The Arab Mind

Mutual misunderstanding between Arabs and Europeans despite courteous initial contacts is legendary. Too many Europeans are plagued by romanticised images ultimately based on fiction or a naive view of Arabs as Europeans in different dress, a description which vast numbers of Arabs would find insulting. For years I avoided this book because to me its title suggested a simplistic mass categorisation. I was wrong. Patai explains meticulously that although minds vary in any human group, the minds of two groups will display differences just as the minds of individuals do. These differences are based on early upbringing and other influences and Patai presents a great deal of information which helps Westerners to understand the Arab ways of doing things. He is quite clear that he is not alone in his observations and quotes many Arab scholars positively. I am aware that he has been criticised by more recent workers as is the normal course of things in Western intellectual life, but I would still regard this highly readable book as necessary reading for someone who has to work in the Arab world or wants to understand it better. At the same time I would caution against allowing book-knowledge, especially from a somewhat popular book like this, to support a kind of bigotry. An enquiring rather than a dogmatic approach, 'standing on the shoulders of others' will avoid injustice and provide better understanding than the book alone.

I've been living and working in the Arab world for approaching ten years. The Arab Mind encapsulates what I (and virtually all other non-Arabs) come to conclude following our experience of living here for extended periods of time. If you want to know what to expect of Arabs, The Arab Mind is indispensible. The Arab Mind may be deemed to be politically incorrect by the credulous and naive, but then its subject is politically incorrect.

The Arab Mind, initially published before the dominance of political correctness, does not pull its punches and is accordingly not a a particularly flattering portrait of the Arab people. (A Guardian review of 2014 finds the book 'offensive', but that's no more than you'd expect of a publication with such tender sensibilities.) While the author finds some qualities to praise, he is not slow to highlight the hyperbolic nature of Arab rhetoric, the tendency to blame failings on Israel and the West, a persistent tribal mentality, and a stagnation on all fronts which set in during the Middle Ages and was only addressed by some Arab thinkers in the twentieth century. Some have criticised the book for an undue concern with sexuality, though I think the accusation groundless. One of the book's sixteen chapters is concerned with the said topic, and there are other references here and there, which stops some way short of the preoccupation with Arab sexuality that has been alleged. The writing is lucid, accessible and unpretentious, which should attract many laymen readers, while remaining cogent in its arguments. As someone who has taught students from the Gulf States I find the observations of the Arab perception of time (and punctuality) and the preference for short spells of work followed by lengthy periods of inactivity, resonate with me!

For those of you who want to understand the way those brought up in Arabic-speaking countries think, and the differences between an Arabic Muslim and a non-Arabic Muslim, this book is an eye-opener. It's not an easy read, as it's very scholarly and somewhat intense, but stick with it and you will emerge a wiser person.

I discovered this book when I went to work in the Middle East and read borrowed copies. Though nothing replaces your own observation and experience, it gives some useful insights and helps a person to put themselves into the place of the people and appreciate a different mindset.

two points to bear in mind regarding the ''Arab mind''. Firstly , i don't reckon that it has been translated to arabic by any publisher . Secondly , the fact that none and i say none in the arab world has written any book whatsoever as a study case or as a response commentary to comment in this book is odd.Tentatively , i tend to agree to a certain degree that this book somehow had shed some lights on certain challenging issues in the arab world including the author's integrating knowledge of the many facets of the culture, such as the language, the arts and literature, and child-rearing practices, and then delineating the ways that these cultural variables influence personality development.However, i strongly believe aside from certain political case studies he had made in the proscript edition of this book., i believe that there are certain lapses or probably some mistakes and i am not quite sure that these were made on purpose and i will highlight some of them: A- that the arabs has learned to write history and study it from the west although in the terms of the arab history IBN KHALDOUN was one of the pioneers to write history and use historology technique. B- the author insinuated that all the arabs had the same ways of culture and thinking methodology therefore the arab mind is the same in every arab counntry even though he mentioned that education has prospered in the arab world but only after 1967 war despite the fat that Lebanon has estanlished universities and applied education culture long before 1967.

Great book! A must for those engaged with the Arabs. To understand their culture, the psyche and their reactions to events now happening in the Middle East.

Obwohl das Buch schon relativ alt ist, so sind doch viele Kapitel davon immer noch relevant und geben besonders mit ihren anschaulichen Bespielen und auch mit Literaturverweisen einen sehr interessanten Einblick! Besonders spannend, wenn die Inhalte mit Arabern diskutiert werden können.

A brilliant essay on the Arab way of life by someone who is both inside and outside. His interest for the Arab world is obvious but far from being paternalistic he expatiates on the shortcomings of Arab society. A pity it hasn't been translated into French and French people don't even know that there's such a book.

Excellent most interest book, but probably politicaly incorrect in today's climate and could be thought to be over inclusive but the author does refute this. Although first published in 1972, it is still relatavent today, if not more so. We need to understand th Arab mind in order to appreciate the difference between those raised in western societies and those raised in Arab societies in order to be aware of the significant and serious differences. This provides such a platform.

Eye opening on Arab development from childhood and customs and character and interactions within Arab and non Arab peoples. Recommended