Review by Choice Review
In this companion to Islam, Christianity, and Tradition (CH, Mar'08, 45-3737), Netton (Univ. of Exeter, UK) offers close readings of Christian and Muslim texts to establish shared motifs about the mystic journey. In the first of three major sections, he examines how medieval chivalry echoes the path to union with God. He does so by parsing courtly tales and romances, passages from Chaucer, Shakespeare, and the Victorian novelist William Ainsworth, and even traditions of the Order of the Garter with Sufi (mystical Muslim) writings on chivalric values and references in the Qur'an to a mysterious al-Khatir (perhaps related to Elijah). His second and third sections draw analogies between classic Christian and Muslim descriptions of the mystic way, from ignorance to divine union. Only in some cases does Netton note historic continuities. A concern here is with controls: what Netton sees as meaningful coincidence of motif may seem arbitrary to others. He examines the color green and its significance for chivalric and mystical texts, for example, even while pointing out how the color can signify many things, good and bad. His dense, learned argument makes many linguistic demands, with which a good glossary or more extensive index, particularly of Arabic vocabulary, would have helped. Summing Up: Recommended. Graduate students and researchers/faculty. P. S. Spalding Illinois College
Copyright American Library Association, used with permission.
Review by Choice Review