Book Description
The history of America's political, military, and intellectual involvement in the Middle East from George Washington to George W. Bush.
From the first cannonballs fired by American warships at North African pirates to the conquest of Falluja by the Marines—from the early American explorers who probed the sources of the Nile to the diplomats who strove for Arab-Israeli peace—the United States has been dramatically involved in the Middle East. For well over two centuries, American statesmen, merchants, and missionaries, both men and women, have had a profound impact on the shaping of this crucial region. Yet their story has never been told until now. Drawing on thousands of government documents and personal letters, featuring original maps and over sixty photographs, this book reconstructs the diverse and remarkable ways in which Americans have interacted with this alluring yet often hostile land stretching from Morocco to Iran, from the Persian Gulf to the Bosporus. Covering over 230 years of history, Power, Faith, and Fantasy is an indispensable work for anyone interested in understanding the roots of America's Middle East involvement today. 68 illustrations; 4 maps.
Customer Reviews:
A Bumpy Magic Carpet Ride.......2007-09-29
Michael B. Oren makes history come to life in this saga that begins and ends with Dartmouth.
John Ledyard fled Dartmouth to escape a life in the ministry and circuitously sailed and debarked ships until Eurpoean connections landed him in Egypt, where he explored the Nile. Nathaniel Fick graduated from Dartmouth and became a Marine Corps Captain, where he also landed in Egypt as a stopover before being stationed in Kuwait and fighting in Iraq.
Covering the two centuries between, Oren leads us through a parade of U.S. Presidents, beginning with those faced with Barbary State piracy, imprisonment and ransom demands made on a spanking new nation with no navy. The transformation to a vital young power with its own "sea legs" is neither slick nor linear, with a few tragi-comic hiccoughs along the way.
Oren takes us through the stages of fascination with the exotic Middle East, brought to us with an admixture of horror from the likes of Herman Melville and Mark Twain; and Oren holds the mirror up to our eyes to behold tourists in parasols vandalising ruins for souvenirs, a parade of mutual shock and awe working both was between the visitors and the host natives.
We sit in on the plans of Christian restorationists, zealously dedicated to hastening the re-settlement of Jews in a Palestinian homeland of their own; and we are invited to explore the reactions of Palestines existing populations. Missionaries abound in a geographical setting were proselytizing might cost one his head. We also meet the likes of Samuel Marinus Zwemer and Hannibal Hamlin, who prefer reaching out to young Middle Eastern minds rather than capturing their souls, with marvelous, lasting effects and long-term economic benefits to the United States.
Oren weaves a tapestry of the real and the imgined, and the enhanced: Lawrence of Arabia, "A Thousand and One Arabian Nights," Little Egypt, "Innocents Abroad," and Sol Bloom's Cairo recreation at the Chicago Columbian Exposition of 1893.
Oren gives us a slide show, a side show and living history, ever taking care to counterbalance each perceptable bias with a counterweight, exploring both [all] sides of this sometime blinding prism.
The book is a must for one who wants a sound, vibrant social history of human relations in the Middle East, replete with promising and failed strategies. For those deeply academic history purists who like their history "straight," that's fine - this gives you some mahogany, a place to rest your glass.
I loved this book.......2007-09-25
I loved this book. There was so much to learn.
One thing is clear.... the Muslims can never be trusted, should never be trusted.
The disaster that is our Arabist State Department is testiment to what happens when money is put before what is right.
Understanding the depth and length of American Mideast involvement.......2007-09-09
The first remarkable thing about this very remarkable book is that it traces an over two- hundred year involvement of the U.S. with the Middle East which most people, including myself, did not really know very much about. It shows that in the early days of the U.S. it was involved in dealing with a threat of blackmail and terror from the Barbary Pirates, not unlike those faced today. President Jefferson quite heroically at that time refused to give in to the blackmail, and pay protection money to the pirates as he saw there would be no end to it. Instead he took the action to create a U.S. Naval Force which would operate far from home, and which eventually did lift this threat to America's trade and commerce.
Oren looks at the power relations between the U.S. and the Middle East, but also looks at the part 'faith' has played. Here he reveals just how long the American involvement in working toward a Jewish restoration in the Holy Land was. It preceded that of the modern Zionist movement. He also shows how Faith led to American involvement in other areas of the Middle East, for instance in building the American Universities in Beirut and Egypt. One irony of this story is that the generation of founding Zionist Christians often had descendants who would become opponents of the cause of Jewish restoration.
Oren also looks at the role of Myth, the often romanticized and unrealistic way in which Americans have seen the Middle East.
He is a wonderful storyteller, and a very judicious and careful scholar. While he certainly reveals sympathy to the role of the Americans in helping establish a Jewish state, he by no means paints the relations as uniform and simple. He indicates numerous instances where American leaders have worked against the policies Israel considered to be in its best interest. He tells in a fascinating way of how President Truman against the advice of all his most powerful advisors, made the decision to support the founding of the Jewish state.
Oren provides a tremendous amount of interesting information which will be new to most readers. His account of the Melville and Twain visits to the Holy Land are a prime example of this.
This is a wonderful, highly readable and informative book which should be in the library of everyone who wishes to understand the role of America in the Middle East.
A Very Good Read.......2007-09-05
I bought this book expecting an insightful book, and the content filled my expectations. The author does a sufficient job in providing information without being dry and most importantly, with little detectable bias. With a topic like this, it would be prudent to be a little reserved regardless of the authors background but there was no propaganda involved. Overall it is a good read, smooth flow, continuity and can make you feel a little more knowledgeable apart from what you hear on the news every day.
Nothing New Under the Desert Sun.......2007-08-28
Bewitched, bothered and bewildered because most Muslims in the Middle East seem to hate Americans? Take comfort from the fact that most of them have hated most of us for at least the two hundred years we have sought to engage them. We have preached, pleaded, prodded, provoked and punished, and nothing has worked for any length of time. As this and many other works on relations between Muslims and the "Infidels" have demonstrated beyond doubt, we persist in believing not only that we can convert them to our religious views, but that there is a good chance that we can all "get along", you know, "live and let live".
The main reason is our refusal to acknowledge that Islam is as much a political as a religious regimen. Politcally and religiously, it has always provided for the accommodation of Christians and Jews: they must pay a tax for living in a Muslim hegemony and acknowledge its supremacy. What could be simpler?
Further, "democracy" is as foreign to the Middle Eastern Muslim mind as the concept of religious tolerance. It is no accident that in the Middle East the only democracy worthy of the name is that of Israel nor that the price Israel and the rest of the world have paid for the novelty is the seemingly perpetual unrest that literally surrounds the country.
The principal value of this wonderfully well-written book is to demonstrate and explain America's long history of involvement in the Middle East which dates back a lot longer than most, even well-informed, readers will have guessed. Its principal-if implicit-message is that there's much of that history yet to be written and, by extension, that out inevitable further exertions are not likely to be any more consistent or consistently fruitful than have our previous endeavors. While some readers (including me) might weary a bit of the extended discussion of our early, mostly military and missionary, involvement, dating back to the turn of the 19th Century, it proves central not only to Oren's wide-screen view of that involvement over the intevening period, but also crucial to his examination of our motives and missteps. The aptness of the title, "Power, Faith, and Fantasy", may be demonstrated in our current situation in Iraq: we had the power to oust Saddam and his army in short order; the Administration's faith in the rightness of our cause was sincere and well-intended; and the chimera of a democratic government in Iraq serving to light and lead the benighted Middle East will turn out to be pure fantasy. I would venture that neither we nor our children will live to see a peaceful Middle East at harmony with the world. But this book makes a very valuable contribution to understanding why that is true. Fell better now?
Book Description
With over one million novels in print, New York Times best-selling author Joel C. Rosenberg has been called "eerily prophetic" and a "modern Nostradamus" for his uncanny ability to write political thrillers that come true. In his first nonfiction book, this evangelical Christian from an Orthodox Jewish heritage takes readers on an unforgettable journey through prophecy and current events into the future of Iraq after Saddam, Russia after Communism, Israel after Arafat, and Christianity after radical Islam. You won't want to miss Joel's exclusive interviews with Israeli, Palestinian, and Russian leaders, and previously classified CIA and White House documents. Similar to the approach Joel takes in his novels, his desire is to draw readers into stories, anecdotes, and predictions in a way that builds confidence that allows Joel to share his faith in Jesus Christ and the reliability of Scripture as a guide to understanding the past and the future. Drawing on his experience in Washington, his own exclusive interviews with world leaders, and his astute political acumen, Joel makes sense of the events surrounding the Middle East. He connects information in a way that will make you understand and really care about the world's most important events and how they impact your life--from gas prices to your bank account.Epicenter is about: Change--big changes, dramatic changes, changes that will transform the world as we know it. Answers--what the changes are underway in the world's most important countries. Insight--readers will understand the trajectory of world events by being taken inside the governments of Iran, Iraq, Russia, China, and more. Accessibility--aimed for a wide audience in both the general and Christian markets. Faith--Joel shares his faith in Jesus Christ and the reliability of Scripture. Epicenter will answer questions like: Will Iraq go from bad to worse? Will Israel and her Arab neighbors find peace, or is another major Middle East war just around the corner? If the new, post-Soviet Russia is our friend, why is the Kremlin creating a new class of thermonuclear weapons and building an alliance with radical Islam?
Customer Reviews:
Epicenter.......2007-10-18
Terrific book based on scriptures but a little scary in it's revelations. I would highly recommend this book.
What the future holds!.......2007-10-17
This is a very infromative book and spot on about future events. The headlines daily prove the accuracy of this book.
Epicenter.......2007-10-17
For those who are willing to use the third len to view world events, this book is a must read. Joel Rosenberg has done a good job correlating the world events with Biblical prophecies. Those who have ears must listen.
Epicenter.......2007-10-17
A must read for anyone who wants to view future events relative to Bible Prophesy. I was especially moved to look into the mind of a Messianic Jew. The author is right on!
Epicenter.......2007-10-17
Interesting information - don't know how much is true. A lot of chest thumping by the author. The evangelical ending kind of turned me off. If I'm going to find Jesus, it will not be through reading a novel. I think that Mr. Rosenberg has some intertesting takes on some recent world event - all probably driven by some really unbelievable coincidences and turns of history. Broader picture?, I think he's on to something. Whether God comes and reaks havoc as decribed in the Bible is anyone's guess. Overall, not a bad read - but then you put the book away and go on to something else.
Amazon.com
The crowning achievement of Jimmy Carter's presidency was the Camp David Accords between Israel and Egypt, and he has continued his public and private diplomacy ever since, winning the Nobel Peace Prize in 2002 for his decades of work for peace, human rights, and international development. He has been a tireless author since then as well, writing bestselling books on his childhood, his faith, and American history and politics, but in Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid, he has returned to the Middle East and to the question of Israel's peace with its neighbors--in particular, how Israeli sovereignty and security can coexist permanently and peacefully with Palestinian nationhood.
It's a rare honor to ask questions of a former president, and we are grateful that President Carter was able to take the time in between his work with his wife, Rosalynn, for the Carter Center and Habitat for Humanity and his many writing projects to speak with us about his hopes for the region and his thoughts on the book.
A big thank you to President Carter for granting our request for an interview.
An Interview with President Jimmy Carter
Q: What has been the importance of your own faith in your continued interest in peace in the Middle East?
A: As a Christian, I worship the Prince of Peace. One of my preeminent commitments has been to bring peace to the people who live in the Holy Land. I made my best efforts as president and still have this as a high priority.
Q: A common theme in your years of Middle East diplomacy has been that leaders on both sides have often been more open to discussion and change in private than in public. Do you think that's still the case?
A: Yes. This is why private and intense negotiations can be successful. More accurately, however, my premise has been that the general public (Jewish, Christian, and Muslim) are more eager for peace than their political leaders. For instance, a recent poll done by the Hebrew University in Jerusalem showed that 58% of Israelis and 81% of the Palestinians favor a comprehensive settlement similar to the Roadmap for Peace or the Saudi proposal adopted by all 23 Arab nations and recently promoted by Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice. Tragically, there have been no substantive peace talks during the past six years.
Q: How have the war in Iraq and the increased strength of Iran (and the declarations of their leaders against Israel) changed the conditions of the Israel-Palestine question?
A: Other existing or threatened conflicts in the region greatly increase the importance of Israel's having peace agreements with its neighbors, to minimize overall Arab animosity toward both Israel and the United States and reduce the threat of a broader conflict.
Q: Your use of the term "apartheid" has been a lightning rod in the response to your book. Could you explain your choice? Were you surprised by the reaction?
A: The book is about Palestine, the occupied territories, and not about Israel. Forced segregation in the West Bank and terrible oppression of the Palestinians create a situation accurately described by the word. I made it plain in the text that this abuse is not based on racism, but on the desire of a minority of Israelis to confiscate and colonize Palestinian land. This violates the basic humanitarian premises on which the nation of Israel was founded. My surprise is that most critics of the book have ignored the facts about Palestinian persecution and its proposals for future peace and resorted to personal attacks on the author. No one could visit the occupied territories and deny that the book is accurate.
Q: You write in the book that "the peace process does not have a life of its own; it is not self-sustaining." What would you recommend that the next American president do to revive it?
A: I would not want to wait two more years. It is encouraging that President George W. Bush has announced that peace in the Holy Land will be a high priority for his administration during the next two years. On her January trip to the region, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has called for early U.S.-Israeli-Palestinian peace talks. She has recommended the 2002 offer of the Arab nations as a foundation for peace: full recognition of Israel based on a return to its internationally recognized borders. This offer is compatible with official U.S. Government policy, previous agreements approved by Israeli governments in 1978 and 1993, and with the International Quartet's "roadmap for peace." My book proposes that, through negotiated land swaps, this "green line" border be modified to permit a substantial number of Israelis settlers to remain in Palestine. With strong U.S. pressure, backed by the U.N., Russia, and the European Community, Israelis and Palestinians would have to come to the negotiating table.
1/18/2007
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From Publishers Weekly
The term "good-faith" is almost inappropriate when applied to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, a bloody struggle interrupted every so often by negotiations that turn out to be anything but honest. Nonetheless, thirty years after his first trip to the Mideast, former President Jimmy Carter still has hope for a peaceful, comprehensive solution to the region's troubles, delivering this informed and readable chronicle as an offering to the cause. An engineer of the 1978 Camp David Accords and 2002 recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize, Carter would seem to be a perfect emissary in the Middle East, an impartial and uniting diplomatic force in a fractured land. Not entirely so. Throughout his work, Carter assigns ultimate blame to Israel, arguing that the country's leadership has routinely undermined the peace process through its obstinate, aggressive and illegal occupation of territories seized in 1967. He's decidedly less critical of Arab leaders, accepting their concern for the Palestinian cause at face value, and including their anti-Israel rhetoric as a matter of course, without much in the way of counter-argument. Carter's book provides a fine overview for those unfamiliar with the history of the conflict and lays out an internationally accepted blueprint for peace.
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Book Description
Following his #1 New York Times bestseller, Our Endangered Values, the former president, winner of the Nobel Peace Prize, offers an assessment of what must be done to bring permanent peace to Israel with dignity and justice to Palestine.
President Carter, who was able to negotiate peace between Israel and Egypt, has remained deeply involved in Middle East affairs since leaving the White House. He has stayed in touch with the major players from all sides in the conflict and has made numerous trips to the Holy Land, most recently as an observer in the Palestinian elections of 2005 and 2006.
In this book President Carter shares his intimate knowledge of the history of the Middle East and his personal experiences with the principal actors, and he addresses sensitive political issues many American officials avoid. Pulling no punches, Carter prescribes steps that must be taken for the two states to share the Holy Land without a system of apartheid or the constant fear of terrorism.
The general parameters of a long-term, two-state agreement are well known, the president writes. There will be no substantive and permanent peace for any peoples in this troubled region as long as Israel is violating key U.N. resolutions, official American policy, and the international "road map" for peace by occupying Arab lands and oppressing the Palestinians. Except for mutually agreeable negotiated modifications, Israel's official pre-1967 borders must be honored. As were all previous administrations since the founding of Israel, U.S. government leaders must be in the forefront of achieving this long-delayed goal of a just agreement that both sides can honor.
Palestine Peace Not Apartheid is a challenging, provocative, and courageous book.
Customer Reviews:
An insistent man of peace.......2007-10-22
Dialog is important, but how dialog is carried on is also. President Carter was right to turn down lawyer Alan Dershowitz's challenge to battle over this book. His is the simple, clear, unblinking style of a spiritual leader, not a crusader. All classes and viewpoints can learn from "Palestine Peace not Apartheid," but we must be willing to listen from the heart.
Jimmy, President Carter, has proven by his life that he is dedicated not to "winning" but to building bridges. He is not primarily trying to place blame in this book. It is both the story of his own journey to build bridges and a quick easy-to-read review of the history and of where we are now. I couldn't believe how short UN resolutions 242 and 338 are! Carter makes knowing the basics of a complicated history easy. He cuts to the chase.
Carter has dedicated his life to being a man of peace. He is fair and balanced. I believe the reason he may appear otherwise is because some people place too high a value on fear. Fear of what might happen in the future easily justifies all evil behavior in the present. And also, Carter is a threat to power. He is brave enough to speak truth to power: not piles of truth to humiliate and destroy, but just enough truth to push insistently toward the goal.
Though he may not understand every nuance that "pleases" either side (I found it ironic that he didn't know how to say "I'm sorry" in Arabic after all those years), the bottomline? Carter's an honest broker. Those who harden themselves against him are suicidal.
Still presenting himself as a humble peanut farmer and simple Christian, nevertheless Jimmy demands that the highest powers listen. Will they? Or will they only defend, attack, and dismiss?
The vast majority of Americans and people around the world feel and experience what is going on in occupied Palestine as unjust, at the least inflexible, and lacking in the will for peace. The onus--without Carter having to say it--just by telling the story, does fall more heavily on Israel. It is their occupation. They are in control of the destiny of the people they have conquered.
Ultimately, regardless of all the justifying arguments against President Carter even broaching an "impolite" topic, his story, without drama, leaves us with the facts on the ground in Palestine. My thoughts: Probably no one anywhere in the world would want to trade places with a Palestinian living in Palestine. Who would tolerate such a humiliating hellish existence for so many decades? Why would Israel want to continue such a soul-destroying occupation?
Why don't the Palestinians just disappear? Deep down inside we all are ultimately glad they will not be chased out, will not be walled over, will not be bulldozed away. If they gave up when they were wronged this would say something about the human spirit. It would say some people don't count, not really. People without money, and lawyers, and armies, and degrees, and books documenting their every experience...they just are not as important. The survival of the fittest is not an adequate answer for the human spirit.
What is the worst thing that could happen if the status quo passivity about power were challenged? What if we imagined, believed, and worked to make sure Israel and Palestine live side by side as equals? Imagining the worst case scenarios as we did with Iraq seems to make the worst things come true. So let's try the opposite instead?
The occupation of Palestine is like South Africa was under apartheid. "Apartheid" is a word of hope! The world protested and boycotted, and said "We will not tolerate this anymore!" and the unimaginable happened. And now everyone in South Africa is glad we did, of course with a little help from them. The place is no longer a powder keg. Yes, this can happen. Perhaps in a different way, but it probably won't happen if we just leave things alone.
Guilt and Courage.......2007-10-21
It is a courageous act to call it like is, but Mr. Carter should've also admitted guilt by stating that he was instrumental in brutal treatment of Palestinians.
A honest appraisal after years of intimidation.......2007-10-21
Having lived and worked in the Middle East, and having witnessed first hand the misinformation about events, I was plesantly surprised to read a book that was factual and openly placed the blame for the intransigence for peace squarely where it belongs.
Mr. Carter has become an authority on the subject and has no reason to fabricate anything since he has achieved all the fame and accolades he could ever want. He is thus in a unique position to tell it like it. Intimidation on this subject is still strong and therefore Mr. Carter is to be lauded for this informative book.
In my opinion it is a must read for anyone who wants to know why we have been in a stagmire for decades and what it will take to get out of it.
Palestine Peace Not Apartheid.......2007-10-19
This book provided me with new information that I did not know before. It certainly opened my eyes and provided what I consider a more objective look at the situation in Israel.
Disappointed.......2007-10-17
Jimmy Carter is a great humanitarian, Christian and scholar, but I was so disappointed in several of his statements in this book. I am a liberal Christian like Carter, but one who knows that what is going on between Palestine and Israel is not in the least like Apartheid in South Africa. I can only continue to pray that at some point Palestine's leaders will begin to truly negotiate for peace. Palestinian extremists are doing their own people a grave disservice.
Average customer rating:
- A droll and boring generic spy novel
- Truth
- his best ever
- Body of Lies
- A New Generation of Middle Eastern Spy Novels
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Body of Lies: A Novel
David Ignatius
Manufacturer: W. W. Norton
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ASIN: 0393065030 |
Book Description
A tale of counterterrorism from an author who "ranks with Graham Greene in his knowledge of espionage and the human heart" (Publishers Weekly).
Roger Ferris is one of the CIA's soldiers in the war on terrorism. He has come out of Iraq with a shattered leg and an intense mission—to penetrate the network of a master terrorist known only as "Suleiman." Ferris's plan for getting inside Suleiman's tent is inspired by a masterpiece of British intelligence during World War II: He prepares a body of lies, literally the corpse of an imaginary CIA officer who appears to have accomplished the impossible by recruiting an agent within the enemy's ranks.
This scheme binds friend and foe in a web of extraordinary subtlety and complexity, and when it begins to unravel, Ferris finds himself flying blind into a hurricane. His only hope is the urbane head of Jordan's intelligence service—a man who might be an Arab version of John le Carré's celebrated spy, George Smiley. But can Ferris trust him?
Customer Reviews:
A droll and boring generic spy novel.......2007-10-13
This book started out with promise, but lacked good character development and the plot was just a bad copy of other spy thriller novels, trying to meld modern Iraq/Al Qaeda themes on top in a poor and boorish manner. The author does not have the Middle Eastern subject matter knowledge to make this work and be at all believable or informative.
This novel really reads like it was written by a college student, and not a professional journalist. The main character's relationship between his girlfriend and wife, which should raise security flags for anyone with a real clue in regards to intelligence, is just terribly written. Like most of this books content, it lacks any dynamism or style, that one comes to expect from the Patterson's and Ludlum's.
The storyline has a good overview, but again the writing suffers from a complete lack of comprehension about the real world dynamics of the Middle East, and is simple to the point of silliness, as well as fairly unbelievable.
The pace of the story is also slow and plodding.
I definitely do not recommend this novel, as it really misses the mark all the way around. Look elsewhere for an entertaining or informative read. This one isn't it.
Truth.......2007-10-04
The author feels that unvarnished truth can be found only in fiction. If so, our best are not bright enough. The twist at the end, the involvement of a particular character could, or should have been, seen a mile away. Why are so many heroes so easily seduced?
his best ever.......2007-09-15
David Ignatius has written some great books but this is clearly his best. It is so up to date, taking you right in the center of the war on terror. I couldn't put it down. Though the book just came out this year, I was surprised to recently discover that they are already filming a movie of it, with Russell Crowe, up in Baltimore.
Body of Lies.......2007-09-02
This truly an excellent read. The amount of details of the CIA and the relations with the Jordanian
authorities is very interesting and well done. He writes very well and is skillful with language.
The prose is pithy and moves along well. The ending is a bit stretched not in
length but in reasonable outcome. All in all a wonderful piece of work.
A New Generation of Middle Eastern Spy Novels.......2007-08-30
I devoured Eric Ambler's middle eastern spy novels and have longed for a writer who captures the subleties of a region Americans understand very little. Ignatius uses his experience in the literal and metaphorical hot spots to illumine the values that underlie tradecraft. The CIA may think its personnel understands the region but, as in real life, the book demonstrates how much we need to learn. It's been noted that Ignatius is not as comfortable with describing and integrating personal relationships as he is with the plot twists and ambience. This may distract the reader a bit, but is easily overcome as the story climaxes. It's a satisfying read.
Book Description
A prominent Palestinian's searching, anguished, deeply affecting autobiography, in which his life story comes to be the story of the recent history of his country.
Sari Nusseibeh’s autobiography is a remarkable book—one in which his dramatic life story and that of his embattled country converge in a work of great passion, depth, and emotional power.
Nusseibeh was raised to represent his country. His family’s roots in Palestine traced back to the Middle Ages, and his father was the governor of Jerusalem. Educated at Oxford, he was trained to build upon his father’s support for coexistence and a negotiated solution to the problems of the region.
But the wars of 1967 and 1973 spelled the beginning of the end for the vision of a unified Palestine—and Nusseibeh’s response to these events, and to those that followed, gives us the recent history from a Palestinian point of view as no book has done. From his time teaching side by side with Israelis at Hebrew University through his appointment by Yassir Arafat to administer Arab Jerusalem, he holds fast to a two-state solution, even as the powers around him insist that it is impossible. As Palestine is torn apart by settlements and barricades, corruption and violence, Nusseibeh remains true to the ideals of his youth, determined to keep hold of some faint hope for the life of his country.
Once Upon a Country is a book with the scope and vitality of an old-fashioned novel—one whose ending is still uncertain.
Customer Reviews:
A moderate Palestinian's story.......2007-08-23
If you want to understand the immense gulf between Israel and Palestine even among moderates, read this book.
Once Upon a Peace Maker!.......2007-08-08
This is a truly important book for anyone wishing to understand fully the Arab / Palestinian - Israeli conflict. It sheds tremendous light on very important events, thus far not fully presented from the Palestinian side, especially that of the non rejectionist Palestinian camp. Sari Nusseibeh is a truly visionary man with tremendous courage and is a highly gifted activist and indeed very clever politician despite his own denials.
I have thoroughly enjoyed, and was often moved by, the first half of the book which dealt with the history of Nusseibeh's family and contained his even handed description of the events leading to 1948 and all the way through the 1967 war and his subsequent return to live in Palestine with his British wife. Nusseibeh's portrayal of the lives of the Palestinians between the wars of 1948 and 1967 was very helpful.
In the second half of the book Nusseibeh hammers in, over and over again, on the tacit unspoken alliance of the extremists on both sides and shows how Israel supported the creation of Hamas as a counter weight to the Fateh and PLO. He coherently and very persuasively presents the thought process that he went through to move from the one state solution to the two state solution and demonstrates very effectively the threats that prolonging the conflict would cause to it.
Nusseibeh was often right at the center of things or at least presents himself as such; we see him as a leading figure in standing up to the Israelis and to the Islamists, we see him as the key engine behind the first intefada, or uprising, and we see him winning the respect and approval of Yasir Arafat. In this, second, half, this book moves from being a truly exceptional account of the personal and family history more into an aggrandizing politician's memoir. This should not reduce nor detract from the tremendous personal sacrifice and commitment Nusseibeh made to his cause.
I have heard of the peace work of Dr. Nusseibeh and read some of his articles and interview for some years and while I admire him more than any other Palestinian public figure, this book troubled me in a number of ways. Unlike the other three Palestinian memoirs, originally written in English, that I have read (Gada Karami, Fay Kenfani & Edward Said) Nusseibeh sought to justify every action he has ever taken, to defend his various historic positions and to settle the scores with those of differing views. Most unlike the other three biographies, the book contained virtually no retrospective sole searching whatsoever and important topics such as his obvious passion and skill for politics vs. his academic eccentric persona were packaged for the purpose rather than thought through. Nusseibeh repeatedly simply presented himself as the reluctant professor, yet left us wondering about his very savvy organizational, political and survival skills. He seemed to know exactly how to deal with wily old Arafat, Hamas, the Israeli intelligence and the various factions of the PLO yet retain the freedom to advance his own agenda as well as build important relationships with Israelis.
The tremendous heights, in which, Nusseibeh holds his father, a former Governor of Jerusalem, ambassador and member of cabinet gives the feeling of an immature biography lacking in the distance to be objective. Indeed the first half of the book contains rework of the some of the father's own unpublished memoirs. Obvious points such as the father's commitment to an idealistic form of pan Arabism, albeit non Bathist and non Nasserist, and Nusseibeh own movement into being Palestinian nationalist, seeing Palestine being in natural alliance with Israel did not cause him to reflect further on the role and thinking of his father. A respectful critique and contrast of the views would have enhanced and not hindered the understanding of his father and need not be disloyal to his memory.
Most grating perhaps is the competitiveness displayed with other Palestinian peace advocates and the various attempts at discrediting them. This was particularly evident in describing the efforts that led to the Geneva Accord, which Nusseibeh referred as the plan by the name of the Israeli negotiator, thus marginalizing the Palestinian partner. At some point Nusseibeh clearly fell out with Hanan Ashrawi and Dr. Barghouti, both articulate advocates of the Palestinian cause and for peace and coexistence with Israel, he made his disdain of them very obvious and has not troubled himself to analyze their positions even in retrospect.
A genuine peacemaker and a pleasure and privilege to read.......2007-07-24
In the Palestinian struggle against an apartheid, territorially hungry (manifest-Zioinst-destiny) Israel, there has been a shortage of local leaders of wisdom, character, and good fortune. This shortage has been partially circumstantial and partially managed by Israel who has been "sowing the wind" for decades by imprisoning moderates and secretly cultivating Islamist extremists. That Nusseibeh has managed to be spared assasination by Israel or others is fortunate for everyone. We may hope that just as modern Israel has risen from the ashes left in the ovens of the shoah, a viable modern Palestine will emerge from the ordeal of Israeli presecution and imprisonment, and Nusseibeh's voice might be revered as both prophetic and instrumental. Otherwise, we might well see a second shoah (of the sort for which, unfortunately, many end-times enthusiasts seem to hanker). We must hope, indeed we should pray, that Nusseibeh's humanitarian good will and good sense are not too late and that his voice, now seemingly crying in the wilderness, will not have been a waste of breath.
Interesting and enlightening, but ..........2007-07-05
Well written history of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict from somewhat of a unique perspective. The author had a very different experience with some of the primary events of the conflict - not up close and personal a la Arafat, but certainly not man-on-the-street. Dr. Nusseibeh has been a broken record set on "peace," but events have conspired to not let his message get across. An interesting look at a mostly unfortunate series of events.
The NY SUN sums it up a lot better than the reviewers below. .......2007-06-17
First off let's start by exposing who Nusseibeh really is:
He's a double-talker. Saying one thing in English and another in Arabic.
* Helped organize the first Palestinian Intifada, 1987-1993
* Seeks the ultimate destruction of Israel
* Supports Palestinian suicide bombings against Jews
He has appeared on Al-Jazeera TV supporting the Palestinian "right of return" and the "stages" strategy towards the eventual annihilation of Israel. This has been Nusseibeh's modus operandi for some time: pursuing a sequence of small, pragmatic steps - each arguably justifiable as purported attempts to mitigate hostilities - but whose ultimate objective is to bring about Israel's destruction.
He does not condone bombings against Jewish civilians, and sees the terrorist attacks and martyrdom operations.
Then there's the complete BS included.. the NYSun covers it well:
In Once Upon a Country: A Palestinian Life, Sari Nusseibeh misses no opportunity to denigrate and delegitimize Israel through sharp, short, often subtle yet always false readings of history.
His text is marred by countless factual errors and inaccuracies that cast a serious doubt on the validity of his personal narrative, not to mention the wider historical and political picture he seeks to paint.
But Mr. Nusseibeh is not someone to be bothered by the facts. His text is marred by countless factual errors and inaccuracies that cast a serious doubt on the validity of his personal narrative, not to mention the wider historical and political picture he seeks to paint.
--The British foreign secretary who made the famous declaration (in November 1917) on "the establishment in Palestine of a national home for the Jewish people" was Mr. Arthur James Balfour, not " Lord Alfred Balfour," and the declaration was made in a letter to Lord Rothschild, not to Chaim Weizmann.
--Lawrence of Arabia had nothing to do with the Anglo-Hashemite correspondence that led to the "Great Arab Revolt" of World War I, and the person with whom the British plotted the revolt was Emir Hussein ibn Ali (later King Hussein of the Hijaz), not his son Emir Faisal (misrepresented by Mr. Nusseibeh as " Sheikh Faisal Hussein").
--Neither did the British ever promise Faisal (or Hussein for that matter) the headship of the Arab kingdom that would be established on the ruins of the Ottoman Empire.
--General Edmund Allenby did not occupy Palestine with his Mule Corps but rather with the powerful Egyptian Expeditionary Force, and the Ottoman potentate Djemal Pasha did not surrender to the British in 1917, as it was only in late September 1918 that Allenby scored his culminating victory, in the Battle of Megiddo.
--Sheik Izz al-din al-Qassam, the Syrian religious fanatic operating in Palestine in the mid-1930s, was not hanged by the British but killed in action.
--The Higher Arab Committee (established in 1936) comprised 10, rather than six, members and Jaffa's Arab population in 1948 didn't amount to 200,000 people, but to about a third of this figure.
--The Dome of the Rock was built by Caliph Abdel Malik ibn Marwan and not Mu'awiya, and Caliph Omar did not capture Jerusalem in 638 C.E. after the bloody conquest of Baghdad and Cairo for the simple reason that both cities were established long after the Muslim capture of Jerusalem. And so on and so forth.
If the Arabs reverted to violence, as they occasionally did, it was invariably the Jews' fault, according to Nusseibeh. The 1929 massacres, for example, in which 133 Jews were slaughtered by their Arab neighbors, and hundreds more were wounded, were but "a nasty backlash among Muslims" to Zionist nationalist aspirations regarding the Wailing Wall; just as Arafat's war of terror was a logical reaction to Ariel Sharon's short stroll along the Temple Mount. But then, why should Muslims act differently when Jews, who have no valid claim to Palestine, let alone to the Wailing Wall - "a most likely candidate for being the wall of a fortress built for Roman legions" - make outrageous demands on this holy Muslim site.
This absurd assertion -- part of a lengthy historical fabrication of Jerusalem's history posted on the homepage of Al-Quds University, an institution headed by Mr. Nusseibeh -- is hardly different from the countless misrepresentations and distortions contained in "Once Upon a Country." It is also congruent with the persistent Palestinian denial of the existence of King Solomon's Temple, and by extension the Jewish millennarian attachment to Jerusalem and the land of Israel. Small wonder that in 2002 he was appointed PLO Commissioner for Jerusalem affairs by Arafat, who in the Camp David summit of September 2000 had told President Clinton that the Temple had been located in Nablus rather than in Jerusalem. To judge by the gist of "Once Upon a Country," Arafat could not have made a better choice.
Book Description
An unprecedented account of life in Baghdad’s Green Zone, a walled-off enclave of towering plants, posh villas, and sparkling swimming pools that was the headquarters for the American occupation of Iraq.
The Washington Post’s former Baghdad bureau chief Rajiv Chandrasekaran takes us with him into the Zone: into a bubble, cut off from wartime realities, where the task of reconstructing a devastated nation competed with the distractions of a Little America—a half-dozen bars stocked with cold beer, a disco where women showed up in hot pants, a movie theater that screened shoot-’em-up films, an all-you-could-eat buffet piled high with pork, a shopping mall that sold pornographic movies, a parking lot filled with shiny new SUVs, and a snappy dry-cleaning service—much of it run by Halliburton. Most Iraqis were barred from entering the Emerald City for fear they would blow it up.
Drawing on hundreds of interviews and internal documents, Chandrasekaran tells the story of the people and ideas that inhabited the Green Zone during the occupation, from the imperial viceroy L. Paul Bremer III to the fleet of twentysomethings hired to implement the idea that Americans could build a Jeffersonian democracy in an embattled Middle Eastern country.
In the vacuum of postwar planning, Bremer ignores what Iraqis tell him they want or need and instead pursues irrelevant neoconservative solutions—a flat tax, a sell-off of Iraqi government assets, and an end to food rationing. His underlings spend their days drawing up pie-in-the-sky policies, among them a new traffic code and a law protecting microchip designs, instead of rebuilding looted buildings and restoring electricity production. His almost comic initiatives anger the locals and help fuel the insurgency.
Chandrasekaran details Bernard Kerik’s ludicrous attempt to train the Iraqi police and brings to light lesser known but typical travesties: the case of the twenty-four-year-old who had never worked in finance put in charge of reestablishing Baghdad’s stock exchange; a contractor with no previous experience paid millions to guard a closed airport; a State Department employee forced to bribe Americans to enlist their help in preventing Iraqi weapons scientists from defecting to Iran; Americans willing to serve in Iraq screened by White House officials for their views on Roe v. Wade; people with prior expertise in the Middle East excluded in favor of lesser-qualified Republican Party loyalists. Finally, he describes Bremer’s ignominious departure in 2004, fleeing secretly in a helicopter two days ahead of schedule.
This is a startling portrait of an Oz-like place where a vital aspect of our government’s folly in Iraq played out. It is a book certain to be talked about for years to come.
Customer Reviews:
How could we have let this happen?.......2007-10-22
Though my Amazon-ordered, newly-released paperback edition of 'Imperial Life' was missing pages 191 - 194 (thanks, Vintage Books), I thoroughly enjoyed Rajiv Chandrasekaran's book. As others have noted, it's seminal reading in terms of understanding just how badly the US bollixed things up over there. All the professional review snippets in the paperback version rightly acclaim Chandrasekaran effort. As the NYT Book Review puts it, "it is eyewitness history of the first order." The late Molly Ivins sums up what every reader's reaction ought to be, regardless of political stripe: "How could we have let this happen? How could we have been that stupid?"
Everyone will have their favorite tale in here. Here's mine, which involves a business privatization effort...
-----
When the trio met with a team of Germans to discuss how factories in the former East Germany had been privatized, the CPA team was told that the Germans had eight thousand people working on the project. "How many guys do you have?" one of the Germans asked.
"You're looking at them," Corlis responded.
The German laughed and asked again. "No, how many people work for you?"
"No, this is it. Three people," Corliss said.
"Don't bother starting," the German said.
-----
That's the tone of the entire book.
Worth noting: though the reporting is set almost entirely in the bubble of the Green Zone, the author's feet are firmly planted in the Red Zone, i.e., which is basically _everything but_ the Green Zone. It's a courageous piece of work that will stand on its own legs for years to come. Kudos also to the editors at Knopf, who - as the author graciously acknowledges - pieced this reporting into a very compelling narrative.
Necessary reading .......2007-10-22
I recommend this to my students. It is scarier than anything from the pen of Steven King, and more honest than anything from the mouths of the Bush Admin. If you want to see where trillions of your tax dollars are being wasted by greedy, incompetent ideolgues, this is a good place to start.
More Than A "Mistake".......2007-10-21
This is good journalism, and persuasively conveys the tunnel vision, arrogance, and ignorance that together form the stew known as American foreign policy. Iraq is a "good" example of all these elements, abundantly displayed.
The weaknesses of the book--and the reason I give it only four stars--are two: first, it tells its story primarily by focusing on personalities, giving anecdotal illustrations both of the person's role and experiences in Iraq. This is very good for providing the reader with believable, understandable stories; however, it does not provide any kind of coherent "bigger picture." The author does mention surrounding events from time to time, but only as a way of providing backdrop to the anecdote or personality currently under examination.
The other problem with this book is that it presents the Coalition attack upon Iraq as simply a mistake: a series of mistakes, a patchwork of mistakes, a sad comedy of chances gone a' glimmering...but never what it was and fundamentally remains to this day: a war crime of the first order, an unprovoked attack upon a sovereign nation. Whether the author intended it or not, this view gives Americans (and others) pause only to the extent that *next time* we have to be smarter--not that there should *be* no "next time" when the US attacks another nation.
Arrogance is not Wise.......2007-10-17
This book is quite well written, and shows the folly of arrogantly trying to rebuild Iraq after the war without having done the necessary homework on that country and with very selfish and dubious motives on the part of the Bush Administration. Nicely written book, informative and objective to the last page.
An outstanding book about the incompetence we have shown in Iraq.......2007-10-11
Any book has bias and I do not doubt that Rajiv Chandrasekaran, a journalist for the Washington Post, saw some things in Iraq in a bias way. Still, this book is a MUST read for anyone to better understand just where we went wrong in Iraq. At times, I felt I was reading a PJ O'Rourke or Carl Hiaasen book about government bureaucrats ruining yet another program. At other times, I just shook my head in disbelief and some of the arrogance and absurdity of the people put in positions of power in Baghdad. As I read the book I realized that it is no wonder that the Iraqi people are tired of us.
The author points out that many Americans were put in positions of power and authority with no real expertise or understanding of Iraqi culture or Islamic culture. Resumes from neoconservatives were all that was needed to head up programs so loyalty meant everything. The drawback, of course, was that people with no real idea of what the heck they were doing ended up bungling up everything they touched.
This book reminds me that our nation needs to stop and think of what our role is supposed to be. George Marshall, creator of the genius Marshall Plan to rebuild Europe, is spinning around in his grave right now as the incompetence in Iraq makes me wonder what happened to real leaders in our nation. Bremer? Rumsfeld? Cheney? Clueless. This book points that out with the evidence and it's a chilling reality of the mistakes we are making on an hourly basis in that nation.
Book Description
In January 2002 Rory Stewart walked across Afghanistan-surviving by his wits, his knowledge of Persian dialects and Muslim customs, and the kindness of strangers. By day he passed through mountains covered in nine feet of snow, hamlets burned and emptied by the Taliban, and communities thriving amid the remains of medieval civilizations. By night he slept on villagers' floors, shared their meals, and listened to their stories of the recent and ancient past. Along the way Stewart met heroes and rogues, tribal elders and teenage soldiers, Taliban commanders and foreign-aid workers. He was also adopted by an unexpected companion-a retired fighting mastiff he named Babur in honor of Afghanistan's first Mughal emperor, in whose footsteps the pair was following.
Through these encounters-by turns touching, con-founding, surprising, and funny-Stewart makes tangible the forces of tradition, ideology, and allegiance that shape life in the map's countless places in between.
Customer Reviews:
Attempts At Understanding Rural Afghanistan.......2007-10-11
When I picked this book off the bookstore table, I really only had a vague idea that it was one man's story about traveling through Afghanistan. Beyond that, I didn't know what to expect.
The book tells the story of Rory Stewarts walk across Afghanistan, from Herat to Kabul, and some of the people, villages, and feelings he had along the way. He states he wanted to walk across Asia, and this part helped to complete this quest. He managed to do this shortly after the Taliban were defeated in 2002, which is a bit interesting.
I can't say that I was fascinated by this book, yet I can't say that I was disappointed, either. I am glad I read it. I've a few books about Afghanistan that were centered in Kabul, and it was interesting to find out more information regarding the rural parts of Afghanistan and to find out just how drastic the difference between the two are. We here in the US always hear about how difficult it is fighting a war in rural Afghanistan because of the geography and because of tribalism. This book really helped to bring an understanding of those concepts to me. In that, I found the book fascinating.
The book does seem to drag, however. And the villages do seem to be strikingly similar until they all seem to fade together. Chapter after chapter of villages one cannot find on a map filled with nothing but mud huts gets a bit tedious to read about. Yet, for me, anyway, when Mr. Stewart speaks to the historical parts of Afghanistan, I found it be very interesting. And when he spoke of the people he met along the way, I was fascinated. He did seem to dwell on those individual who were less than savory, though. It would have been refreshing to read more about people he'd met who had been nice, helpful, and thoughtful. I'm sure there must have more than just 3 or 4?
I did enjoy reading about the various customs within some of the different tribes. I thought that to be very interesting. Some of the items Mr. Steward writes about were amusing, some were shocking to my Western mindset, and some were just outright disturbing (the Afghan Islamic view on the treatment towards dogs was especially difficult for this dog lover!). In all it was an interersting book, but there were some flaws.
Interesting but not what I thought it would be.......2007-10-11
Kind of interesting to learn what life is currently like in rural Afghanistan. But I was expecting more of a "World's Most Dangerous Places" type of travelogue which this book isn't. Very meditative with interesting "smaller" observations.
Left in limbo by The Places in Between.......2007-10-01
If you are into a lot of facts about history and culture, then this might be the book for you. As for myself, I felt like I was reading college history and sociology textbooks. So many facts, with little or no human connection to Rory Stewart, or the people who accompany him on his trek across Afghanistan. Stewart writes early on in the book, "I feel like I have been preparing for this all my life". To me that is a powerful statement, which in my opinion Stewart never really expounded on, and in the end could have made this book a little more interesting.
The Places In Between.......2007-09-28
Well written and exciting journey that a brave man wrote about. Very good reference to the differences between villiages and provinces encompassed by the overarching history of the country.
Highly recommend - a Bold look at a slice of Afghanistan.......2007-09-08
This book is a fascinating and easy read for anyone looking to learn about Afghanistan.
The audacity of what Rory Stewart does in this book is amazing. Walking from Herat to Kabul across central Afghanistan relying on the hospitality of the local in each village he passes through. It is not a comprehensive look at Afghanistan but a first hand micro level look at life in a select few Afghan villages. At the same time, he throws in larger historical and research perspectives. Like all books that I've read about the country, there is a pointient sadness to what these people have been through.
Book Description
From Afghanistan and Iraq to Europe and the United States we are engaged in one of the most heated wars of all time. In this incisive new book, the man that has been called--the only one to understand the mind of the jihadist--shows that the most important battle is actually taking place in the hearts and minds of the world's population. This is the war of ideas, where ideology is the most powerful weapon of all. Phares explores the beliefs of two opposing camps, one standing for democracy and human rights, and the other rejecting the idea of an international community and calling for jihad against the West. He reveals the strategies of both sides, explaining that new technologies and the growing media savvy of the jihadists have raised the stakes in the conflict. And most urgently, he warns that the West is in danger of losing the war, for whereas debate and theorizing rarely translate into action here, ideas and deeds are inextricably linked for the forces of jihad.
Customer Reviews:
Interesting but a bit windy........2007-10-19
Walid Phares is an expert on the middle east and Islam but his writing style is a bit dry. There are many generalizations and specific detail is a bit harder to find. It is worth reading but I was a bit disappointed.
Required reading by every self-respecting journalist........2007-08-23
The facts will set you free. Well researched. Bluntly honest. A very readable treatment of Islamofacism every self-respecting journalist should read. It is now on my short list of books that correctly shape one's understanding of this century's principal narrative.
Great Read!.......2007-06-13
We need more literature like this that expounds on our current situation and dilemma our children will soon face.
The War of Ideas: Jihadism against Democracy .......2007-05-07
This is a very scholarly book. This is not a rabble rouser. It is an excellent book to gain understanding of "Jihadism against Democracy"
Book Description
A sweeping and dramatic history of the last half century of conflict in the Middle East from an award-winning journalist who has covered the region for over thirty years, The Great War for Civilisation unflinchingly chronicles the tragedy of the region from the Algerian Civil War to the Iranian Revolution; from the American hostage crisis in Beirut to the Iran-Iraq War; from the 1991 Gulf War to the American invasion of Iraq in 2003. A book of searing drama as well as lucid, incisive analysis, The Great War for Civilisation is a work of major importance for today's world.
Customer Reviews:
Dick in Gig Harbor WA.......2007-10-23
The Great War for Civilization, by Robert Fisk:
This is the only intelligently-written Arabist work I've ever seen. It's worth the long read.
I am a sympathizer for Zionism, served in Vietnam and Desert Shield, even attended the IDF parachute course. However, if they want to understand today's Middle East, everyone should read this counter-view.
I feel wiser, or perhaps broader for having done so.
Wonderful, honest and shocking.......2007-10-07
The book "The great war for civilisation", by Robert Fisk, is wonderful, mostly for its vivid and honest telling of the history the author has lived in thr last 40 years.
Even not having finished its reading (it's a 1,100 pages book!), I can see the author does not leaves "stone on stone" (translated from a Portuguese sentence). He show how ignorant people of developed countries can be (to make a monument in Vincennes, indiana, USA, to USS Vincennes, which blowed up a civil plane, killing 290 people, is terrible!), and how dishonest governments like Reagan's and Thatcher's were. Please, divulge this book!
A Great Book for Civilisation.......2007-10-06
It's hard to exaggerate when trying to accord sufficient praise for this great book. As a pure work of journalistic reportage it seems impossible to beat, let alone come near to its level of sincerity, humanity and scope. I don't know how Mr. Fisk was able to collate and make such sense of so much material, and survive the ordeal.
Whatever one's own proclivities may be in the world of politics and religion, I don't think anyone could quarrel with the author's many observations, which are so clearly animated by an overriding sense of outrage at the callous and sensless brutality which he has so often witnessed in person in the countries where he has been a reporter.
He tries his best to be impartial, and indeed it is virtually impossible to know where the truth lies in a world of spin and manipulation. However, he clearly shows a penchant for the Muslim argument in the Middle East, and certainly there must be a lot to be said in his favour, even if he is not always wholly convincing.
This, however, is but a quibble compared with the might and majesty of this splendid book, which I would recommend anyone who is in any way concerned with the Arab world to read, and learn from.
Detailed and well-written account.......2007-10-03
Fisk's narrative pulls no punches, and does a superb job of recounting events ranging from the Iran-Iraq War to the Armenian genocide the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan to the Palestinian Israeli conflict to the current War in Iraq -- as well as many other events relevant to the contemporary Middle East (and U.S. foreign policy in the region).
I found the account to be depressing at times, but for those who are looking for a thought-provoking, and engaging narrative this is a great place to start. No easy answers, and plenty of information to digest. The best kind of reading.
A Must Read.......2007-09-02
I read every word in this book. At first I was skeptical that it could all be true, but on completion I believe it is. I highly recommend this book to all.
It is an excellent way to learn just how big a mistake was made by the US and GB in trying to overthrow the goverment in Iraq and establish a puppet democracy.
Book Description
The inspiring account of one man's campaign to build schools in the most dangerous, remote, and anti- American reaches of Asia
In 1993 Greg Mortenson was the exhausted survivor of a failed attempt to ascend K2, an American climbing bum wandering emaciated and lost through Pakistan's Karakoram Himalaya. After he was taken in and nursed back to health by the people of an impoverished Pakistani village, Mortenson promised to return one day and build them a school. From that rash, earnest promise grew one of the most incredible humanitarian campaigns of our time—Greg Mortenson's one-man mission to counteract extremism by building schools, especially for girls, throughout the breeding ground of the Taliban.
Award-winning journalist David Oliver Relin has collaborated on this spellbinding account of Mortenson's incredible accomplishments in a region where Americans are often feared and hated. In pursuit of his goal, Mortenson has survived kidnapping, fatwas issued by enraged mullahs, repeated death threats, and wrenching separations from his wife and children. But his success speaks for itself. At last count, his Central Asia Institute had built fifty-five schools. Three Cups of Tea is at once an unforgettable adventure and the inspiring true story of how one man really is changing the world—one school at a time.
Customer Reviews:
Amazing.......2007-10-23
Greg Mortenson is an example of how this world will change. Three Cups of Tea is an amazing book written about an amazing man who dared to love and help the very people that our current government wants us to hate and dehumanize. If ever there was a way to stop terrorism and make our country more secure while improving the lives of women and children this is it. This book and the Central Asia Institute and Greg Mortenson have changed me....let them do the same for you. Read this book!
Want to feel better about humanity?.......2007-10-23
Riveting. Greg Mortenson, having come to care deeply for Pakistan and Afghanistan during his early years as a mountain climber, turns that fondness into a mission to build secular schools for the children of 55 villages... schools that educate girls as well as boys, that respect the deep cultures of the regions and that do not foment radical fundamentalist views or hatred toward the West. Mortenson's dedication and achievements are extraordinary. What makes this book most fascinating is its intimate look at the villagers of Pakistan and Afghanistan, many of whom partnered closely with Mortenson, avidly supported the concept of education -- and taught him the value of taking the time to form deep relationships with the people of these lands, to understand their cultures as well as both the possibilities and the monumental difficulties of collaborating and achieving peace and progress. I highly recommend this book.
Nobel Quality.......2007-10-22
Greg Mortensen represents my America and he does so in vivid contrast to the politician's America that tolerates the corruption and misuse of foreign aid. This story is a must read for anyone who will ever pretend to have an opinion about how the United States of America should use its resources to make the world a better place to live.
Excellent Read.......2007-10-21
OK, so I'm an ex-Peace Corps Volunteer from the sixties; and I could be a trifle prejudiced. Regardless, this is an engrossing book. Greg Mortensen is, in many respects, Everyman. If it CAN be screwed up, ... he screws it up; but he "hangs in there" in extraordinary fashion - and works miracles. I think the guy is a perfect candidate for the Nobel Peace Prize. I thoroughly enjoyed this book - and was inspired enough to contribute to his foundation.
Three Cups of Tea.......2007-10-21
I haven't heard a story this inspiring--ever! I have found my Christmas present for everyone high school age or over.
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