"Londonistan: How Britain is Creating a Terror State Within"

[rusty charly]

"The other day, I was unfortunate enough to purchase a copy of the book, "Londonistan: How Britain is Creating a Terror State Within", by Daily Mail columnist Melanie Phillips. I was, admittedly, somewhat intrigued by the promising, almost imposing, one word reviews. "Explosive" said the Observer, for example, or so we're told. I tried to find the original review, but could only locate the following passage prefaced to an Observer piece by Phillips, published in May. What the Observer actually said was: "... In this explosive extract she traces the impact of one disturbing episode." OK - so it's the extract that's "explosive", not the book.

Moving on, apparently the Guardian describes the book as "Penetrating". Sounds good I suppose, unless there are hidden Freudian connotations, in which case it might be disturbingly bizarre... So I google again and find the review which says: "Throughout the book there are shards of evidence and penetrating questions..." This wouldn't be too bad apart from the fact that reviewer Jackie Ashley complains: "The problem is that Phillips's hysterical tone repels frank and thoughtful argument..." I won't quote anymore you can read the rest of the review here, which is pretty hilarious."

http://nafeez.blogspot.com/2006/06/melanie-phillips-londonistan.html

[rusty charly]

1. The Independent, 28 July 2006.

"What is striking in the end are not just the differences but also the similarities between Phillips' argument and those of the Islamists. Both insist that we are in a religious world war between the forces of good and evil. Both believe that only religion can help restrain decadent behaviour and establish a proper moral framework. Both abhor the growth of secular humanism. Both see Britain as 'a debauched and disorderly culture of instant gratification, with disintegrating families, feral children and violence, squalor and vulgarity on the streets'. Indeed, for all the ferocity of Phillips' assault on Islamism, she possesses considerable sympathy for the Muslim dilemma. 'British Muslims have concluded that the society that expects them to identify with it is a moral cesspit', Phillips argues. 'Is it any wonder, therefore, that they reject it?'

Phillips might rage against the Islamists. The trouble is, she appears equally disgusted by what the Islamists want to destroy - secular modernity."

http://www.kenanmalik.com/reviews/phillips_londonistan.html