studies.
Publishers and bookstores alike have noted the trend: Their customers are looking for answers in books.
By all accounts the Koran has been the best seller. Robert Atwood, manager of Micawber Books on Nassau Street in Princeton, cannot keep the Koran on the shelves.
"We’re constantly selling out," he said. "For a while it was difficult to even get copies of the Koran from the distributor."
According to Christian Purdy, publicity director at Princeton University Press, general-interest titles also have done well at the publisher, which is dedicated to scholarly works. "Shattering the Myth" by Bruce Lawrence, a paperback explaining Islamic culture, has found a new life since the attacks. A current book about Middle Eastern poetry, "Music of a Different Drum," by Princeton University professor Bernard Lewis, also has been selling well.
"People are looking for anything on Islam," Mr. Atwood observed.
When Micawber Books had Islamic studies books left over from one of the university courses, it decided to place them in the general sections and they sold out.
"Some people were asking for specific titles, but if they couldn’t find what they were looking for, they’d pick up something else," he added.
Because Princeton University Press publishes scholarly works, it has not pushed authors to write books responding to the Sept. 11 tragedy.
"Our mission is to publish scholarly works, and that’s nothing you can rush," Mr. Purdy said. "We haven’t increased the number of books published on the subject, and we haven’t thought to increase," he said. "It’s nothing we actively pursued calling up scholars and demanding books."
Other publishing houses have done just that. Mr. Purdy called it "capitalizing on the news of the moment" by publishing books related to the Taliban and Afghanistan.
Mr. Atwood confirmed the observation. "Publishers are trying to push things out right now," he said.
One example of a book responding to the terrorist attack is "9-11" by Noam Chomsky. Mr. Chomsky collected a series of e-mail interviews conducted in September and October, mostly with foreign journalists.
Another title is "Fighting Terrorism" by Benjamin Netanyahu, former prime minister of Israel. The 2001 edition of this book addresses how democracies can defeat the international terrorism network.
Mr. Atwood noticed that at Micawber Books’ sales of Islamic studies books have slowed somewhat. "I think it’s hit its peak, but sales are still high," he said.