2004-08-16 What is the point of this?

I had great expectations of this book as I so very greatly enjoyed the author's previous work, which was excellent.
Sadly this book had, for me, and YOU may disagree, all the attraction of a failed mini PhD thesis, beginning with chapter one, an entire list of quotations from other writers, many of THEM excellent, summed up by 9 lines of the author's own precis.
Things did not get better.
There appeared to be very little input from the author herslf, but rather editing/ collecting of quotes.)
On page 60 the author refers to the Prophet Mohammed Ali's (pbuh )son in law.The Prophet of Islam is Mohammed (pbuh) , and on page 120 the offensive statement that the Koran ( ie Qur'an )is the compilation of Mohammed's (pbuh) doctrines MUST surely offend all believers who know that it is the Word of God.
Knowledge of Islamic History is , or appears to be , second hand , as the author writes about (p131)the Sejucks, a Turkish speaking tribe.As an historian I believed they were Seljuks--but of course I am willing to be corrected.
On page 118 it is stated that the author conversed with one of the" Bawat Mazin of Ghawazee--bawat meaning daughters" etc. Gobbledegook! The word for daughters is Banaat and the title of the sisters is Banaat Maazin , Ghawazee dancers.We are then told that the author was told by Khayuah --etc.etc. HOW? These ladies do not speak English and if the author spoke Arabic why did she not correctly name the Group and the sister (Khayuah????who is she ???)to whom she spoke.I must ask myself "did the author gain a good going relationship with these ladies or did she just drop in with a rather disinterested interpreter?"
This book ends with a brief sketch of belly dance moves , but ,although good, this is better done in the author's previous book.

I WANTED to recommend this and did expect to be able to do so, however sadly my hopes were completely dashed.I give my own opinions, withiout prejudice, but with a long experience of dance, Islamic Religion , Tafsir, history,Philosophy ,etc .