Includes index

Simplistic perceptions of the Islamic world quickly dissolve in 40 Days and 1001 Nights as globetrotting American dancer, author and filmmaker Tamalyn Dallal takes you on an unforgettable journey. Without an agenda or expectations, Ms. Dallal sets out to live in five Islamic cultures for 40 days each. She finds herself in the tsunami-ravaged city of Banda Aceh, Indonesia, then ventures deep into the Egyptian Sahara to the Siwa Oasis, where donkey carts are the main form of transport. She follows a beautiful song to the forgotten island of Zanzibar, where sun and surf crash against a tumultuous past. Next, she lands in Jordan, a peaceful kingdom and haven for refugees from strife-torn lands and finally spends 40 days in China's largest province, the predominantly Muslim Xinjiang Autonomous Region. Join the adventure, release your fears and gain a new perspective on a wide slice of our world that we hear so much and know so little about