In this monumental work, David Shipler, award-winning correspondent for The New York Times, examines the forces that contribute to the mutual aversion and hatred in Israel.
The correspondent for The New York Times in Jerusalem from 1979 to 1984, David K. Shipler brings a very American moral commitment to the problem of Arab-Jewish relations. The occupation of the West Bank was by then a static fact of life; many young Israelis and Palestinians had grown up knowing no other reality. The Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the massacres of Palestinians by Lebanese militiamen at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps, which were under Israeli control, had shaken the consciences of many American Jews. Many of the voices in this book are American, from idealistic young secular Jews working for Arab-Jewish cooperation to the more fanatical followers of Meir Kahane. This work, which won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, gives Shipler's narrative the power of a terrible family argument.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.5 / 5.0
Deep and insightful; needs to be updated.:
Vivid and personal descriptions of the prejudices, hatreds and mythologies that have become the modern middle-east conflict are richly interwoven with sociological survey data throughout this intriguing book. The author digs deeply into the recent history of this conflict, although he does not look so far back as to give what could be called an ancient historical perspective. Still, the writing is intense and telling, and his illumination of the psychology behind the conflict helps an outsider to understand... more info
Enemies immortalized:
This book is a description of life on the ground in Israel and Palestine for both Jews and Palestinians. Written by an American with years of experience in this part of the world, the book shows how individuals on both sides view the other, their leaders, and the greater world. Ironic and idiotic situations are portrayed of neighbors and co-workers adjusting to social norms and peer pressure, while trying to maintain relationships with individuals of the other race. The book shows how Israel and Jewish... more info
Good but not great.:
I think the Author put a good attempt at painting a vague picture of these two groups and why the problems exist today. However, well written, it does leave out many of the surrounding facts outside the region that influenced both sides of this debate and the entire history of the region. If one is interested in a more indepth reading from a "leftist" point of view one might read "Secret War Against the Jews" - John Loftus or another very well written and factually presented writing would be "From Time... more info
An interesting book:
This book has plenty of fascinating anecdotes about the Jews and Arabs in Israel. And it is illuminating. We see negative stereotypes that each have for the other. More than that, I think this book shows some of the reasons why there isn't peace. While some of the stereotypes are shown to be overstated, the reader will come away with a very negative picture of the people who live in the area. Some people appeared prepared to live, and some to let live, and a few weren't prepared to do either, but very... more info
