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Arab Mind: A Need for Understanding
Book by Laffin, John
192 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1975
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About the author
John Laffin
118 books6 followersJohn Laffin was a prolific author with nearly 130 books to his name. Many of his books concerned military history.
Laffin's parents both served in WWI, his father in the 20th Battalion and his mother as a nurse. In 1940, aged 24, having worked with Smith's Weekly and The Wagga Advertiser, he enlisted in the 2nd AIF. He trained as an infantryman and later completed an officer course before serving in New Guinea. While convalescing in Sydney in 1943 he met his wife Hazelle.
After the war Laffin worked for a number of newspapers and magazines, wrote short novels and began his own feature service and editing unit. With his family he left for England in 1956 where he resided for nearly 40 years. He wrote articles for Australian newspapers and taught English, history and geography in secondary colleges.
Laffin traveled extensively in Europe, especially the Western Front areas of WWI and in the Middle East. He returned to Australia in 1995 but Hazelle developed heart problems and died in early 1997. He is survived by his two daughters, Bronwen and Pirenne, and a son, Craig.
Laffin's parents both served in WWI, his father in the 20th Battalion and his mother as a nurse. In 1940, aged 24, having worked with Smith's Weekly and The Wagga Advertiser, he enlisted in the 2nd AIF. He trained as an infantryman and later completed an officer course before serving in New Guinea. While convalescing in Sydney in 1943 he met his wife Hazelle.
After the war Laffin worked for a number of newspapers and magazines, wrote short novels and began his own feature service and editing unit. With his family he left for England in 1956 where he resided for nearly 40 years. He wrote articles for Australian newspapers and taught English, history and geography in secondary colleges.
Laffin traveled extensively in Europe, especially the Western Front areas of WWI and in the Middle East. He returned to Australia in 1995 but Hazelle developed heart problems and died in early 1997. He is survived by his two daughters, Bronwen and Pirenne, and a son, Craig.
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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
December 28, 2025
this was a hot piece of garbage. i will be using this book to wipe my ass with.
for a moment i thought it was written in the 19th century, but it was written in the seventies. in the 1970s, the arab world was in fact much more liberal than it is now, with my own admission. but i am not surprised, the arab to these people is transhistorical, an idea more than an actual human society. disgusting! i refuse the excuse that this book is the product of its time. the essentialist point of view was racist in the 19th century as it is in any time period. not to mention unscientific and illogical.
also arabs aren't a monolith, you dumb idiot
for a moment i thought it was written in the 19th century, but it was written in the seventies. in the 1970s, the arab world was in fact much more liberal than it is now, with my own admission. but i am not surprised, the arab to these people is transhistorical, an idea more than an actual human society. disgusting! i refuse the excuse that this book is the product of its time. the essentialist point of view was racist in the 19th century as it is in any time period. not to mention unscientific and illogical.
also arabs aren't a monolith, you dumb idiot
November 12, 2021
To be honest I have never read a history/histroic book and found the author to be so mis-informed. Or in this case, not even enforced at all.
Of course westerners who might read this book and find it insightful will blame my discontent with the "Arab mind" that I posses, for me being both Muslim and Arab. But in reality only a few pages into the book I could tell that the author didn't even tire himself into looking for meaning or even history behind what he deems as archiving but is in fact an opinionated bias.
Expressing an opinion and saying "I think it was meant that way .." is gravely different than stating facts. The Muslim world and Arab society has alot or pros and cons mentioned in a thousand different book and places, mentioned by the arabs themselves, by the Muslims even but that is a fault in Humans. In people.
Interpreting Islam is different that interpretation human behavior. And the book - in my opinion - has been so far off the truth or even in studying an Arab mindset than any other book/webinar/video .. etc in the history.
I suggest to read more references and go back to different sourcing if you insist to go through the book. But trust worthy sources because this one sure isn't.
Of course westerners who might read this book and find it insightful will blame my discontent with the "Arab mind" that I posses, for me being both Muslim and Arab. But in reality only a few pages into the book I could tell that the author didn't even tire himself into looking for meaning or even history behind what he deems as archiving but is in fact an opinionated bias.
Expressing an opinion and saying "I think it was meant that way .." is gravely different than stating facts. The Muslim world and Arab society has alot or pros and cons mentioned in a thousand different book and places, mentioned by the arabs themselves, by the Muslims even but that is a fault in Humans. In people.
Interpreting Islam is different that interpretation human behavior. And the book - in my opinion - has been so far off the truth or even in studying an Arab mindset than any other book/webinar/video .. etc in the history.
I suggest to read more references and go back to different sourcing if you insist to go through the book. But trust worthy sources because this one sure isn't.
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews