books@cc.

by Marjen Satrapi (2001)

An autobiographical bande dessinée about a girl growing up in revolutionary & war-torn Iran and abroad in Vienna.

A Biography of the Prophet
by Karen Armstrong (1991)

A readable introductory account of Muhammad’s (frequently misunderstood) life and teachings with heavy regards on the common (mis)conceptions of Islam, particularly in regard to the Rushdie affair, the question of jihad, polygamy, and female role in Islamic societies.

by Mark Cousins (2004)

An accessible and engaging sweep of general film history

A Political History
by Hamid Reza Sadr (2006)

A comprehensive, highly readable history of Iranian cinema with its embedded and reflected social, political, cultural and economic contexts.

Joy, Sorrow, and the Feeling Brain
by Antonio Damasio (2003)

A very basic neuropsychology account with (Wiggish) references to and semi-biographical account of Spinoza.

by Robert O. Paxton (2004)

A rather disappointing newcomer in this notorious field but nevertheless helpful for its up-to-date bibliography and sources.

Kolonialisme, Budaya Cetak, dan Kesastraan Sunda Abad ke-19
by Mikihiro Moriyama (2003)

Originally published in English as A New Spirit: Sundanese Publishing and the Changing Configuration of Writing in Nineteenth Century West Java.

Aspek Sosial & Simbolik Teater Rakyat Indonesia
by James L. Peacock (1968)

Studies the (pre-’65 gestapu) historical, social and artistic importance of this “proletarian drama”, ludruk.

A Cultural History of Russia
by Orlando Figes (2002)

Thematically organized, the book encompasses the cultural history of Russia from around 17th to 20th century, with heavy emphasis on the earlier period, especially the 18th and 19th century. Central to all these themes are the questions of quintessential “Russian culture” and national identities.

How the secrests of the brain were uncovered in seventeenth-century England
by Carl Zimmer (2004)

An account of how people “first” became aware of the secrets of human brain in the seventeenth century, with particular focus on major players, i.e. Thomas Willis and his contemporaries such as Wren, Descartes, Harvey, Boyle, and Hooke.