In "Racism Explained", novelist Tahar Ben Jelloun offered a powerful model for teaching difficult subjects to our children. In lucid and accessible prose, he now clarifies the main tenets of Islam, the major landmarks in Islamic history and the modern politics of Islamic fundamentalism. He also sheds light on the key words that have come to dominate coverage of the modern crisis - terrorist, crusade, jihad, fundamentalist, fatwa - offering balanced explanations for the general reader, young and old. The book is both and introduction to one of the great religions and a cry for tolerance in deeply troubled times.