Book Reviews

Analyses of the Arab attitude towards history, their coming to terms with their own past and that of others, are no more a rarity. Nabih Amin Faris may be regarded as the doyen of such soul-searching intellectuals, closely followed by another professor from the American University of Beirut. Constantin Zurayq. It is to the credit of the traditionally Western orientated vanguard of Lebanon, mostly Christian, to have acted as pioneers in the exploits of Arab'resurgenoe. The emergence of a no less articulate and thoroughly trained intelligentsia in thecountries of the Maghreb (Tunis. Algeria. Morocco) deserves attention not only inasmuch as it complements what might otherwise be regarded as a somewhat one-sided minority venture, but also in its capacity as the voice of a community the experiences of which transcend those of the Arab Near and Middle East. In fact, one could argue that in certain ways the history, at least colonial history, and social fabric of the Maghreb shows more parallels to those of a number of states in Africa and Asia than to those of the Arab "heartlands".