Muslims in the media

We thought it might be a good idea to note upcoming books/films/general media stuff that relates to Muslims on the site. Please note that by listing these items, we’re not necessarily endorsing them. This is simply an opportunity to have a central repository for “Muslims in the media” stuff.

I’ll try my best to scour the net/newsletters/etc for anything of interest. I’ve compiled a brief list of some books and movies (I know there’s probably a lot more).

We welcome reviews and recommendations from readers in the comments.

FILMS

Lucky Miles (currently in Australian cinemas)

From yourmovies.com.au: It’s 1990 and an Indonesian fishing boat abandons Iraqi and Cambodian refugees in a remote part of Western Australia. Whilst most are quickly caught by officials, three men with nothing in common but their misfortune and determination escape arrest and begin an epic journey into the heart of Australia. Pursued by an army reservist unit, our three heroes wander deeper in the desert, desperately searching for civilisation amongst the stones of the Pilbara.

Five Fingers (on DVD)

Starring Laurence Fishburne and Ryan Phillipe; you can read a less than stellar review here.

The Marine (on DVD)

WWE fans rejoice. I won’t insult your intelligence by posting the plot line. But I couldn’t resist including this one; the story begins in Iraq. Even action pap can be politically relevant.

BOOKS

My Life as a Traitor by Zahra Ghahramani and Robert Hillman

From the site: Zarah Ghahramani was born in Tehran in 1981, and in 2001, her life changed suddenly when she was arrested and charged with’ inciting crimes against the people of the Islamic Republic of Iran’. This tremendously powerful memoir of Zarah’s life in Iran, reveals the human face of the modern Middle East.

The View from the Valley of Hell by Mark Willacy

From the site: From 2002 to 2006, Mark Willacy was the ABC’s Middle East Correspondent, based in Jerusalem. His apartment sat perched over the Hinnon Valley, the Biblical Valley of Hell, a fact that seemed aptly symbolic given that his tour in the Middle East saw him observe first-hand some of the most dramatic and violent events of the 21st century – from the second Palestinian Intifada to the US invasion of Iraq and the vicious insurgency that followed.