Suspended Somewhere Between: A Book of Verse

(Paperback)

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A highly personal collection of poems from 'one of the leading authorities on contemporary Islam' (BBC). Spanning half a century of writing, Ahmed's poems give readers a front row seat to a world in turmoil. Can there be more drama than in Ahmed's first memories as a boy of four on a train through the killing fields of north India in 1947 Or the breakup of Pakistan into two countries in 1971 In the midst of change and uncertainty exists the optimism and faith of a young man with confidence in the future but an awareness of the problems it may hold.

Reviews

"Anyone wanting to understand Islam today must read Akbar Ahmed's collection. We are given rare glimpses into the dilemmas, pain, and despair but ultimately love and hope of Muslims through the verses of this true renaissance man."
--Greg Mortenson, author of Three Cups of Tea

"Akbar Ahmed is a national treasure. Allow him to lead you through his tumultuous, thrilling life in this gorgeous collection of poems, written across five decades and three continents--a life of loss, despair, child-like wonder, and love."
--Daniel Futterman, actor (A Mighty Heart, as Daniel Pearl, 2007) and Oscar-nominated screenwriter (Capote, 2005).

"Ambassador Akbar Ahmed is a brilliant and wise authority on Islam, and now we have the chance to see what a beautiful soul he has. In these poems, we see the mix of the personal, political, historical, and lyrical. This book is deeply inspiring."
--Walter Isaacson, president and CEO of the Aspen Institute, author, former chairman and CEO of CNN, and former editor of TIME magazine.

Author Bio

Akbar Ahmed is the Ibn Khaldun Chair of Islamic Studies at American University in Washington DC, the First Distinguished Chair of Middle East and Islamic Studies at the U.S. Naval Academy in Annapolis, and a Nonresident Senior Fellow at the Brookings Institution. He has taught at Princeton, Harvard, and Cambridge Universities and is considered the world's leading authority on contemporary Islam by the BBC. He is regularly interviewed by CNN, CBS, BBC, and Fox News and has appeared several times on the Oprah Winfrey Show, as well as the Daily Show with Jon Stewart and the O'Reilly Factor. He is the author of more than a dozen award-winning books, including Discovering Islam and Journey into America: The Challenge of Islam. He lives in Washington, DC.