The Muslim Next Door

While the book is highly informative and well-written, it seems to present an IDEAL of Islam, and perhaps that's because the author is a legal expert from America who is accustomed to defending her religion. She is, I think, insufficiently critical of the Islam that is actually practiced around the world, and spends almost no time at all talking about the conflict with Israel.

Still, it is a useful guide to the basic concepts and history of the religion, and it's very readable. It also makes some excellent points about the bigotry directed toward Muslims in America, especially after 9/11.