Having read both of Manfred Wolf’s previous books of recent years, I’m a fan. While “Survival in Paradise” was deeply personal and at times, surprisingly emotional, this new book, more like his earlier “Almost a Foreign Country,” is shrewdly logical and (typically) deeply analytical. Wolf seems to always have a unique take on puzzling subjects.

I suppose my only issue with “Muslims in Europe” is his assertion that Islamic culture probably won’t drive the host counties’ cultures the way previous immigrations have done. Who would have predicted in the 17th Century, how much African culture would have driven American Culture — to the point that it’s almost impossible to separate the two — at least in the music and entertainment worlds. Moreover, how that infusion has driven the cultures of the world, especially the UK, through their emulation of the, now-hybrid, Afro-American Arts Culture.

If readers of this Blog don’t shy away from ideas that challenge previously held and cherished opinions, I heartily recommend this read. Available on Amazon.com

VMK