Understanding Islam - easiest way to do that is to spend time living (not touring) in a muslim country.
Turkey, Egypt plus others I’m sure - step outside the city boundary and you are in a very rural area. This is were you want to live - not in the city - you will learn nothing.
To under stand the koran for yourself there is no need to read the host of books the author mentions. Just read the koran, sura by sura, referring to the Hadiths and Sunnahs which chronicle the life and sayings of Muhammad: these are Talibari, Muslim, Isaq and Bukhari; Hadiths are Mohammad’s word to his followers; the Sunnahs are the history of Muhammad’s life whose motto was “Kill, kill, kill.”
The author mentions Bukhari, but that is not enough - the others are required if you really want to understand. Know before you begin that the koran is in two parts which parts are not linear in the koran, but mixed. This is important because Muhammad specifically voided the 1st half (the part containing the single mention of the word ‘love.’
Some of these may be difficult to find, but pretending curiosity and visiting your local mosque where you might find a loaner copy.
I’m trying to remember which liberal pundit said this, but it was along the lines of the Koran is violent and scary, Mohammed’s life was violent and scary, and it is only the moderate Muslims in the West that give us hope.