'A perfect and crazy concept - It's a rocking good read and something of a pocket guide to hell.' - Time Out; 'This is a significant travel book - it has clear purpose and is not just a ramble through America. As Ruthven himelf describes it, he set out to write "a kind of travel book: one that exposes the country's psyche as well as its social and physical landscapes." He is as good as his word.' - William Boyd; 'Ruthven is a civilised man, sharp-witted and clever, with an impressive mastery of American social and cultural history and he has written a brilliant account of his travels in search of our spiritual byways and backwaters.' - Los Angeles Times; 'Ruthven weaves accurate historical information with firsthand observations, interviews, and his own analysis. A readable book with some fresh insights. Recommended.' - Library Journal

Malise Ruthven is a writer and historian of the Islamic world. He has been a scriptwriter with the BBC Arabic and World Services and has taught Islamic Studies and Comparative Religion at the University of Aberdeen, the University of California and at Dartmouth. He is a frequent contributor to the New York Review of Books, among other publications, and is the author of several books, including Fury for God and Fundamentalism.