Rating: 
Summary: Understanding Arabs: A Guide for Westerners
Review: An American supervisor in Tunisia reprimands a local employee for habitually arriving late for work, and does so in front of the Tunisian's subordinates. To which the employee replies in anger, 'I am from a good family! I know myself and my position in society!' To which, no doubt, most Americans would respond with incredulity: who's talking about family or social status? But to Nydell, an Arabic language specialist with long experience in the Middle East, there's no mystery: the Tunisian 'felt his honor had been threatened and was not at all concerned with addressing the issue at hand.' Much in this fine survey of Arab mores will surprise the novice; old hands might find explanations for recognizable but somewhat inscrutable patterns. Some highlights: Doing favors is much more a part of friendship among Arabs than Westerners. A good personal relationship 'is the most important single factor in doing business successfully with Arabs.' 'To Arabs, honor is more important than facts.' 'People are more important than rules.' Good manners are 'the most salient factor' in evaluating character. Nydell rightly points out that Westerners resident in Arab countries automatically belong to the upper class, with all the benefits (social prestige) and obligations (good grooming, no manual work in public) that that implies. 'Family loyalty and obligations take precedence over loyalty to friends or the demands of a job.' Nothing path-breaking here, but true and useful insights. Middle East Quarterly, June 1997
Rating:
Summary: Understanding Arabs: A Guide for Westerners
Review: An American supervisor in Tunisia reprimands a local employee for habitually arriving late for work, and does so in front of the Tunisian�s subordinates. To which the employee replies in anger, �I am from a good family! I know myself and my position in society!� To which, no doubt, most Americans would respond with incredulity: who�s talking about family or social status? But to Nydell, an Arabic language specialist with long experience in the Middle East, there�s no mystery: the Tunisian �felt his honor had been threatened and was not at all concerned with addressing the issue at hand.� Much in this fine survey of Arab mores will surprise the novice; old hands might find explanations for recognizable but somewhat inscrutable patterns. Some highlights: Doing favors is much more a part of friendship among Arabs than Westerners. A good personal relationship �is the most important single factor in doing business successfully with Arabs.� �To Arabs, honor is more important than facts.� �People are more important than rules.� Good manners are �the most salient factor� in evaluating character. Nydell rightly points out that Westerners resident in Arab countries automatically belong to the upper class, with all the benefits (social prestige) and obligations (good grooming, no manual work in public) that that implies. �Family loyalty and obligations take precedence over loyalty to friends or the demands of a job.� Nothing path-breaking here, but true and useful insights. Middle East Quarterly, June 1997
Rating: 
Summary: The only book on Arabs that helped me in Saudi Arabia
Review: Before I went to Saudi Arabia to teach English, I read everything I could on Arabs and the Middle East. Following that four-year experience, I must say that this is not only the best, but the ONLY book that gave any kind of useful insight to Arab culture that helped at all over there. If you are thinking about spending any amount of time in the Muslim Middle East, then this is truly a must-read! On the other hand, having spent four years in Saudi, I'd recommend you go to any country other than Saudi Arabia. Nasty place!
Rating: 
Summary: Islamic teachings
Review: I agree with the reader who points out that Islam teaches "right" and "wrong;" I should have clarified the fact that I was referring to the relatively stronger emphasis on community image in Arab societies, compared with the U.S. (which is more individualistic, less family- or group-minded) (I think). Anyway, shame is a social value and is not related to Islam or its teachings in any way. I think all world religions have clear teachings of right and wrong, as well as ethical guidelines, otherwise, they would not have survived and grown. If you ever see cross-cultural comments written by Arabs or Muslims or Middle Easterners about "the West" or America, please let me know. I have never found anything of this sort, and it would be interesting to see comments going the other direction. It is urgent that we discuss differences without value judgments, especially in view of negative stereotypes of the Middle East and/or Muslim world which are everywhere and unfortunately mixed with politics. My goal was to simplify as much as I dared, hoping the general reader would reach a better understanding of how and why different people think and live with different values.
Rating:
Summary: FASCINATING & INFORMATIVE
Review: I came to this book hoping to receive insight into the mindset of those responsible for 9/11. In a way, it was billed that way to me. But the closest UNDERSTANDING ARABS comes to answering the question Why? is that many Arabs feel the US backing of Israeli boarders is in direct conflict with US reasoning behind going into Iraq in 1991 to enforce the boarders of Kuwait. According to UA, a 2001 poll of various Middle Eastern countries indicate 90% of residents feel the Palestinian issue is among their top three concerns. Unfortunately, this issue is not looked at in depth, no doubt because the author is not qualified to comment. According to the author, "Arabs will rarely admit to errors if doing so will cause them to lose face. To Arabs, honor is more important than facts." Additionally, "In arguing the Palestine issue...they (Arabs) often placed the greatest emphasis on the suffering of individuals rather than on points of law or recital of historical events." For someone who is trying to assist the lay person in understanding Arabs, this does not do much to portray Arabs as rational. Much of what I've mentioned was sprinkled in between Arab complaints that they are maligned and vilified in the media. By contrast Arabs do not like being judged by Westerners. However, whereas the US makes a big deal of separating church and state, Arabs, fundamentally believe the two cannot be separated, and the religion of choice is Islam. I found the section that describes the current socioeconomic conditions to be the most informative. Many of the Arab nations suffer severe poverty. The richest countries tend to be the most authoritarian. (Saudi Arabia and Iraq.) Surprisingly, the author found Iraq to be the most progressive, until recently. (Saddam, progressive?) However, nothing is made of some of the fascist regimes in power in many of the Middle Eastern countries. And there is no mention of the generous US aid heaped on many of these ungrateful countries. Generally, there is a sense that if there is to be peace in the Middle East, the United States is going to have to do the lions share of the work. But overall, I was left with a sense that the vast majority of Arabs are good and decent people just looking to make a life for themselves and their families. In spite of some of my comments, this book left me with a positive view of the Arab condition.
Rating:
Summary: FASCINATING & INFORMATIVE
Review: I came to this book hoping to receive insight into the mindset of those responsible for 9/11. In a way, it was billed that way to me. But the closest UNDERSTANDING ARABS comes to answering the question Why? is that many Arabs feel the US backing of Israeli boarders is in direct conflict with US reasoning behind going into Iraq in 1991 to enforce the boarders of Kuwait. According to UA, a 2001 poll of various Middle Eastern countries indicate 90% of residents feel the Palestinian issue is among their top three concerns. Unfortunately, this issue is not looked at in depth, no doubt because the author is not qualified to comment. According to the author, "Arabs will rarely admit to errors if doing so will cause them to lose face. To Arabs, honor is more important than facts." Additionally, "In arguing the Palestine issue...they (Arabs) often placed the greatest emphasis on the suffering of individuals rather than on points of law or recital of historical events." For someone who is trying to assist the lay person in understanding Arabs, this does not do much to portray Arabs as rational. Much of what I've mentioned was sprinkled in between Arab complaints that they are maligned and vilified in the media. By contrast Arabs do not like being judged by Westerners. However, whereas the US makes a big deal of separating church and state, Arabs, fundamentally believe the two cannot be separated, and the religion of choice is Islam. I found the section that describes the current socioeconomic conditions to be the most informative. Many of the Arab nations suffer severe poverty. The richest countries tend to be the most authoritarian. (Saudi Arabia and Iraq.) Surprisingly, the author found Iraq to be the most progressive, until recently. (Saddam, progressive?) However, nothing is made of some of the fascist regimes in power in many of the Middle Eastern countries. And there is no mention of the generous US aid heaped on many of these ungrateful countries. Generally, there is a sense that if there is to be peace in the Middle East, the United States is going to have to do the lions share of the work. But overall, I was left with a sense that the vast majority of Arabs are good and decent people just looking to make a life for themselves and their families. In spite of some of my comments, this book left me with a positive view of the Arab condition.
Rating: 
Summary: Arabs, but no Aliens
Review: I haven't read the book. I am Arab so i know my people well enough. My comment though, and from the description given above, is that the book seems to suggest Arabs need to be "Understood", and dealt with "efficiently", as if they are somekind of Aliens with which one needs to make a quantum cultural leap to figure them out. I don't see how this can improve the bad intentionned view of Arabs and their culture in the media.
Rating:
Summary: Understanding Arabs
Review: I recently spent 7 months living in the Gulf and am heading back again shortly. I found it very frustrating dealing wiht the cultural differences until a friend gave me this book to read. It was very helpful in understanding the traditions, customs, etc of the Arab world. I should not be taken as on offense as one reviewer (who hadn't even read the book did, but rather as a means to understanding each other. While I don't think of Arab people as "alien" we do come from two different worlds. Many of the Westren people I met while living in the Gulf had negative views towards the Arab people which I felt was largely due to ignorance. All people need to understand each other in order to live harmonously and this book is a helpful first step!
Rating:
Summary: A Word from the Author
Review: Interest has suddenly peaked, reviews are more numerous, and I want to say something about how the book is intended. It is a handbook, not a scholarly academic product, written to help people with personal interactions, and to explain differences and reasons for differences. I made every effort to have many Arabs and Muslims read it, checking for anything false or negative, and by this time, to my knowledge, everybody approves. I urge Arab readers not to assume that this is yet another negative evaluation of their society and culture. I speak Arabic, and collected information over the years from many people who do not speak English; I traveled and lived in the Arab World for over thirty years. The publisher gave the book its title; it does sound Orientalist, how "we" understand "the Arabs," but... I keep looking for anything in Arabic written by an Arab to help Arabs/Muslims/Mideasterners understand some of the behavior they observe in the West ("Understanding Americans/ Understanding Westerners"). I have never heard of anything like this, to date. There are so may misperceptions on both sides, we need anything we can find to explain, explain, explain. I welcome any comments about points which readers think need to be changed or modified, added or subtracted. My entire career has been devoted to writing Arabic-language materials, and directing Arabic-language classes, hoping to get as many Westerners as possible interested in the Arabic language and the Arab way of life. I hope there is nothing in the book that can be taken as gratuitous criticism or a value judgment as to whose way is better in any aspect. Having lived among Arabs my entire adult life, I do not think it impossible to have a genuine feeling for both Arabs and Westerners, how both groups think, live, what they care about, what they believe. We certainly need mutual understanding right now -- too many people are forming conclusions based on very wrong perceptions.
Rating:
Summary: A Word from the Author
Review: Interest has suddenly peaked, reviews are more numerous, and I want to say something about how the book is intended. It is a handbook, not a scholarly academic product, written to help people with personal interactions, and to explain differences and reasons for differences. I made every effort to have many Arabs and Muslims read it, checking for anything false or negative, and by this time, to my knowledge, everybody approves. I urge Arab readers not to assume that this is yet another negative evaluation of their society and culture. I speak Arabic, and collected information over the years from many people who do not speak English; I traveled and lived in the Arab World for over thirty years. The publisher gave the book its title; it does sound Orientalist, how "we" understand "the Arabs," but... I keep looking for anything in Arabic written by an Arab to help Arabs/Muslims/Mideasterners understand some of the behavior they observe in the West ("Understanding Americans/ Understanding Westerners"). I have never heard of anything like this, to date. There are so may misperceptions on both sides, we need anything we can find to explain, explain, explain. I welcome any comments about points which readers think need to be changed or modified, added or subtracted. My entire career has been devoted to writing Arabic-language materials, and directing Arabic-language classes, hoping to get as many Westerners as possible interested in the Arabic language and the Arab way of life. I hope there is nothing in the book that can be taken as gratuitous criticism or a value judgment as to whose way is better in any aspect. Having lived among Arabs my entire adult life, I do not think it impossible to have a genuine feeling for both Arabs and Westerners, how both groups think, live, what they care about, what they believe. We certainly need mutual understanding right now -- too many people are forming conclusions based on very wrong perceptions.
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