In the Name of Identity: Violence and the Need to Belong - Tapa blanda

In this cogent and persuasive examination of identity in the modern world, Amin Maalouf moves across the world's history, faiths, and politics, outlining the way the notion of a singular identity—personal, religious, ethnic, or national—can give rise to heated passions and even massive crimes. Although written before the events of September 11, the essence of Maalouf's rumination couldn't be more relevant.

Amin Maalouf is an eminent novelist, whose books include The Rock of Tanios, which won the 1993 Goncourt Prize, France's most prestigious literary award. He was formerly director of the leading Beirut newspaper an-Nahar and editor of Jeune Afrique.