Middle East Books

Even after all these years, this book is an essential for world music lovers, from novices interested in learning more about something they just heard off the radio to seasoned music lovers interested in rounding out their collections. This encylopedic work (the first volume in the series) gives a brief survey of the different music traditions of Europe, the Middle East and Africa, divided by country, region, style or ethnicity. Each article was written by different authors, so obviously there is some variation, but they include very thorough details on the history, culture, background and style of the music, along with a sample discography at the end. Most articles include one or two profiles of famous artists from that country.

The first section, Europe, covers almost every country in Europe, as well as giving articles on the Saami people of Scandinavia, Gypsy music, regional cultures from Spain (like the Basques and Galacians), and Bhangra, the festive dance music of Britain's Punjabi diaspora! Everything you would expect is here, like Spanish flamenco, Portuguese fado, Greek rembetika, Norwegian fiddles, Scottish bagpipes, Celtic music from Ireland, Swiss alp horns, the haunting vocal music of Bulgaria and so forth. There are also quite a few surprises hidden in here too. Much of this section tends towards the folk, for obvious reasons.

The Middle Eastern chapter covers the music of Turkey, Iran, Israel, Armenia, Georgia and the Arab states (except for parts of North Africa), as well as Kurdistan and the Sephardic Jews. Theres alot of variety here, from the classical Arabic pop music of Oum Kalthoum, Fairouz and Abdel Halim Hafez, to modern Egyptian pop like Amr Diab, Natacha Atlas, and Hakim. Along the way, theres also the haunting sound of the Armenian duduk, Nubian music, Persian and Turkish classical traditions, Lebanese dabke, dervish rituals, Georgian polyphonic singing, Sephardic romances, Iranian-American pop music and Palestinean folk songs (which is great to see them acknowledge that Palestine DOES have a unique culture). This section is very good, with a very rich mix of traditions and cultures.

The biggest part of the book deals with Africa, with a very strong emphasis on regional pop music. Some countries (like Libya, Somalia and Namibia) are sadly overlooked, but all the powerhouses of African music are hero... Ethio-jazz, Algerian rai, high life from Ghana, Congolese soukous, Malagasy pop from Madagascar, Kenyan benga, South African gospel, Nigerian afrobeat, Senegalese mbalax, Moroccan gnawa, mbira music from Zimbabwe, Kabylie Berber music, east African taraab, recordings of the Pygmy people of Central Africa, Mande music of Mali... so much gets covered here, including numerous lesser known traditions (like the music of Zambia, Sierra Leone, or the Indian Ocean). Its by far the most exhaustive part of the book, full of great information, important artists and numerous CD recommendations.

Over all, its a wonderful introduction to the vast (and sometimes confusing) world music scene. The book was written in the late '90s, so some of the information is a little dated and a few REALLY great new artists or CDs aren't mentioned, but thats a minor detail. In fact, many of the CDs mentioned in the suggested listening section remain best sellers today! Theres also the occaisonal trend of focusing in on pop music or CDs more readily available in the west, but again, theres nothing wrong with this. Think of this book more as an introduction or a guide book and you'll be fine. Once you get into world music, or even just a particular culture or region, you'll be good. So check this book out and see what you like (or don't like).

I love having both volume one and two. They have much useful information. But speaking about the Netherlands where I lived for 35 years as a professional Surinam musician: I didn't like the part about Surinam music because it was very uncomplete. The writers didn't mention the two best known Surinam bands Fra Fra sound and the Ronald Snijders band. They only mentioned traditional style groups like Carlo Jones band pretending that the others are jazz, which is ridiculous.
Every other country mentions it's musicians and bands who fusion their worldmusic with jazz, like Cuba's Irakere, Brazil's Milton Nascimento, Argentina's Piazola, South Africa's Dollard Brand and so on. But in case of Suriname they simple cut that important part away. This also happened in part two. Sad and incomplete, because the mayor part of the innovation, promotion, touring and study comes from these new style bands.

Ronald Snijders (flutist-composer, writer, drs ethnomusicolgy)

Although I wish that there was even more room to fit in all that's needed. I do notice that, for instance, there has since this volume a separate pocket-size one for Irish music, and no doubt others. I studied the areas I was most familiar with to see if any surprises emerged. A couple each time; unfortunately, these were impossible to find on cd (cassette even out-of-print in more than one instance) if you lived more than a few miles from the musician, I reckon!

This inevitable let down between supply and demand for those outside of the countries who want to hear the music does frustrate armchair listeners like me. Go to the Egyptian chapter, for example, and you'll find that most of the genre's picks are bootlegged as tapes in the market stands. Since 1999, I gather that this tendency keeps growing given filesharing and cd-burners, so I'm not quite sure how one would find much of the music on smaller regional labels today even from reputable importers.

This evolution aside and perhaps beyond RG's survey, this does whet your appetite for music. But be forewarned that much of it comes at quite a price from the net or a music store, if you're lucky enough to find what you want. The illustrations in the text, the sidebar profiles, the list of merchants appended: all these represent a labor of love and a fine reference source.

I do wish, finally, that RG had kept their guides on the Net (as it had at least with the Rock Guide in the later 1990s) so they could be updated as CDs go in and out of print.

I love this book - it would be utterly useful to everyone except the MOST savvy World Music person with a big ol' advanced degree.

I do a radio show of Arab music (WHPK 88.5 FM in Chicago!) and consider myself an educated aficionado, and I refer to it CONSTANTLY. This is truly the current ultimate guide to World music - just great. They are righ when they say "your CD collection will GROW" It will!

Walk inside the universe of World Music is not easy. You have the feeling to moove in a jungle of names, titles and unknown instruments. A Guide is necessary to understand and help you for orientation. This book is good for primers and experts, speaking about generes, origins, musicians and their best records. From the 1994's first edition the new release is more rich and reflects the high number of World Music records released in the last five years. I think you are in presence of the best guide you can buy today on the matter.

Everyone with a slight interest in MidEast history and the Arab-Israelis conflict should read it. First part is a mine of historical information about what went-on behind the scenes. The palestinian tragedy and exodus was more a result of dis-unity between the Arabs than supremacy of the Israelis.

While now everyone is refusing to nationalise the palestinian refugees, in the early 50's this was offered in exchange for extra land captured on different fronts. Extra land that was palestinian in theory, but since this became a battle field Palestine ceased to exist.

Second part is a bit slow but never the less of great value.

Highly Recomended to arabs and westerners alike.

I have read this book for like 4 times...and each time i find out something new that i have not noticed before.
Haykal was in a position to get so much information,and he has a way to put such information in a valuble book.

if you are ready to be neutral,then go ahead and but this book cause then you will know the meaning of secret channels.

It is refreshing to find somebody who tells the other side of the story. No wonder the book is out of print.

Like all his other books..this bookof Mr.Haykal..is full of secrets,inner looks,and analysis. Many questions are answered,alot ofopinions are outlined.This book tellsthe story of the peace process,past& present. I highly recommend this book,and urge everybody to buy it.

Mohammed Heikal is the type of journalist whose inner circle of friends includes emperors, kings and heads of states, in addition to lessor, yet very powerful global figures.

With a powerful analytical mind, a penetrating insight and, a fluent pen, Mohamed Heikal draws on his years of deep, deep connections with the most influential to focus our attention on how Palestine was ignominiously sold out by a pack of vain parvenus with Whom the Arab nation had to content with having at the helm of its political destiny.

Secret Channels gives us a stupendous insight into the vanity, narcissism and cowardice of the frail characters that led the Arab nation through an era that will live in infamy for a long, long time to come.

Mohamed Heikal, hated and despised by the dwarfs of his contemporaries, and hailed by the great pears of his caliber, continues to fascinate the reader with graceful literary eloquence, and a sense of appreciation for the entertainment value of the news.

There are no words adequate to convey the effect THE STONES CRY OUT had on me when I read it in 1986. It haunted me for years. I wanted everyone I knew to read it.

Just several years ago I met a woman whose entire family - her husband and all her children - died under the Khmer Rouge monsters.

Amazingly, after the stories Miss Szymusiak recounts: of the young girl who was killed for being too pretty, of those murdered for daring to exhibit signs of affection for one another, and of unspeakable tortures inflicted upon absolutely helpless and innocent people of all ages, the chapter which really drained my blood was the one detailing her witnessing the beginning of the purge. The author notes the young Communist cadres being themselves called in for interrogation and torture and disappearing one by one.

This is a chilling account of the darkest period in 20th Century history.

One of the earliest (1986) accounts from the survivors of the Pol Pot regime, "The Stones Cry Out" seems to have set the style and standard for another more recent child's-eye perspective on the same era, "When Broken Glass Floats". The minute details of everyday life, not abstract poltical assessments, form the basis for our childhood memories. The author's account carries an unvarnished realism which draws the reader into her film-like image of daily life under threat of starvation and execution. This is probably as close as a reader can come to the truth of events in Cambodia during 1975-79. Oral histories such as "The Stones Cry Out" are perhaps the best way for survivors of human rights abuses to indict the perpetrators. Sadly, tribunals driven by international politics are unlikely to have the same impact as the simple testimony of a victimized child. Highly recommended reading for all those with an interest in human rights, Cambodia, and Southeast Asian culture.

You need a strong stomach to read the grueling ordeal of a 12 year old girl in Cambodia under the Pol Pot regime.
The latter and his cronies turned a whole country into a concentration camp guided by the iron fist of a centrally planned economy which was based on rice production quotas.
Starvation and killing of whole families including babies were part of normal daily life. The author herself lost nearly all her family.
The slogan was 'be deaf and dump if you want to survive'.

Exceptionally, this book also relates the disturbing facts which happened in a Red Khmer camp in Thailand until one year after Pol Pot's defeat by the Vietnamese.

Molyda Szymusiak tells only the facts. She doesn't explain the overall picture of Pol Pot's regime, politically, socially, economically or internationally.
Therefore I highly recommend the eminent works of David Chandler as well as Philip Short's magisterial biography of Pol Pot (Saloth Sar).

This book shows painfully the disastrous consequences of a power grasp by ideological fanatics who created a one party state bureaucracy which wielded total uncontrolled power over the population.
This regime was a terrible shame for the left.

A very disturbing read.

My heart sank lower and lower with each successive chapter. This is certainly not a book one can read while couching comfortably on a sofa. If you are familiar with Cambodian history of the Khmer Rouge regime, this book is indeed a chilling read. But at the same time, one can't help feeling admiration for the author's fortitide in the face of unimaginable hardship and horror.

Actualy I would rate this 4 and 1/2 stars.

Having read "First they killed my father" by Loung Ung It would be difficult for me to review this book with out comparing it to Loung Ung's memoir.

Both are essentially the same story, a young upper middle class girl living in Phnom Phen in april of 1975 when thier life, family and happiness are torn from them by the khmer rouge.

Many of thier experinces are similar as you might expect (long hours in forced labor, family deaths, witnessing murder ect..) but each has a unique story of thier own.

The writing styles also vary greatly and this is where Loung's "First they killed my Father is the better" book. Molyda tells her story in a very straight foward manner. Her discriptions of murder, torture and rotting corpses are alomost clinical in tone as if she is afaid to visit or express her real feelings at the time (and who could realy blame her) we are giving only hints about her family and life before April 17th 1975 (to be fair this may be in part to spare distant family members still in Cambodia from retalation)

In Loung's book however we are treated to two light hearted chapters discribing her life in Phnom Pehn before April 17th 1975 this gives the reader a chance to feel they realy know her, her brother's, sisters and parents thier strengths and weakness'.

Loung's memoir is far more emotional in tone and feeling leaving the reader almost gasping for air at points.

For those overly squimish that makes "The Stones Cry Out" the better of the two books. It is also the better of the two books if your sole interest is the surrounding history of the killing fields.

But for those just wishing to read a great emotional book "first They killed My father" is the better choice but I would highly recomend both to all.

Giving this book a 5-star rating isn't enough; I haven't been this affected-- intellectually and emotionally-- by anything I've read in a very long time, so I wish there were some way to reflect the significant difference between an "A" and an "A+," which is what "Struggle for the Holy Land (Arabs, Jews and the Emergence of Israel)," by William Hare, deserves. First published in 1995, this book is more important and timely today than ever before, as it seeks to promote the kind of understanding and a perspective of the Middle East that is so vital if we are ever, in our efforts as a community of Man, going to be able to effect any semblance of global harmony at all.

William Hare writes from the enlightening perspective that merely understanding the issues and current events in the Middle East is not going to bring about a resolution of the problems that are rooted there, and ultimately have a far-reaching effect on all of the nations of the world; these are scholarly pursuits, but ineffective in realizing any real change in the near (or distant) future. Hare points out that what the situation requires is a thorough understanding of the people involved-- the history, culture and psychological aspects of who they are, and most importantly, "why." And he does it by tracing the roots of Zionism and the genesis of Islam, by going back and determining the cause and effects of the attitudes and actions that have brought us to where we are today.

Hare gets to the heart of his subject by offering an objective examination of historically significant events from the perspective of both the Jews', as well as the Arabs' side, and moreover, the effects of one upon the other, as well as how the world powers of specific times influenced that history, including the involvements of the likes of Czarist Russia, the Ottoman Empire, Britain, America and, of course, the devastating effects of Hitler's Germany. It's a comprehensive, cohesive and thorough treatment, with a depth that transcends the achievements of similar attempts by others, and is even more extraordinary when the fact that Hare's analysis covers a period from Biblical times to the present, inclusively, is considered.

What really brings this book to life, however, and what sets it apart from most histories, is the way Hare brings the situations, and especially the people involved, so vibrantly to life. Typically, works of history are rendered in terms of dry academia; Hare, on the other hand, uses the voice of the novelist for his presentation, which makes historic figures like Einstein, Muhammad, Chaim Weizmann, David Ben Gurion, T.E. Lawrence and Harry Truman (to mention just a few) seem larger than life (as, indeed, their respective accomplishments make evident that they were), while affording and investing the reader with intellectual stimulation, as well as the emotional connection that makes this book so thoroughly involving on so many levels.

From the first chapter, which offers some succinct insights into Albert Einstein and his views on and involvement with Zionism, to the final chapter, which concludes with the dramatic depiction of Sir Alan Cunningham, the British high commissioner, presiding over the ceremony marking the end of British rule in Palestine, Hare's account is riveting and stirring in a way that makes history seem like a tangible entity rather than merely words on a page. His approach is similar to that of Shelby Foote, who so successfully brought possibly the darkest period of American History to life in his trilogy "The Civil War." Like Foote, Hare has the ability to "put you in the room," as it were, making you a part of the action rather than just an observer, and his style is tremendously effective, including his use of contemporary frames of reference, like films, to draw comparisons and correlate especially significant events.

A scholarly endeavor executed artistically can be entertaining as well as educational, and this book certainly is all of that; but more than that, it can be important in a way that supersedes any and all of it's most worthwhile considerations. And this book most certainly is that, as well. One of the most engaging and thought-provoking chapters is Hare's emotionally charged account of the Holocaust, which alone takes this book to an even higher level of significance. Like Steven Spielberg's film "Schindler's List," this particular chapter, especially, makes this book important in that it serves to preserve the memory of that which must not be forgotten at any cost; and it is decidedly the efforts of artists and scholars like William Hare and Steven Spielberg that guards against this kind of history repeating itself. And that, in itself, is a remarkable achievement by any form of measurement.

Sensitively and sensibly written and presented, "Struggle for the Holy Land (Arabs, Jews and the Emergence of Israel)" is an entertaining, educational and important book that should be required reading for everyone. William Hare is to be commended for his astute insights into the human condition and his studied and conclusive perceptions of the whys and wherefores of the world in which we live; and hopefully, through his considerable achievements here and the importance of this book, he will receive the kind of acknowledgement he so richly deserves. This is a book that belongs in everyone's library.

"Struggle for the Holy Land" by William Hare is a fulfilling historical narrative for American readers who are interested in the Middle East conflict but are overwhelmed by the deluge of information on the subject. William Hare's work provides an objective introduction to a subject polarized by advocacy. Broadly balanced, it unravels the complexity of the Middle East by elucidating complex personalities that have either influenced or have been influenced by its tragedy.

Starting with Einstein's wrenching emotions over Israel's existence, William Hare skillfully weaves Theodor Herzl's passion for the Zionist movement, David Ben-Gurion's sacrifices in Palestine, and Chaim Weizmann's influence over the British empire in a memorable portrait of struggle for a Jewish home then state. Israel's birth couldn't be better or more objectively presented for the casual historian from the Jewish point-of-view. Arab readers will certainly benefit from this objective portrayal of the people who have influenced the conflict currently affecting many Arab nations.

The book also describes the character of the Arab opposition to Israel through Mohammed Ali and T.E. Lawrence. Apparently targeting Western readers, William Hare selected two personalities who personify both a fighting spirit and sophistication. The poignantly perceptive focus on primarily non-Arabic personalities to represent the Arab point-of-view in the book underscores the reality of Arabs today who are yet powerless to voice their own grievances and concerns. Though the Arab voice remains wanting, Arabs are pained to find a more noble or more relevant representation of character and struggle than through Mohammad Ali and T.E. Lawrence.

Engagingly easy to read, I recommend "Struggle for the Holy Land" to anyone concerned about the history of the Middle East conflict.

In "Struggle for the Holy Land: Arabs, Jews, and the Emergence of Israel", author William Hare provides an in-depth, absorbing, and immaculately researched history of the formation of Israel. The facts are backed up with an extensive bibliography and a through index. Beginning with the roots of Zionism in the late 1800s, Hare explores the major figures involved in the creation of the Jewish state.

The author traces the growth of the Zionist movement following the publication in 1896 of Theodor Herzl's pamphlet "Der Judenstaat" ("The Jewish State: An Attempt at a Modern Solution of the Jewish Question"). The Zionist movement is examined and the philosophical split between Political Zionism and Cultural Zionism split are both discussed. The information regarding the efforts to choose a country other than Palestine is particularly fascinating.

This absorbing book offers an unbiased approach to the historical and sociological factors that contributed to the formation of Israel. The establishment of the Jewish congress in 1897, and contributing factors such as the Russian pogroms, and WWII are included. Major characters and countries are all covered here--Chaim Weizman and his relationship with Britain and Balfour, David Ben-Gurion, and the Peel Commission's decision to create a "partition of Palestine into an Arab state and a Jewish state." The author also examines how the world tried to cope with the growing unrest in the area--one of the most infamous methods of restricting immigration was the "White Paper Policy" that restricted the number of Jewish immigrants to Palestine. Consequently "little death ships" loaded with Jewish refugees fleeing Nazi Germany were turned away without its passengers being allowed to land.

Packed with information, the book yields new insights to an all-too familiar problem. We know how the book will end ... the reader cannot but be aware of the tragic situation and the continuing violence between Israel and Palestine. Yet somehow, in spite of being all too aware of the current situation, the book lends great insights for readers and also a sense of tragic inevitability to one of the most troubled regions of the world--displacedhuman.

William Hare has an extensive background in journalism and interest in world affairs, and it is evident in this book, "Struggle For the Holy Land." Through his investigation, he presents a succinct and thorough report on a complex topic in which solutions to the Arab and Israeli conflict have eluded the world's top leaders. Hare puts the conflict in proper context with an emphasis on the Arab and Israeli leaders who shaped policies generations ago. Particularly compelling are the roles of T.E. Lawrence, David Ben-Gurion and Zionist leader Chaim Weizmann. While much has happened since the book was written in 1995, it remains, in my opinion, a definitive look in historical terms. If anything, it explains well the events that led to the bloodshed we see today. I highly recommend it.

This was absolutely the BEST book I have ever read regarding the history of the conflict in Israel. I had been unable to find books about the early history of the area that didn't seem biased toward one point of view or the other. STRUGGLE FOR THE HOLY LAND provides a point of intersection in which the interests and aspirations of each side are carefully evaluated. William Hare is truly a talented author with a gift for presenting complex historical events in a way that even the non-history buff can understand and enjoy. Your only disappointment will be when there are no more pages to read! A rare find!

I have known Barry well for thirty years now and have loved this book for the last fifteen. His book was highly inspirational to me in the writing of I Never Liked Those C-130's Anyway.
It is as germain today as it was in 1992 after the first Gulf War,which is when I first read it.
It is chocked full of humor and Barry McWilliams' special take on the every day. As the creator of the JP Doodles cartoon he has used his skills to full advantage by creating the wonderfull art within.
A worthy read.

If you REALLY want to find out how things were in the "First Gulf War", buy a copy of this book! It was sent to me by my best friend while I was over there digging in the big sand box, and while it does help provide some comic relief and allowed me to laugh at the situation I was in at the time, it sure tells it like it was at the time.

I met Barry at King Fahd International Airport when he interviewed me and several folks in my unit, the 511th Tactical Fighter Squadron. My story didn't make the final cut but you've got to read about our Flight Surgeon, Major Smith, and his war trophy!

This was an awesome book and I have read it numerous times. Being a Gulf War Veteran I read just about every book that came out right after the Gulf War to see what the various authors had to say about a war that affected millions of us and that 500,000 plus American attended/participated in. I no longer read books on the Gulf war because most of it is political dribble trying to explain what did not happen, Now it seems that it is more convient for some to write lies then the truth, no such thing as Gulf War Syndrome right. Enough of politics that is why I like this book, because it put everything in perspective using humor.

If you are not a veterans it will still be funny to most of you.

This will always be one of my favorite books on the Gulf War. I especially liked the chapter on the Red Rope Ranger. I laugh out loud every time I think about it!

This is the most objective analysis on events in the Middle East I found in years. Prof. Harari is a great internationally known theoretical physicist. He was the director of the Weizmann Institute from 1988 to 2001 and received several honors as a leading scientist. His analysis is cristal-clear. I already bought 4 books to give to friends.

This is a penetrating analysis of the components of terror. The book offers a survey of the landscape of middle-eastern conflicts. It is, however, not a pedantic rendition. The author presents a complicated issue in an easily understandable form.

In April 2004 internationally known physicist Haim Harari was asked by a meeting of the International Advisory Board of a large multi-national corporation to present his own personal view on events in the Middle East. He spoke candidly.

Without his knowledge a copy of his remarks was leaked and posted on the Internet. It caused a worldwide sensation and was translated into more than half a dozen languages. (The article is seven pages long and can be obtained by going to the FrontPageMag website, clicking on Archives, setting the date drop-downs to March 15, 2006 and clicking on Go. The article is at the bottom of the page.)

Due to the widespread interest in the article, Prof. Harari went on to write an expanded version, which resulted in "A View from The Eye of The Storm". This is not a scholarly treatise with bibliography and footnotes (although there is a very good index), but the perceptions of a fifth-generation Israeli-born observer. Yet Harari is no ordinary observer. He is a brilliant scientist, trained in objective and precise analysis. And he is a man not only of great acumen and scruples, but a man deeply concerned about human events and the future of humankind.

Prof. Harari believes we are already into a World War with Muslim Extremists, but that a few more years may pass before everybody acknowledges this is a fact. He outlines four main elements of the present World conflict: 1, suicide murder; 2, lies; 3, money and 4, the total breakdown of law. The role of each of these elements is examined in detail in the 211 page book.

Following is Harai's eminently sensible solution to the Israeli-Palestine conflict:

"There are certain immutable facts in the Middle East. Peace can arrive only if the Palestinians except the existence of Israel. Peace can materialize only if the Palestinians have their own state - next to Israel not instead of it. The densely Jewish areas will be part of Israel; the densely Palestinian areas will be part of the Palestinian state. Israel will have an Arab minority. Many Israeli settlements in the West Bank and Gaza will have to be abandoned. Most of Jerusalem will remain in Israel, and it will continue to be the capital city. Some heavily populated Arab neighborhoods of the greater Jerusalem area will be in the Palestinian state and may form its capitol city. A carefully planned demilitarized strategy must be developed; it will take a substantial number of years and can be lifted only by mutual consent. Descendents of Palestinian refugees will be settled in Arab countries, many of them in the Palestinian state. All Arab countries bordering with Israel will have peace agreements with it, and no unresolved disputes will remain. The borders between Israel and its Arab neighbors will be protected by some kind of fence...because no open border can survive a 20:1 income ratio."

Later in the book Harari provides a concise prescription for treating the problem of international terror. He admits "it's easy to list these things...it's far more difficult to apply them worldwide." But "it's just a matter of time until all free countries unite and recognize they are facing a life-threatening, global problem."

Read this book, and you will learn the clear-headed professor's answers - answers that he urges are "simply the only possible solutions" to the international terror of our present World War.

Haim Harari is a great internationally known theoretical physicist. He was the director of the Weizmann Institute from 1988 to 2001 and received important honors as a leading scientist, including the prestigious Harnack Medal, awarded by the Senate of the Max Planck Society in an unanimous decision.

But this book is not about Physics, its about terror and reason in the Middle East. In my opinion, it is by far the best review of terrorism ever written.

Harari is a fifth generation Israeli. His grandmother was born in Jerusalem in 1872, and so was her grandmother. So where his children and grandchildren. He writes in Chapter 1:

"For seven generations we have lived here, in the eye of the storm. We have survived more wars and terror attacks than any other nation. But now we are informed by the former French ambassador to London that we are "a shitty little country" endangering the world; at the same time we learn that the rulers of Iran want to replace our "shitty little country" by yet another Shiite country.

So writes this gifted and deep observer of the reality of the Midle East today. Every page of this book has deep and extremely intelligent observations, whose truth is undeniable. Harari's reasoning is always compelling, like that of any great scientist. He starts each one of the 32 chapters of this extraordinary book with a short citation. These themselves are little gems. For example here is the gem that starts Chapter 30: "You cannot punish a suicide murderer by [the] death penalty; You cannot bomb into the Stone Age somebody who is already there."

Indeed, the war between radical Islam and the West is waged by people yearning to go back to the past. They reject modernity above all.

Or here is the gem starting Chapter 13: " The incredible economy of China creates an entirely new "South Korea" every three years. Why can't the rest of the poor rural areas of the world do the same?"

World War III already started though many people do not realize it yet. A relatively new totalitarian movement has grown and gained roots in the Middle East, financed by Saudi Arabia, Iran and other oil-rich states. Like the totalitarian regimes of the past, whether in Mao's China , Stalin's Soviet Union, Pol Pot's Cambodia, Hitler's Nazi Germany, fascist Italy, or Tojo's Japan, the adherents of this Islamic form of fascism are prepared to kill a large part of Humanity in order to bring forth the Islamic "paradise" that is supposed to triumph in the entire World. All fascists, it seems, are megalomaniacs, and the new Islamic fascists are no different.

This book is living proof that the pen is mightier than the sword, and a potent weapon against the Islamic totalitarians of today in World War III. Just like Nazi Germany, fascist Italy, Tojo's Japan, Pol Pot's Cambodia, or Stalin's Soviet Union were defeated, ultimately reason will win over this new form of religious fascism and barbarism. World War III already started, but the victors are going to be the same ones as the victors in World War II.

This book is highly recommended. It should be read and reread by every thinking person on Earth.

At last an unbiased intelligent analysis of the situation in the middle east and the events that brought to that situation. A must read for anyone interested in world affairs.

One of my colleagues who had a son in service read "Women Write the War" . I share her comments: I will share this book with my son who recently returned from service. It was very cathartic to read and share other moms' feelings who had children in Iraq. It was the scariest time in my life and this helped. I only hope the author, Bee Pedersen, knows that she made a difference with her book.

This book, with its countless tearjerker stories, is a beautiful anthology of women's accounts of the war. So many peoples lives are affected by their loved ones serving in the war, and though this is a small number of their voices, these stories are the day to day happenings of these women.

I feel extremely privledged to have my story beside other stories of courage in this book. This book is also complete with pictures of the writers and their families, which makes it hit close to home. A MUST READ!!!!

This book immediately tugs at your heart and starts the tears flowing. It is an intimate look into the thoughts and feelings of those who have loved ones fighting in Iraq. It makes you so proud and thankful of all the men and women who are risking their lives for us. It made me feel guilty I don't donate more or offer more support. As a woman, daughter, wife, and most treasured, a mother, this book has made me truly realize my freedom is another's sacrifice.
Excellent work from Bee Pedersen.

"Women Write the War" is a collection of heartrending, brave and forthright letters written by women who are living the ultimate sacrifice. These are the mothers, wives, daughters and friends that have sent their loved ones off to war so we can sleep peacefully each night. Unless a person has a loved one defending our country it is truly impossible to understand what everyday life is like for these people. The logistical nightmare of juggling children, schedules and jobs to accommodate the missing link in their lives not to mention the 'real life story' on the battlefield told by the soldiers themselves. The daily news reporting one of the recent tragedies of war sends shivers through their bodies not knowing if the casualties may include their loved ones. Not even Hollywood could produce such compelling stories of the lives these people are living as relayed through these letters.

Bee Pedersen has opened my eyes and heart to a whole new level of honor, gratitude and respect for those who sacrifice much of their lives for our safety. I'm not a bumper sticker kinda gal, however, I'm now proudly sporting a yellow ribbon to help others remember our troops and Godspeed them home.

Women Write the War is a collection of stories, vignettes and letters written by women who are soldiers in Iraq or who have loved ones there. Bee Pederson and the many contributors bring a human aspect to the situation in Iraq and Afghanistan that is not shown on the major television networks or rarely written in the newspapers. This book brings the lives of the soldiers and their families into your living room up close and personal. You feel as though you know each and every one of the contributors personally after reading this book. The stories will inspire you to be more patriotic as well as inspire you to be more understanding, sympathetic and appreciative towards our troops and their loved ones. I immediately tied a yellow ribbon around a tree outside my home as a small symbol of the immense gratitude I have for the many sacrifices made by our troops and their loved ones, parents, spouses, children, siblings, friends and neighbors. A must read now and for generations to follow.

Hi Jane:
> I have just finished reading American Priestess. I am
> most impressed by the tremendous amount of research
> that must have gone into it.
> As the child of two former Colony members I had, of
> course, heard of some of the conditions under which
> they lived. I only had bits and pieces and never knew
> in detail the full story. Your book filled in all the
> blanks and even set the scene with the background of
> the epic changes that were occurring in the Middle
> East during those times.
> Your perspective of the whole Colony situation was
> very much like that of my parents. You may be
> interested in what I had heard about Bertha's visit to
> Buffalo in 1922. As you indicated my parents had no
> love for her after the treatment they had received
> from her and her mother. They were very surprised that
> she would visit with them. However, they received her
> civilly. When Bertha first arrived she hid her true
> feelings about these people who had become
> disenchanted with the Colony and had left. My mother
> told me she walked into the Baldwin parlor where, as a
> baby of a few months I was lying in a crib and
> exclaimed, "Oh Fareedy, he is a prince."
> As for her comments following the visit stating that
> she was contemptuous of their "efforts to support
> themselves as photographers" and "they had made no
> impression on Buffalo" they were belied by the fact
> that the Baldwin Studio was one of Buffalo's leading
> photographic studios. This was before the days when
> large companies had their own photo departments and
> and my father's clients included; Ford Motor Company,
> Buffalo Gasoline Engine, Pratt and Lambert, Sterling
> Engine and many other large firms. His portraiture won
> National prizes in the Professional Photo Categories.
> Although Lewis Larsson as head of the photo department
> of the Colony gets most credit for the Colony
> pictures, my father was one of the chief
> photographers. for example in Mia Grondahl's book,
> "The Dream of Jerusalem" there are many references to
> his contributions such as, " In 1907 Furman Baldwin
> departed on a year-long photographic expedition to
> India and Ceylon. The result was hundreds upon
> hundreds of stereographic pictures of fakirs, street
> life, temples and landscapes, revealing a top class
> stereophotographer."
> It is interesting to note that a Colony policy was to
> deny credit to the individual photographers for their
> work and to label all photos "The American Colony
> Photographers."
> As I read and reread my mother's memoirs and my
> Grandmother's diaries I am continually fascinated by
> their experiences. The material you have presented has
> enriched their stories for me.
> Congratulations on achieving such a wonderful
> accomplishment!
> With all best wishes, Furman S. Baldwin

I was enthralled by this book: by the fascinating story, by the author's skill in carrying out her undertaking of combining a vast sweep of history from the industrial revolution in the Middle Western United States to the roots of the intractable hostilities in the world's Middle East, with deftly included studies of mmigration and migration, the fervor of l9th century religiosity, and layers upon layers all woven tightly together by a human narrative vividly told and nearly unique. A Shipwreck! A heroine at once awesome, fearsome, and overwhelmingly interesting. Who knew the American Colony Hotel in Jersusalem, a way station of select world travelers for a century, had such an amazing beginning? "Who knew?" is something a reader will mutter every few pages. The compression of so much history and so much research is so deft that it gives every impression of ease, becoming a compelling read. That most difficult acheivement is matched by the triumph of telling the human narrative with equally accomplished skill. This book takes you places you may never have imagined you wanted to go, and you will be so grateful for the journey.

This is one of the more informative books written regarding the history of Americans who had influence in Jerusalem and the holy land in the last century. The author has researched her subject thoroughly and made a complex story interesting and understandable. Well worth your time and effort.

A Book for those who love the Exotic and the Unusual

Jane Geniesse's book "American Priestess: The Extraordinary Story of Anna Spafford and the American Colony in Jerusalem" brings alive another time. Geniesse follows the passion of a Chicago heiress, Anna Spafford, to search for the exotic beauty in ancient Jerusalem. Following the footsteps of Gertrude Bell and Freya Stark, Geniesse creates yet yet another devoted heroine of the Near East in her book. Starting as a wealthy pasha's fort like villa, The American Colony Hotel has survived for more than a century as a place where international diplomats, correspondents, American and English expatriates met and discussed the issues of the day. The lure of the hotels' oriental decor with its Moorish arches and tiles, wooden coffered ceilings, and a cool enclosed courtyard with fountains and lemon trees which can still be found on the outside of the old walls and the Old city's Damascus Gate.

And to think that after 40+ years in the Middle East, I thought that the American Colony was "just" a hotel!! Thanks to Jane Geniesse, and after reading her fascinating book, "American Priestess," I now know the convoluted and incredible history of that site! For anyone who has stayed at the hotel or has the remotest interest in the historical events that occurred in Jerusalem at the end of the 19th century until the founding of the State of Israel, this is a "must read" book.

And now to realize that the American Colony all began with a fanatic American and his fanatic American/Norwegian wife, all brought back to life by Geniesse...incredible!!
Karen Asfour

As a doctorate student working on my dissertation concerning the impact multicultural tradebooks have on attitudes of children I found this book an excellent source needed in the classroom. Prejudice and misconceptions of "others" who do not look like or act like the mainstream culture causes an intolerance from too many U.S. citizens whose family endured the same years ago. Children can learn and sympathy through the reading of this fabulous novel.

This book is amazing and tells the story of a family from Bangladesh who gets a tourist visa to America and ends up staying- illegally. However after 9/11 our country started caring about who lived in our country and made men from certain countries register with the government.

This book has allowed me to think about things from another's point of view and re-think my opinion on illegal immigration (which I am still thinking about). I think it's great that Marina Budhos writes a novel like this to allow young adults to think critically about this hot topic and form their own opinions on it. Amazing class discussions could come of this book if used in a classroom setting!!!

It's hard to be a teenager...trying to fit in with the crowd while also trying to figure out who you are and what you want to be. But when you are seemingly invisible to the society around you, it's a lot more complicated.

High school students Nadira and Aisha are immigrants from Bangladesh. They have lived in NewYork City since they were young children surrounded by friends and family. Their father (Abba) has been working with a lawyer to acquire the papers to become legal, but for now the family is living on expired visas. Their status as illegal aliens is not a problem, really, until September 11, 2001 when everything changes! Muslims are now targets for harassment and having proper papers is crucial to avoid deportation or even imprisonment!

The family tries to flee to Canada where they hope to receive asylum. Unfortunately, when they reach Canada, they are turned away due to the huge numbers of people also seeking asylum. When they try to re-enter the U.S., they are stopped. Abba is led away for questioning and Ma must stay in a Salvation Army shelter in order to be close to him. Nadira and Aisha are sent back to New York City where they are told to stay with an Aunt and Uncle and go to school as if nothing has happened until the situation is straightened out.

Aisha is a senior in high school and has always been the smart and pretty one. Her grades place her in the top of her class. She is a member of the varsity debate team and she has been nominated to be valedictorian of her class. Aisha has always been sure to fit in with those around her. She wears the right clothes, listens to the right music and has the right friends. She is the "star"of the family who will go to college and be someone rich and important someday. Nadira is quiet and a little chubby. She must work for her grades and she has always been outshone by Aisha. But suddenly, Aisha stops trying. She skips classes, misses the championship debate meet and even misses her entrance interview with Barnard College. She believes that it's not worth trying anymore since they will probably be deported anyway. Now it's up to Nadira to come up with a plan to save the family.

Budhos has written a compelling story that humanizes the situation experienced by Muslims right after 9/11. The title, "Ask Me No Questions" refers to the fact that illegal aliens often live and work in a community with the full knowledge of its citizens. No one asks for their paperwork, so they don't have to worry about producing it. In the climate of fear after 9/11 many Muslims were suspected of being terrorists and the need to have proper documentation was critical. In this book, Nadira and Aisha have lived in New York for years with no problem. As far as they are concerned, they are Americans. Suddenly everything they have come to expect about their future is in question. Because the story is told through Nadira's eyes, the reader experiences her confusion and fear first hand.
Much of young adult literature focuses on teens "coming of age" and "finding their place in the world". Budhos has created a story of two teens who experience all of that and more. Readers are provided with insight into a problem experienced by more teens than we might imagine. This is a thought-provoking and eye-opening book to which teens and adults can relate.

I loved this compelling and terrific look at a very important subject. Illegal immigration is much in the news these days, but people rarely seem to see or think about the human faces and stories behind the headlines. This story of a Bangladeshi family who have successfully "passed" as legal for years in New York but are caught up in the post-9/11 crackdown on anyone Muslim is a heartwrenching look at the people affected every day by bureaucratic tangles and injustices, as well as American prejudices and fears. The father wrenched from his family and detained for months, the "star student" daughter who is afraid to tell anyone at school her family's situation, the younger, quieter daughter who works to find a way out of the catastrophe that has befallen the family--these characters come vividly to life and it's impossible not to imagine what it would be like in their situation.

"...And it's a story, ladies and gentlemen, that I didn't read in a book, or
learn in a classroom. I saw it and lived it, like many of you. I watched a
small man with thick calluses on both his hands work 15 and 16 hours a day. I
saw him once literally bleed from the bottoms of his feet, a man who came
here uneducated, alone, unable to speak the language, who taught me all I needed
to know about faith and hard work by the simple eloquence of his example. I
learned about our kind of democracy from my father. And I learned about our
obligation to each other from him and from my mother. They asked only for a
chance to work and to make the world better for their children, and they -- they
asked to be protected in those moments when they would not be able to
protect themselves. This nation and this nation's government did that for them.
"And that they were able to build a family and live in dignity and see one
of their children go from behind their little grocery store in South Jamaica
on the other side of the tracks where he was born, to occupy the highest seat,
in the greatest State, in the greatest nation, in the only world we know, is
an ineffably beautiful tribute to the democratic process..."
--Mario Cuomo, from his keynote address at the 1984 Democratic National
Convention.

So here we are, counting down the days leading up to the fifth anniversary
of 9/11. For some of us who are in the fortunate position of having had
ancestors come to America a century or more before, and who recognize that good
fortune, such commemorations heighten the recognition that we sit today in
collective judgment as to whether those currently outside our borders (or
illegally within our borders), who dream the same dreams our forebears did, should
be permitted similar opportunities as those from which we benefit.

"I like the shores of America!
Comfort is yours in America!
Knobs on the doors in America,
Wall-to-wall floors in America!"
-- Leonard Bernstein and Stephen Sondheim, America from West Side Story
(1957)

Of course, many would say, the world of my own immigrant Sicilian
grandparents was a different world -- different circumstances. And they would be
right. My grandmother arrived by boat with her siblings and parents a few years
before the Wright brothers' first successful flight; my grandfather sailed
from Palermo a few years after Kitty Hawk became a household name. Now the sort
of aircraft that Wilbur and Orville could never have imagined in their
wildest dreams have been used to change the world forever.
But what of those people who, like my grandparents, have done their best in
today's world to make those American dreams come true for their own children,
even if their efforts aren't always one hundred percent legal? Where does
the crackdown that 9/11 spawned leave them?

I expect that this will be a potentially frightening week for anyone in
America who is Muslim or who might be mistaken for being Muslim.

"The thing is, we've always lived this way -- floating, not sure where we
belong. In the beginning we lived so that we could pack up any day, fold up
all our belongings into the same nylon suitcases. Then, over time, Abba
relaxed. We bought things. A fold-out sofa where Ma and Abba could sleep. A TV
and a VCR. A table and a rice cooker. Yellow ruffle curtains and clay pots
for the chili peppers. A pine bookcase for Aisha's math and chemistry books.
Soon it was like we were living in a dream of a home. Year after year we
went on, not thinking about Abba's expired passport in the dresser drawer, or
how the heat and the phone bills were in a second cousin's name. You forget
you don't really exist here, that this really isn't your home. One day, we
said, we'd get the paperwork right. In the meantime we kept going. It
happens. All the time."

9/11 was a personal and deadly tragedy for thousands of Americans and their
families. And it was also a black day for illegal aliens like Nadira, her
big sister, Aisha, and their parents who had the ill-fortune a number of years
ago of hiring an incompetent attorney when they'd attempted to stay in the
country legally. Nadira's older sister Aisha is within striking distance of
being valedictorian of her high school class when, in the wake of 9/11, the
government begins tightening laws and hauling in Muslims and the girls' father
decides the best thing to do is for the family to head for the Canadian border
with their expired visa and request asylum. When they reach the border they
are forced to turn around and the girls' father is promptly arrested because
of the expired visa. Mom finds refuge in a shelter near the border where
her husband is being held, while the girls are forced to return to New York
City to be looked after by relatives and pseudo-relatives, to try to continue
their schooling while waiting indefinitely for the American government to make
its next move.

Nadira, who narrates the story and has always existed in the shadows of her
brilliant and fashionable older sister, finds herself having to step out into
the light as Aisha falls into despair over the loss of her American dreams.

"On the way back from school Aisha repeats to me, 'We're going to hear from
the lawyer, Nadira. Today. Or our letter, it's going to be answered. I
know it.'
"But when we get to the mailbox, it's empty. And there are no messages on
the machine.
"Aisha becomes obsessed. Every day there's no letter in the mailbox from
Homeland Security, no phone call from the lawyer. Every evening that we speak
to Ma and hear there's no news there, either. Aisha grows more frantic. At
night she goes over her homework again and again. She gets up early to go to
school, studying in the empty classrooms. She's like a boxer, jabbing and
hitting, trying her old moves, but this time she's up against something that
so much bigger than her, beyond her power.
" I wish I could just put a hand to her skin, stop her whirring inside.
"Soon Aisha is barely going out. She sits in Taslima's room and stares out
the window. Her hair looks greasy; she hasn't even bothered to press coconut
oil into her scalp or run her fingers through the kinks. She keeps wearing
that stupid Destiny's Child T-shirt, and when no one's home, she sneaks into
the living room and watches soaps on TV."

Imagine what it would be like to be an American in the wrong country at the
wrong time with all the rules changing, just when after years that country
was feeling like it was home.

By this detailed book Daftary submerges into 12th century politics. He carefully retells the history of islam and all of its various sects. The Assassins legends are carefully explained and the truth behind the slanders has been brought to light. The middle-age politics were made under the veil of islam in the middle-east back then. The sect's political ambition is to rise against foregin invasion(that is Selcuk rulers)No credit to tales about drugging men into sacrificing their lives for the promise of heaven. This group were made out of then-persian patriots defending their culture as a way of life.All in all a well-written book worth reading several times all over

This book should be required reading for anyone associated with Ismailism ! Negative propoganda and lack of original but unbiased research on Ismailism have portrayed a very negative image on Ismailis - this book provides a basis in remeyding that problem. You will not regret reading this book !

There's no question that Daftary's work -- like Bernard Lewis' -- is essential reading for anyone studying the Ismailis, or the various legends surrounding the so-called hasheeshians, or assassins. I came across Daftary's work and his Institutue of Ismaili Studies in London as I was preparing the first English translation of ALAMUT, Vladimir Bartol's novel of Hasan ibn Sabbah, the original so-called "assassin."

If Daftary's tone appears to be defensive, he's got several centuries of reasons behind him: since Marco Polo swept through Persia and returned to Italy with fantastic and horrific tales of how "no person, however powerful...could escape assassination" at the hands of the "Old Man of the Mountain" and his band of hashish-eating followers, Ismailis have had their work cut out for them. (Bartol's work certainly doesn't help, largely relying as it does on those myths and fabrications.) Taken together with Lewis' work on the subject, Daftary's study offers a compelling argument against Marco Polo and the bread crumbs of myths that followed him back to Italy.

As the Head of the Department of Academic Research and Publications at the Institute of Islamic studies it is safe to say that Daftary is the foremost expert and scholar in Ismailism today. What makes this book so compelling is that it dares to defy the age old myths of the so called "Assassins". Few books, if any, have provided readers with this perspective, and Daftary pulls it off exceptionally. While the book may be heavy in names, dates and facts they serve to provide credibility and work to dispel the myths that many have worked hard to create. Finally, a piece that gives competing works a run for their money. Anyone who has read other, older and perhaps more popular works about the "Assassin Terrorist" are highly recommended to read Daftary's works as they make a much more convincing argument. The book also elucidates the origins of myth and folklore and how they develop into acceptable facts with time. With all the negativity surrounding Islam and Ismailism today The Assassin Legends gives an opportunity to step back and look the entire picture. Any real scholar would admit that there are two sides to every story, and to study the Assassins without consulting Daftary's works would be committing a sincere injustice.

This is a very interesting and well researched look at the history of the Isma'ilis, and compliments your Middle-Eastern history shelf nicely. It is essentially a history text, though, and heavy on the names/dates/primary sources, and isn't quite so useful if you're looking for actual legends. It is also clearly biased in favor of the Isma'ilis, which is fair considering most Islamic histories are biases against them. Still, this book is a nice addition to the sect's history, but maybe not the best introduction.