Instruct: Classify Amazon reviews into positive or negative sentiment
Query: A good introduction

Content Summary: Halm focuses on the following in this book: A) the separation of Shia from Sunni Islam at Karbala, B) the development of the Ashura ritual and Taziyeh passion play after that fact, and C) some of the historical, political and religious underpinnings for the radical Shia Revolution in Iran in 1979. Some large tracts of Khomeini's writings are included here.Analytical Review: Halm claims neither to attack nor defend Shia Islam, but to merely rely the facts, and one has confidence that he does just that. His style seems very objective and straightforward, and I would strongly recommend him as a dependable scholar of Shia Islamic thought.