Top 10 Titles

(click for larger photo)	Jerusalem: One City, Three Faiths
	by Karen Armstrong
All Sides of the Story by a Reader from Washington, DC, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 In books concerning hot conflicts like the Middle East, it is commonplace to cover only part of the story or to concentrate on one set of events more so than others. This is understandable of course since most people with adequate interest in a topic typically have made up their minds and favor one of the conflicting sides. Not so with this book. I read this book with a critical eye, begging to find any evidence that the author is partial to anyone, but in all of the 430 pages I could not find a single biased reference nor any significant omissions. By writing this wonderful comprehensive and well-researched history of Jerusalem, Karen Armstrong has done all of us concerned about the city a great favor. Throughout the 5000-year history of the city, this book describes in an unbiased tone the enormously interesting history of this hotly contested city. Many remarkable and little-known facts are can be found here. For example, I was surprised to learn that the history of Jerusalem extended for 2000 years before King David, its purported "founder". The book covers all the different eras of the city: the Canaanite, Egyptian, Israelite, Babylonian, Greek, Roman, Muslim, and Crusader eras. The last two chapters focus on the 20th century history of the city. Though the author was a former catholic nun, she displays no bias whatsoever towards Christianity. The book displays the history of the city equally from the points of view of all three religious groups that care about it: Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Thus the book dwells in detail about the extreme agony of the Jews for their loss of the city and their being forbidden to enter it during Byzantine Roman rule. The book also illustrates the relative tolerance of early Islam and how Jews for the first time were allowed to return to Jerusalem under Islamic rule and coexist in peace with Christians and Muslims. If the author displays a bias against anyone, it is against extremists from all religions who are today fanning the flames of conflict and threatening the peace of the city. The book is a definite page-turner, packed full of information, and well worth a read if you cared about understanding the "whys" and the "how comes" behind the daily headlines. If you liked this book, you'll like Karen Armstrong's other books, especially "A History of God" which, surprisingly, contains little repetition or overlap with this book, unlike many similarly prolific authors.

(click for larger photo)	I Saw Ramallah
	by Murid Barghuthi, Ahdaf Soueif, Ellen R. Shapiro, Edward W. Said
Very moving personal account of a complex conflict by a Reader from Washington, DC, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 Mourid Barghouti's vivid memoir was a pleasure to read. "I saw Ramallah" describes the Palestinian-Israeli conflict through the eyes of one of the millions of human beings and families directly affected by the conflict. We learn how the author was exiled because the 1967 war took place while he was studying abroad. We see how he was separated from his wife and kid by a second exile from Egypt due to his "Palestinianness". We get to cry with him when he hears of his brother's tragic death, also in exile. And we get a taste for his complicated feelings upon seeing his country for the first time in 25 years during the Oslo Peace process. This book truly shows that nothing is simple about the Middle East Conflict. It spares no authority from criticism - not the Palestinian Authority, not the Arab countries, and not Israel. At the same time, the book shows that in fact the Middle East conflict is simple: we are all humans at the base of it! Enjoyable reading, and very thought-provoking.

(click for larger photo)	Sacred Landscape: Buried History of the Holy Land Since 1948
	by Meron Benvenisti, Maxine Kaufman-Lacusta (Translator)
Magnificent account of a human tragedy by a Reader from Washington, DC, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 This book presents a highly interesting and somewhat personal account of one of the lesser-known tragedies of the last century. In "Sacred Landscape", Meron Benvenisti, the former deputy mayor of Jerusalem, recounts to us the story of the ethnic cleansing of Palestinians from the lands that became Israel in 1948. The tone of the book is at times remorseful, for example as Benvenisti recalls how his own father took part in the mapping of the Negev - an exercise of claiming ownership to the land by giving it a Hebrew name. As we learn in later chapters, this mostly symbolic act of renaming the map is just the beginning of an organized policy to expel Palestinian natives and destroy the evidence in order to prevent their return. The book is very well-written, clear, and easy to read, which are rare traits for such a well-researched scholarly book. Many little-known facts are revealed, such as the working of Jewish intelligence agencies at the time and the accumulation of "Village Dossiers" on every Arab village. The research relies much on primary sources and recently de-classified Israeli documents, and is impeccably thorough. At the same time, Benvenisti never shies from presenting a human perspective to these events, recounting his own personal encounters with Arabs prior to 1948. The book also covers the period after Israel came into being, illuminating the reader on many widespread topics: how the evacuated Palestinian property was managed; what agencies and by what laws were it expropriated; the fate of the religious sites and the legal battles for their restoration, etc. "Sacred Landscapes" is jam-packed with accurate information, information that is crucial for understanding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, and is therefore worth every penny. There is much in here to satisfy every kind of reader: the detective story, the human story, the historical account, and a study of political machinations. Whatever one's background is, one cannot read this book without sharing its author's regret about the things that were lost forever beneath that sacred landscape.

(click for larger photo)	Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid
	by Jimmy Carter

(click for larger photo)	Arabs & Israel for Beginners
	by Ron David, Susan David (Illustrator)
A true pleasure to read! Accurate and Informative by a Reader from Maryland, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 Thinking myself an "expert" on the Middle East, I hesitated buying this book for a long time, thinking it won't be of any use to me. When I got it, however, I couldn't let go of the book until I finished it from cover to cover - reading the entire thing in one night. Whereas most history books tend to be a drudge, the drawings and cartoons make this book so interesting and engrossing. The humor, which is typical for the "for beginners" series, also helps lighten up this rather heavy topic of blood and conflict. My main surprise with this book is that I actually learned a lot from it, and I am no beginner! It contains almost an encyclopedia of facts about the Arab-Israeli conflicts, and most are backed up by a well-selected bibliography for the curious reader who wishes to embark on his or her own research. Make no mistake. Some of the facts presented are hard to believe at first sight. They stand in stark contrast to the picture painted by the mainstream American media. However upon conducting my own research, I was able to verify most of the facts that shocked me. For example, the facts about the 1948 war can be verified from the scholarly studies by Benny Morris, "The Birth of the Palestinian Refugee Problem," and "1948 and After: Israel and the Palestinians". The information in "Arabs and Israel for Beginners" about the (1st) Palestinian Intifada can be corroborated in the classic Israeli treatment of it "Intifada: The Palestinian Uprising", by Don Peretz. Among the shocking facts this book reveals, for example, is the International treatment of Jewish refugees from Europe during the Holocaust, and how every port in the world, including New York City, was closed to their ships, forcing them to go unwillingly to Palestine. In a way then, the whole world participated in creating the Arab-Israeli conflict, but now, fortunately, the world has in this book a great resource from which to learn about this complicated issue. My only regret about this book is that it has not been brought up to date on the latest developments. As it stands, the book ends somewhere near the end of the Oslo Peace Process. The author's prediction on the last page that the peace process is doomed for failure cannot be closer to the truth. Makes an excellent gift for your friends and family. I bought two copies and ended up giving them both away. If you liked this book, you'll also enjoy reading "the UN for beginners", by Ian Williams.

(click for larger photo)	Palestine's Children: Returning to Haifa & Other Stories
	by Ghassan Kanafani, Barbara Harlow (Translator), Karen E. Riley (Translator)
Thought-provoking and influential masterpiece by a Reader from Washington, DC, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 "Returning to Haifa" is certainly one of the best works of the Palestinian literary master Ghassan Kanafani. This translation contains, in addition to the title novella, a selection of Kanafani's short stories relating to children - Palestinian children. Like all other Kanafani works, this book was a tremendous pleasure to read and at the same time intensely thought-provoking. "Returning to Haifa" is perhaps one of his hardest works to translate, thanks to his profligate use of imagery, but the translators do an excellent job rendering the original text into English. As in most of his works, Kanafani experiments frequently with different techniques for telling a story, techniques that were revolutionary during his time (1960s). I particularly enjoy the twists of plot at the end of each story, and how the very last sentence forces me to re-think and re-evaluate my entire understanding of that story. Seeped in the author's struggle for freedom and for a homeland, these stories reflect a deep understanding of human relationships and the human condition. Yet despite this depth (or perhaps because of it), the main characters tend to always be ordinary human beings - in this book, children from the villages and the refugee camps. A major feature of "Returning to Haifa" is the seamless melding of two narratives, as a Palestinian family expelled from Haifa in 1948 return for the first time to see their former home after the Israeli occupation of the West Bank in 1967. The story of the expulsion is juxtaposed seamlessly with the story of their second visit and encounter with the Israelis currently occupying it. But the main contribution of "Returning to Haifa" is its portrayal of those Israelis, whom he shows to be themselves refugees (from the Nazis), and its success in epitomizing their perspective and their logic. It is therefore often described as the first Arabic novel which genuinely portrayed the feelings and emotions on the Israeli side. The other short stories contained in this anthology are no less worthy of praise, each in its own right. Truly, one cannot truly understand what it means to be a Palestinian without reading "Palestine's Children" or any other of Kanafani's works. Recommend: "Men in the Sun and Other Palestinian Stories" and "All that's left to you", both by Kanafani

(click for larger photo)	Before Their Diaspora: A Photographic History of the Palestinians, 1876-1948
	by Walid Khalidi
Desolation is in the Eye of the Beholder by a Reader from Washington, DC, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 Zionist propaganda is typically based on the assumption that before the advent of the Zionist colonizers from Europe, Palestine was a desolate piece of land empty from but a few inhabitants. "Before Their Diaspora" presents a powerful collection of photographs from pre-1948 Palestine in order to dispel the Zionist claim. What we get as a result, however, is much more than a simple argument that "there were people in Palestine". We are transported to Palestine, and back in time, to nearly re-live the story of its inhabitants. We get to see these people's faces, join in on their weddings and celebrations, climb their trees with them to pick olives or oranges, and survey their blooming countryside and thriving cities. We get to see and feel a living nation of human beings, with roots and traditions as ancient as civilization itself. A useful feature of this book is a thorough timeline at the beginning of each chapter, so we can follow their story and see how the arrival of more and more Zionist immigrants and the resulting conflict affected their lives. The book also provides extensive maps and statistics indicating the proportions of land and population, by region at each point in the story. Thus this book is as useful for the researcher as it is fascinating for the average reader wanting to know about Palestinians. I highly recommend getting this book along with "All That Remains: The Palestinian Villages Occupied and Depopulated by Israel", by the same author, which uses meticulous research and hundreds of photographs to show us the sad conclusion the 1948 war brought upon the people we get to meet in this book.

(click for larger photo)	Gaza Strip
	by James Longley
Superb Documentary: shows it like it is by a Reader from Washington, DC, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 This is an outstanding documentary movie that shows what life is like for Palestinians in Gaza during the first few months of the second Intifada. James Longley, a young American filmmaker spent 3 1/2 months in the Gaza strip filming 75 hours of footage for this documentary, and the product reflects an accurate picture of what life is like under occupation. This film is remarkable on many counts. First, unlike many documentaries I have seen, there is no narration whatsoever during the whole length of the documentary. I was anticipating Longley would interject a few words here and there to explain the background, but instead, he allows the characters filmed to speak for themselves. Thus "Gaza Strip" looks less like a documentary, without sacrificing the clarity of the work. Another remarkable accomplishment is that Longley filmed and put together the entire feature without knowing a word of Arabic. For editing the 74 minute documentary, he had to rely on a written translation of the 75 hours of original footage. This is an enormous accomplishment, considering the superb quality of the final movie. It is interesting to note also that the music was created by Longley himself, and the artistic quality of some of the scenes also deserve mention. "Gaza Strip" captures many significant features of Gazan life under occupation: the beach being used as a highway when the Israeli army closes the main road; daily Israeli shooting sprees in Rafah; the damage to the buildings from gunfire; home demolitions; the disastrous economic effects, etc.. In one of the most moving scenes, Longley captures an Israeli missile attack on Gaza city, showing how it feels like from the streets. "Gaza Strip" also captures on tape the victims of a strange Israeli chemical attack. The central feature of the movie, however, is young child roaming the streets selling cakes to make a living, who is not shy of the camera and voluntarily acts as a tour guide of his world. James Longley should be commended for making this fine documentary which deserves the highest of awards. I recommend this to anyone wanting to know what really is happening. This is reporting at its best. Welcome to Gaza, fasten your seatbelts, and thank your God that bullets don't go through the TV screen. For a unique experience of the first day of the Intifada in Jerusalem, I recommend you also get Hazim Bitar's "Jerusalem's High Cost of Living". A similar travelogue from the first Intifada can be found in the unique comic documentary "Palestine" by Joe Sacco.

(click for larger photo)	Palestine
	by Joe Sacco
Very Good Art, Accurate, Inspired, Like TinTin by a Reader from Maryland, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 I totally enjoyed reading "Palestine". At first, I didn't know what to expect from a cartoon book like this. However Sacco brilliantly displays his mastery of the cartoon medium, using it to convey very complex ideas and make it understandable and tangible. His characters look so realistic they are almost ready to jump out of the page. I have one Palestinian friend and from what I know the characters and setting are very accurate representations of the people and landscape. The events that take place are also an accurate portrayal of the events in the early 1990s, towards the end of the first Palestinian uprising (or Intifada) against Israeli domination. One particularly memorable sketch is of that old man on p. 62 who describes how the Israelis destroyed his farm, kicked him out of his land, and uprooted his olive trees in order to make room for additional Jewish-only "settlements". "It was like watching my children being killed in front of my eyes" he says about the Olive trees, while in Sacco's sketch you can see the tear-ducts frozen in wrinkles on the man's face. I never appreciated the misery of Palestinians until I read this book. I enjoyed this book so much I absolutely HAD to get Sacco's other books. Notes From a Defeatist represents his earlier works and as thus his skills as a cartoonist are not as well developed as here. The works contained there are generally shorter, too, preventing him from fully developing a topic. Still, it is an interesting and exciting reading, the part on the first war with Iraq is just as applicable today as 12 years ago. The other major Sacco work "Safe Area Gorazde" is truly another masterpiece. I never thought I would ever be able to understand the complexities of the Bosnian conflict until I read Sacco's book which not only told me with words but showed me with pictures what had happened. The same is true with "Palestine", which takes perhaps a more important role now as the Palestinian-Israeli conflict is STILL going on. If you like to understand what is happening there, and like to read a good enjoyable book, get it. It is money and time well-spent.
What is it like being a Palestinian? Why should you care? by a Reader from Washington, DC, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 Starting with a typical attitude of "Who cares?" Sacco shows us how his visit to the West Bank and Gaza in the early 1990s transformed him completely. Palestinians have much against them in today's world, not least the stereotypes of "supporting terror" etc, etc that the Israeli propaganda machine heaps on them every day. These stereotypes create a formidable barrier between the Palestinian people and Americans. Americans do not feel like they should even pay attention to these "insignificant terrorists" - and that is precisely the goal of the propagandists in the first place: to silence the Palestinians and prevent their very humanity (let alone their message) from being recognized. Enter Joe Sacco! With master strokes of a cartoonist's pencil, he succeeds Single-handedly in shattering those barriers. For the first time in an American publication, you actually see Palestinians as people, you enter their households, you talk to them, you listen to their problems, and you think about it. Well, so what? If you always thought that the middle east problem is "too complicated" or "has been going on for too long" to be able to understand it, it is time to get out your credit card and buy this book now. In the most enjoyable cartoon style that makes it hard for you to let go of the book, you will see things like you've never witnessed them before. This is the raw human story, not the clinically sterilized CNN version of events, or the dry history book polemics. I guarantee that after reading Sacco's Palestine, something will click and you will finally understand what's been going on, more clearly than you ever have before. WARNING: Not for the faint of heart!

(click for larger photo)	The Question of Palestine
	by Edward W. Said

(click for larger photo)	After the Last Sky: Palestinian Lives
	by Edward Said and Jean Mohr
Visual Poetry by a Reader from Washington, DC, posted on Tuesday, Sep 30, 2003 Initially, I did not think that a book written in the mid-1980s would be a useful in the fast-changing topic of the Middle East. This was written before the Oslo peace process and before the first Palestinian Intifada, remember. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to find this gem in the library. Visual poetry is the best description I can think of - beautiful photos from the lens of the Swiss master Jean Mohr document Palestinian reality on every page. The photographic narrative is intertwined with a poetic elaboration by Edward Said (in my opinion the best I've seen of his writing). So much information is there, but also so much is left unsaid - for us readers to think about and visualize. Though some of the events in Middle East history may appear absurd, after reading this book it all starts to fit together and make sense. Even events taking place afterwards like the Intifada makes sense after understand the context the this book paints with such wonderful clarity. More books like this are desperately needed!

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