REGION Area bookstores sell out of Koran

Most buyers are Christians wanting to learn about Islam, a store owner said.
By MARALINE KUBIK
VINDICATOR STAFF WRITER
YOUNGSTOWN -- Amid demands from Muslim extremists calling for a holy war, Christians and Jews are scrambling to figure out why. They are looking for answers in the Koran, the Islamic equivalent of the Bible.
As a result, translations of the Koran are flying off bookstore shelves along with a slew of other books about Islam, Afghanistan and Osama bin Laden.
Twice Loved Books, Boardman, is sold out of the Koran. "We sold our last copy this morning. All I have left is readings from the Koran," said owner Peggy McKissick.
The bookstore has sold at least 15 copies of the Koran since the terrorist attacks Sept. 11, "which is a lot more than we sold the week before," she said. "We're attempting to order more, but all of our distributors are out of them."
Popular subjects: Several books about the history and fundamentals of Islam are still available, she added, but many titles the store usually stocks are sold out.
Sales of books that contain photos of the World Trade Center have also surged, she added. "We sold out of everything with pictures of the World Trade Center within a week after the terrorist attacks."
Despite the increase in demand for these books, overall sales at the bookstore have slowed.
"Traffic is lighter. Regular customers are putting other things aside and buying these books or are just not buying," McKissick said.
At African & amp; Islamic Books Plus in Cleveland, which specializes in books about black history and Islam, sales have increased 20 percent to 30 percent, reported Sharif Khatib, co-owner.
Christian buyers: Most of the increase is the result of Christians buying books about Islam, Khatib said, "because they know nothing about Islam and since the tragedy, they want to know."
Almost all sales of the Koran are to non-Muslims, he said; Muslims already own copies of the Koran, so they aren't rushing out to buy them now.
Although most of Khatib's new customers come in looking for copies of the Koran, he said sales of all books related to Islam have increased -- prayer books, books on the teachings of the prophet and Arabic language books.
African & amp; Islamic Books Plus has several copies of the Koran available.
Dorian Books, on Youngstown's north side, still had three copies of the Koran a week ago, but they're gone now, said owner Jack Peterson. He was surprised to see the books gone from the shelf.
There hasn't been much demand for books on Islam or the Middle East from walk-in customers, Peterson explained. Most interest, he said, has come from overseas customers inquiring about books Dorian has for sale via the Internet.
"I just sold a book on Afghanistan to a guy in England," Peterson continued, "and a history of the Middle East to an English-speaking person in Finland."
Half of the bookstore's business is done via the Internet, he said, with customers inquiring about books on a wide range of topics. He hasn't noticed a big increase in the demand for books about Islam or the Middle East specifically but, he said, those books are selling.
Right after the terrorist attacks, Little Professor Book Center, Warren, experienced a slight increase in demand for nonfiction related to the Middle East and Islam, but that's beginning to wane, said Jeanette Mandel, a sales clerk in the store.
Customers wanted books about Osama bin Laden and Nostradamus, she said. Those books have sold out, she said. "We have more on order," she added, "but none are coming through." The distributors are sold out too.
kubik@vindy.com