Everybody is trying to take credit for the Arab Spring. From left wing liberals to neo-conservatives, from young Egyptian activists to indulgent military generals, from Twitter to Facebook, there’s a long list of people or organizations who point at the huge cultural shifts in the Middle East and try to stake a claim.

But here’s a question. What does God have to do with it?

Generation Freedom by Bruce Feiler asks this question and others. Feiler brings his years of experience in the Middle East with his open minded perspective to the conflicts, challenges, and opportunities of the region. This is not an in depth book of academic weight; it’s a snapshot of what was happening in the midst of the all the sweeping change.

In fact, that’s one of the weaknesses of the book. So much is changing so fast that the book is likely to be outdated soon. But that’s okay, because waht Feiler has put together is a compelling first look at history. It’s journalism as it should be, but in 176 pages of print instead of a magazine series that takes months to unfold. I like that about the book.

There are times when Feiler seems overly optimistic. But I can’t really fault the book for that, and what I see as his over optimism must be tempered by the reality that I’m not on the scene … and he was. Obviously I’m hopeful that the revolutions in Egypt and elsewhere bring great lasting change for the better. As is Feiler. He just seems a bit over the top about it all, whereas I am still withholding judgment to see how it all unfolds. But the bottom line is that he sees great potential, as do I.

So I liked this book. Insightful, great interviews, compelling, and high energy. It’s short and simple to read, which is appropriate given that tomorrow brings all new stories from the Middle East. Pick it up yourself — you won’t be disappointed.