Middle East Books

As a Christian worker in China, I had first-hand opportunity to see how we "foreigners" interacted cross-culturally. (Usually, the most successful of us were those who were not on a Mission from God.) Having seen people badly suited to live abroad and admiring those who were very able to do so, the joy of this book by Freya Stark was reading about a woman operating cross-culturally with a world-class ability to encounter persons with a much different backround than her own. Her sheer delight in her Bedouin companions is vicariously enjoyable.
Of course, this book journeys not just across cultures but across times, beginning with the author's introduction, which discusses the antiquity of the regioun she explores, especially in the time of great trade in frankincense, which made the region, for a time, wealthy. It is also reflected in the ancient culture and historical monuments and artifacts the author encounters.
Moreover, Freya Stark writes (wrote) beautifully. This book will appeal to anyone who is curious about other peoples, other lands and other times or who enjoys good writing.

I found this book absolutely fascinating as it described a time, only 70-odd years ago, when there truly were unexplored reaches, where legend and history still co-existed, and where a culturally sensitive and aware, and properly respectful traveler could find peaceful and fulfilling adventure. This book is even more interesting now, given the changes in the Middle East in the past ten years. Can one imagine making the same kind of journey in Yemen now? Of course not; it would almost be suicide. That time has long since been destroyed, everything about this book but its pure physical setting gone, so this memoir is even more poignant and compelling.

Stark has an eye for detail, as jaundiced as it is with the unavoidable Orientalism of her time and socio-cultural context. This can be forgiven/overlooked, and she's a lot more fair and obliging when describing those she encounters than the majority of her contemporaries. She's at her best when describing the landscapes she is encountering, the stark desert and wadis, the unexpected lushness of the oases and tucked-away mountain crevices where all the shades of green burst forth.

More than anything, what comes through in this book is Stark's grace and abiding respect for the people she meets. She has taken the time to learn their language, and is familiar with their culture, and takes pains to encounter them in terms that will make them comfortable. She does not attempt to bend anyone to a Western European point of view. This is not to say she is subservient or fawning; she most certainly stands up for herself when it is required. But throughout the book and on this journey, her continued success comes from her honesty tinged with her respect for the region and the people with whom she is interacting. This engenders respect for her in return.

I found the three maps in the beginning of the book at first absolutely invaluable as references to Stark's locations and progress. I then found the maps to be absolutely infuriating, due to their black/white printing, the too-small script, the confusing order of the maps, the contradictory scales and place-name differences, etc. I ended up abandoning the book's maps and opening my unabridged atlas to Yemen and tracking her movement there. Editors: if you're going to offer maps in a book like this, make sure the maps are actually worthwhile and readable.

Two scholarly additions to the book are good. Stark's appendix on the "Southern Incense Route of Arabia" is a fascinating account of exactly what she was looking for, and what brought her to the Hadramaut in the first place. It's her indirect formal scholarly statement of motivation. This appendix would have been well-placed as a foreword to this book, serving to establish her motivation and objective. Stark lists her sources, and they're offered as a listed bibliography immediately after the appendix. There is also an index, but for whatever reason, many of the persons and places in the text are not included, and there is no cross-referencing. For example, the names of individual wadis are placed in the index as "Sidun, Wadi," and are not cross-referenced with a "Wadi Sidun" entry.

Bottom line: If you're one of the many readers newly interested in Islam, Arabs and the Middle East, and are looking for some context beyond the latest book on extremism or terrorism, something to add depth to what you think you understand, then this book will do you well. If you're looking for some insight into the cultures and traditions of Islam, this also will move you in that direction. If you're looking for a glimpse into a time when the West and Islam actually got along on a basis of mutual respect, this enjoyable book will tell you about it.

Trekking over the desolate, rocky plateau that lies between the coast and the interior valleys of Hadhramaut, Freya Stark travelled in 1935 with a group of Bedu and a government slave-soldier. The area has been known as Aden Protectorate, the Qu'aiti State of Shihr and Makalla, South Arabia, the People's Democratic Republic of South Yemen, and is now part of united Yemen. She visited several of the interior towns, almost never seen by Europeans at that time (though the RAF did maintain a presence), and has written beautiful descriptions of the unusual physical environment as well as a kind and sympathetic treatment of the people she met. She talked in Arabic with the ladies of the harim as well as with the rulers, scholars, and ordinary men of the communities. Stark aimed to travel to Shabwa, a long-lost ancient city much further in the interior of the Arabian peninsula, to an area then contested between Yemen and Saudi Arabia. Illness prevented her from doing so. This book then, is an account of her curtailed trip. She was evacuated by airplane from the interior, lucky to be alive. I always like travellers who respect the people they visit and who do not condescend. Freya Stark is certainly among them. For a travel book that describes a time long gone and a place still far from the beaten track-do you know many people who have been to Shibam, Makalla, Tarim, or al Qatn ?---you cannot do much better. You might use it as a guide as to how you could get along with people of a very different culture to your own---step number one, don't try to force them to adhere to your value system.

However, one thing about this book puzzled me. Compared to most travel literature, it is a most existentialist piece. "Here I am, travelling through remote Hadhramaut." That's cool, but we never find out why she was travelling to Shabwa-well, OK, it is old, it is a kind of `forbidden city', and it might hold ruins of interest---but why her ? Who was she ? What was her purpose ? What were her qualifications ? I realize full well that we can read her biography, we can look her up in the encyclopedia or on Google, that she wrote many other books. But, I had never read anything else by her, knew nothing of her life. I wondered who she was. The book offers absolutely no clue. Why did the rulers all welcome her ? How did she have such good connections with the powers that be in Aden ? I put this existentialist atmosphere down to a kind of British reticence, a reluctance to reveal much about oneself, not the proper form, etc. That is all well and good, each to her own culture, but it does cast a cloud of vagueness over the whole book. Compared to Wilfred Thesiger in his "Arabian Sands", Stark tells little of her aims or background, but is more willing to accept the Arabs as they were, not as she wished they would be.

In 1934, Freya Stark determined that she would follow the ancient frankincense routes through the fertile Hadhramaut valley to locate and record what was left of the legendary lost city of Shabwa. In 1936 she published _The Southern Gates of Arabia: A Journey in the Hadhramaut_ which, as did many of her thirty-odd books, became a best seller. It is now republished by the Modern Library, and is a welcome reminder of a brave, erudite, and witty explorer. The current volume has as an introduction a capsule description of Stark's life by her biographer, Jane Fletcher Geniesse. Born in 1892, Stark was only able to indulge in travel in her thirties; she realized that there was a hunger for knowledge about exotic Arabia, and she schooled herself in the language and history of the area, through which she traveled by foot, car, donkey, and camel well into her eighties. She lived to be 101.

The explorations of these exotic lands are rendered now more strange and lovely by time. Few of us will get to see the lands Stark loved, but we will never see them as she did. For most of the steps along the trail described in this book, Stark was the first European woman to come that way, and that she did so unaccompanied by a European escort gave the Bedouin, the learned men, and the sultans something to admire and wonder at. One who thought himself a leader of her group attempted to exclude her by bringing her meals to a separate area. "He was showing a Victorian disapproval of females who do not keep themselves to themselves, a thing I find dull and difficult to do." She finds that she very much likes being in the middle of the group, even as an outsider. "To sit over the fire with one's fellows in the evening, when the work is over and the talking begins, is the only sure way of keeping harmony and friendship. I never had any difficulties with my beduin and found nothing but friendliness and an anxiety to serve in every way, and I attribute this chiefly to the fact that we had our meals together..." On the last night being with one group, one of the Bedouin thanks her for sharing food together (rather than keeping separate as he had expected the European traveler to do), and says it has been pleasant traveling with her. "'Here we are now,' he said, 'all together. And tomorrow?' - he opened his hand out wide - 'all scattered, where?' After this question, so sad, ancient, and universal, we looked in silence to the darkness and the stars."

Stark's quest was unfulfilled because of all things, measles. The discovery of Shabwa awaited a German traveler the next year, for she was too sick to continue toward her goal. One of her hosts, as she was ailing, reassured her: "Here we have no sickness; we are well or we die." She was carried off in a plane of the Royal Air Force, to whom in gratitude she dedicated her book. Her work is a perfect illustration that journeying well, and not achieving the destination, is the better accomplishment. It is impossible to come away from this volume without admiring this spunky, amused and amusing woman, nor to share in her admiration for those among whom she traveled. "The magic of Arabia," she writes, "which so many have felt, is due perhaps less to the sun-wrinkled arid land itself than to the innate peculiar nobility and charm of its people."

Das Werk "Sowing the Dragon's Teeth: Byzantine Warfare in the Tenth Century (Dumbarton Oaks Studies)" enthält die bisher einzig verfügbare englische Übersetzung der Precepta Militaria. Aufgrund seiner Bedeutung für die byzantinische Militärgeschichte ist diese Ausgabe somit ein absolutes Muß für jeden Byzanz-Fan.
Im Textteil wird dem griechischen Originaltext dabei jeweils auf der gegenüberliegenden Seite die englische Übersetzung gegenüber gestellt. Für Leser, die - wie ich - dem Alt-Griechische nicht mächtig sind, ist dies meist nur bei Fachausdrücken von Vorteil, die sich nicht immer 100%-ig übersetzen lassen. Zumal Begriffe im Laufe der Zeit durchaus die Bedeutung ändern können.
Darüberhinaus enthält das Buch analoge Textpassagen des späteren Taktika des Nikephoros Ouranos, die in gleicher Weise Griechisch/Englisch präsentiert werden.
Auch werden ausgesuchte Textpassagen mit ähnlich lautenden Passagen früherer Werke verglichen und Unterschiede in der Nomenklatura aufgezeigt.

Der zweite Teil des Buches enthält umfangreiche Informationen zum geschichtlichen Kontext und die Interpretationen des Autors zu den Traktaten.

Obwohl neuere Autoren die Qualität der Übersetzungen mitlerweile in Frage stellen und zum Teil zu gänzlich anderen Schlußfolgerungen kommen, bildet doch das vorliegende Werk eine unerlässliche Quelle and Informationen aus erster Hand.

This is an outstanding book of its' type. The translations are good and the transliterations very well done. It also provides a good background on not only the texts but also the events and institutions they discuss, making the book useful not only as a primary source, but also as a historical analysis in its own right. The commentary is also eminently readable and filled with information on not only the Byzantine army itself, but also those Asiatic enemies which it faced and bested. Honestly, I have yet to find a better text on this subject.

The successful resistance of the Later Roman Empire aka the Byzantine Empire to the powerful and relentless assault of nascent Islam is not only the foundation stone of Western civilisation but also a great mystery. Why should Rome, weakened as it was by the ravages of hordes of Northern and Eastern barbarians and a series of dreadful plagues, have survived the onslaught when the its great and ancient rival, the Persian Empire was so quickly overwhelmed? The financial and military rescources of the early Caliphs were vastly greater than those at the command of the Byzantine Emperor and the military enthusiasm of his subjects was intense - witness the constant attacks by the large number of volunteer Jihad warriors from all over Islam who based themselves in what is now Syria.

Part of the answer is to be found in this excellent book which affords the reader an insight into the detail of the military adaptations the Roman Empire made to cope with its dire problem. This scholarly, authentic account is an indispensible tool for those who wish to understand why it is that, to paraphrase Edward Gibbon, the inhabitants of medieval Oxford did not answer the Muezzin's call and worship Allah in the city of dreaming spires.

The tanslation of the texts are well done, but that is not the best thing about this book. It is the commentary that follows the translations (about half the book). The author does an excellent job of describing, in modern language, the items detailed in the translations, providing examples from Byzantine warfare to illustrate. The reader finally gets a detailed impression of Byzantine warfare in the age of its greatest triumphs.

This is a wonderful book. It is full of the imagery and feelings that in turn, delight, amuse and sadden. Naomi Nye has compiled a collection of writers from various countries within the Middle East. Although the writers come from many countries and competing nationalities, there is a common commitment to peace. Since the poems are translated,rather than presented in the original languages, the reader does not have the benefit of the natural rhythms of the languages the poems were taken from. What the translations lack in terms of rhyme is more than made up by the poets' use of Metaphor. One poet talks about "drinking in the melancholy of morning". Another talks about being passed by trains with eyes looking back at you. The language is effective and persuasive. Many of the poems deal with loss. They deal with the loss of loved ones, the loss of time, the loss of relationships, but more importantly, they deal with the loss of basic human rights and something as basic as a homeland. The book has many fine paintings that supplement the text. They are all very well done and add to the feeling of the book. The reader of this book will not only read, but will also have an experience. All the senses except hearing will be involved. I recommend this book to anyone, particularly to Young Adults.

I bought this book from amazon.com, fell in love with it & wrote the following review for The Capital Times, Madison WI's afternoon newspaper:

That this exquisitely beautiful, painfully direct and ultimately joyful book, "The Space Between Our Footsteps,'' is published under the imprint of Simon & Schuster's Books for Young Readers is an example of how badly we adults need to learn the lessons we try to teach our children.

The poems and paintings of more than 100 writers and artists from 19 countries are loosely grouped by theme,without a condescending preface or explanations of how to feel when we read or view them...This book is an ideal gift for anyone old enough to read "The Diary of Anne Frank,'' and to know that just as, for Anne, life went on as war went on, so it does today. It is for anyone who thinks he or she understands the conflicts in the Middle East, and for anyone whose life needs a sudden rush of beauty.

(Lin Seagren teaches in Stoughton WI and for the UW-Extension.)

This book has room in its heart for the passions and longings of writers from all of the Middle East. It offers readers, in beautiful poetry, the longings for place, for a loved past, for a more secure future, felt by Lebanese, Syrians, Israelis, Turks, Palestinians, Iraqis, Saudis, Egyptians, and more. Meticulously designed and printed, it offers art from across the Middle East that illuminates these poems and helps us learn with our children important lessons about that part of the world.

We are living in a time where being Arab, Muslim, or Southeast Asian makes one a "terror suspect." In this age of fear and ignorance, it is more important than ever for educators and readers of poetry to take a look at Nye's touching portraits of Arab and Arab American life. If these poems reveal the beauty, intelligence, and vitality of Arab and Arab Americans, then -- to the seething reader from Denver, CO-- you may find Nye guilty of being truthful: All human life is precious, and all human beings are capable of exceeding our expectations.

I first fell in love with Nye's poetry through "The Words Beneath the Words" and recommend all of her works. Educators, activists, lovers of poetry, please read and share Nye's work. They are more important then ever in creating peaceful relationships for the future.

The Splendour of Iran is a three-volume book which I worked on for six years, commissioned by Booth-Clibborn Editions. Athough my name appears as the general editor on all three volumes, I don't know why Amazon refuses to give me proper credit and mentions only the publisher's name as the producer of this book. In any case, having given all my author's copies to different friends, I have started buying more copies from Amazon to give as gifts. I have also used it for a class I taught in America on the culture and art of Iran, and the students have found it very useful because not only can they look at the beautiful pictures in it, but also read the texts, all of which have been written by specialists, in a language that non-specialists can understand.

Dear Sirs,

These are great books if you are interested in Iran and its rich culture. Three volumes will give you exellent imagination of what is Iranian culture from Ancient Persia...
I would like to thank all the authors and photographers of the books. All of You did great job. And this is good price for such books!

This three volume collection is simply stunning. The three books are all rather large and well laid out. Each volume deals with a specific part of Persian history. The information within covers a broad spectrum and is well illustrated. This is the kind of book one returns to over and over to seek out more information.

A delightful, yet comprehensive account of a magnificent civilization which has endured great many upheavals and turmoils.
This is a must read.

This is a great book for history and religion buffs, especially considering the recent discovery in Jerusalem of a Bone Box that may have belonged to James, the brother of Jesus Christ and the main character of this novel. It is told through the eyes of an enamored disciple and blends intrigue with historical fact in relating the story of the religious sect in Kumran, a sect responsible for writing the Dead Sea Scrolls. This book is captivating, readable, and very interesting. I give it five stars.

The main character of this novel is James, the brother of Jesus. This is hot because his bone box (ossuary) has recently been found in Jerusalem.

Here is what is written on the back cover and on the book's web site:

Jesus Christ had a brother, James, as told in the New Testament and by Jesus' contemporary, Josephus.
A purported ossuary of James was recently discovered.
The inscription on the ossuary reads, "James, son of Joseph, the brother of Jesus".
Regardless of the authenticity of the ossuary, the controversy sorrounding it
led many to learn of James' brotherhood to Jesus,
his immense role in early Christianity and his likely connection to the Dead Sea Scrolls -
all of which were intentionally obscured by the Catholic Church.

Through the eyes of an enamored female disciple, This novel,
The Star of Apocalypse, uncovers the obscured and momentous story of
James [Jacob], the brother of Jesus [Yeshua].

Excerpt from the The Star of Apocalyse:

On our way back to the Dead Sea
we camped near the cave where
I had seen the image of Yeshua
when we had first left Jerusalem.
It was the same time of year and
I walked below the same dome of starry skies,
hoping to see the same vision.
A figure appeared, and I recognized Jacob.
'Here it was that I saw your brother's image a year ago.'
'You will not see it again in this world.'
'How can you say that?'
'Let me tell you a story...'

The Synopsis:

Short:
From obscure beginnings and endings in Roman-occupied Jerusalem emerges a throng of religious zealots living in Qumran by the Dead Sea. Conflict is inevitable: with the Romans, but more significantly, within the Jewish sects, and between the Judeo-early Chrisian leadership. James, the brother of Jesus led one way, and Paul the apostle, led the other.

A fantastic read! Not only is the book historically intriguing in presenting and extending the latest compelling contraversial theories, but also an addictively smooth novel.

I see that the author's synopsis is missing from this site, which is a shame. So i will paste it.

The Time is fall, A.D. 62 at Qumran, in the Roman province of Judea.
A Jewish woman laments the death of James, the righteous leader of her sect. She is dismayed that the sect's apocalyptic hopes dependent on James' success have not materialized. Will her soul now be lost forever?

The anonymous narrator reverts to tell James' story. It starts with his appointment as successor by his brother, Jesus at about A.D. 36 and ends with James' execution in A.D. 62.

During the period of James' ministry, his doctrines and authority are continually challenged by Paul, a former persecutor of the sect. Throughout the story, the narrator warns James about Paul's activities. She follows these activities and travels in Paul's footsteps to Tarsus, Antioch and Ephesus. James is not very alarmed about Paul. Thus James' tepid actions aimed at containing Paul do not succeed. Paul becomes uncontrollable in his anti-Jewish actions. James only realizes the reality of Paul's threat at his own execution. After being stoned, James murmurs "How odd of God to choose Saul".

The narrator details her ascetic life with the Qumran community in the Judean desert. How she falls in love with James but realizes that he is unavailable, being a holy man sworn to celibacy. And how in her frustration and self search she marries Eleazar son of Dinai, a real life Robin Hood figure of the first century. She travels around Judea and Asia Minor and describes the scenic, social and religious geography of these areas. She recounts the meteoric rise and untimely death of the last Jewish king of Judea, Agrippa I, who captivates the love and hopes of the people. They believe that Agrippa is the nation's savior.

The narrator befriends Agrppa's daughter Berenice, the skeptic character of this novel, who proffers logical explanations to some of the momentous paranormal events in human history. Berenice also explains the reasons for the deadly hostility between the brothers of Jesus and the priestly brothers, the sons of Hanan, in relation to the literal texts of the Dead Sea Scrolls. She proves that Hanan son of Hanan is the "Wicked Priest" of the Scrolls and that the two families were engaged in a blood feud with no holds barred, beginning with Jesus' crucifixion.

Enjoy!

I really enjoyed the book. It's an area of history that I've seen skimmed over in class after class. For me, this was an excellent jumping off point for looking into the Iran Hostage Crisis. The research is good, and the author incorporates good primary source documentation. Yet, this book still remains a general overview of what happened, focusing more on the U.S. side of things rather than what actually happened in Iran. It's a balanced history; I was just hoping it went a little more in depth.

Very good coverage of before, during, and after this act of war.
Taken Hostage: The Iran Hostage Crisis and America's First Encounter with Radical Islam (Politics and Society in Twentieth Century America)

Farber does a very good job with this book. I was anxious to read it for its historical significance with the 25th anniversary of the hostage crisis. I was in grade school during those 444 days. I wasn't old enough to understand why our citizens were being held. I was old enough to remember other things: the yellow ribbons, Walter Cronkite counting the days each night, Mickey Mouse bumper stickers giving Iran the finger.

The book is very strong with the background of Iranian/US relations. Most Americans probably don't realize the important role people like Eisenhower (and the CIA) played in deposing Iranian despot Mossadegh and installing Mohammed Reza Pahlavi (the Shah) into power.

Farber does a nice job of explaining how it is the policy decisions of the US government that were the root causes of the hostage crisis. The main decisions being installing the Shah and subsequently providing refuge for an ailing Shah in mid-1979. An interesting parallel can be drawn today with the current war on terror. Al Qaeda doesn't hate America so much for what we stand for as for the policy decisions we make.

Farber also does a nice job of describing the troubled days of the Carter administration. Carter had to deal with almost insurmountable problems during his term. Stagflation, high unemployment, the gas crunch and finally (his ultimate downfall) the crisis in Iran.

The book reads very quickly for a so-called historical white-paper. I would recommend it for anyone who is interested in knowing a bit more about the history of Iran and the hostage crisis as well as those interested in the war on terror and some of its early beginnings.

This book is an outstandingly researched work and I applaud Farber's thoroughness. I just finished writing my final research paper for my historical methods class on the Iran hostage crisis and this text was an indispensable resource.

It is so much more than just an account of the hostage crisis. Farber really delves beneath the surface of the events and decisions related to the crisis. He paints a picture for the reader of the sentiments prevalent among the citizenries of both the United States and Iran. He goes further by describing the reasons behind those sentiments. This puts the decisions made by the Carter administration, the actions taken by the Iranians, and the reactions to both of these by the American public in a context and framework essential to understanding the hostage crisis and its related issues. Highly Recommended.

Dr Cole has provided insight into the thinking of the Israeli who has been confronted with terrorist tactics. We can all learn from this. A book well worth reading and studying.

Len Cole's book shares real experiences of Israeli victims of terror, their families and care providers and explores the services and procedures that were developed to help them heal and cope. The organizations that provided these services have formed the network that is the Israeli national system for dealing with these devasatating events. This network can be a prototype for developing an uniquely American system to save American lives. Terror, How Israel Has Coped And What American Can Learn, is moving, erudite, well researched and is a must read for all concerned about responding to terror in America.
Elaine Schreiber, Phoenix, AZ

Leonard A. Cole's book reads both as a terrifying documentation of the nightmare experiences of Israeli citizens at the hands of Palestinian suicide bombers while at the same time demonstrating the magnificence of heart of those same Israeli citizens. Dr. Cole has painstakingly researched the entire spectrum of senseless violence and the way a gallant citizenry has dealt with it and has drawn conclusions and recommendations that has a universality for all countries now facing the threat of Terroism. Many of these recommendations could perhaps one day save American lives. After reading Dr. Cole's book, one finds himself/herself reflecting long hours on the nature of the human condition.

"Terror" by Dr. leonard Cole, provides a sophisticated analysis of how Israel has coped with terror within it's borders. All Americans should be reading this book to help us as individuals as well as our gorvernment in putting the Israeli experience into practice in the united States.

Inspirational. Dr. Gutwein presents the urbanization with fluidity and knowledge that has not been seen since Dag Hammarskjold. Thank you, and keep up the good works. God bless America.

-LIB

I loved this book and Dr. Gutwein is a close companion of mine. Love you kenny!

A superb work by Dr. Gutwein, which highlights the crucially important Byzantine period in the history of the Middle East. The documentation is truly superb, and the rich sketches, chapter notes, and detail are awe innspiring. Truly a "magnum opus," for anyone interested in the ancient Middle East!

You'd love this book if you are into Byzantine Urbanization. It's great!

Re-reading the book after many years brings up poignant reveries of what could have been if it had only succeeded. The heady optimism, the potential for a true peace, for harmony. Michael Bernet captures the human story of arab and jew, soldier and civilian during the brief days of war.

Most of us are too young to recall Israel's stunning Six Day War of 1967 against Egypt, Syria and Jordan. Most of those who were then old enough, seem to have forgotten the details of that earthshaking event, and have been taken in by decades of Arab lies and deceit. Michael Bernet was there and recorded the events from the points of view of both Israelis and Arabs, warriors, politicians, soldiers and civilians. It was not a war of aggression by Israel but an unexpected unnecessary war that was forced on her. It was also not a war of conquest: the Israelis were hoping to speedily give back all the territory they had captured in return for a genuine peace.

What is even more surprising, at the end of the war Arab and Jew treated each other as long-lost brothers. There was genuine hope and excitement on both sides, an expectation of peaceful, productive and synergetic coexistence. That hope was dashed twelve weeks later when the Arab states met in conference and vowed never to negotiate with Israel, never to recognize the Jewish state, never to permit peace. Now, forty years later, the Islamist warmongers have won out, as we see tragically from Iraq to Afghanistan, Spain and Bali, and New York and the Pentagon.

Bernet is a brilliant writer. His book is gripping, the personal details he recounts bring the participants to life with all their fears, their courage, their hopes and the flow of their emotions.

A must reading for anyone interested in the shape and future of today's world.

The Six Day War of 1967 was perhaps the last war of the old era, before media technology developments facilitated bringing the gory truth into our living rooms and rendered all operations seemingly transparent. Michael Bernet, with this excellent book, sheds light on what really happened to the people involved. He does this like a good documentary director, with parallel editing and surprise twists in the 'plot' of fascinating real life stories, and with his own refreshing insights.
I am eagerly waiting for Michael Bernet's new book on the psychology of the Middle East.

I remember the excitement and optimism as a young Israeli teenager in the summer of 1967. Venturing across the "green line" to meet with people my age in Eastern Jerusalem and Ramalla. I was filled with awe at the prospect of peace and coexistence.
Jews and Arabs got together like long-lost cousins, rejoicing in the rapid end to the war, learning to understand and accept each other, seeking channels for cooperation in education, health, commerce, democratization.
This book takes me back to those optimistic euphoric days and sheds some light on the reasons why we are now at such a dead-end...

an excellent outlet to understand the source of the present irrationality. while the book may seem overburdened with conspiratorial themes, Cahmish's documented historical behavioral patterns and factual narrations of the 'traitors and carpetbaggers' does fit their public posturing. as such, the book aptly neutralizes the present journalistic facade, while offering a fresh and believable account. highly recommended.

I do not profess to be any sort of expert pertaining to the governmental in-fighting, intrigue and conspiracies within the Israeli, Western & International political spheres, but if only one percent of the revelations illustrated in this book by Barry Chamish are correct, then it is more than sufficient to give serious cause for concern in relation to the security of the Jewish State. Especially when so many of the revelations disclosed here relate to the `peace process'.

At the outset, the author declares that what one will read and access within this book will not be found in the news media. This book will indeed shock many readers. It certainly shocked me.

This is an incredible journal of the scheming, back-stabbing, betrayals, political manipulation & external International interference in matters regarding the present and future status of Israel.

Many International entities are referred to in some detail, including the US & its variety of Governmental Departments, the UK, France & other Western nations, plus numerous Middle Eastern nations including Egypt, Syria, Jordan. Not to mention certain notable elements within Israel's own political arena such as Rabin, Peres, Beilin plus Palestinian figures such as Arafat & his adjutants.

Shortly before writing this review I read in the Jerusalem Post about Shimon Peres' alleged intentions of `redefining' what constitutes a Jew. Elaborating somewhat, the report assigned to the alleged comments of Peres, further outlined that if the `definition' was left to Rabbis, then perhaps moves should be taken to actually `redefine' what constitutes a Rabbi. I was astonished at how someone could even make such a statement. Yet when faced with other revelations such as those so well depicted in this book, surprise should perhaps have been the last sensation to be experienced.

Reading the disclosures here leaves one with a different perception of so many senior Israeli political figures as well as a vast plethora of International figures including US Presidents, Secretaries Of State, UK Prime Ministers & Foreign Secretaries and similar personages from many other senior figures in both the West and Mid-East. I cannot help but ponder on how `paper-thin' the Mid-East peace agreements between Israel and Egypt/Jordan seem to appear.

I have no previous experience in relation to the actual veracity of these disclosures by the writer. However, I also possess two of his other works entitled "The Last Days Of Israel" and "Who Murdered Yitzhak Rabin". Having browsed through these other two books, they too appear to possess `mind-blowing' material.

Whilst the disturbing implications of what one reads here can only attract concern about the manipulation of Israel's affairs, as a Christian who has a deep love for the People & Land of Israel, I personally hold to the words included in the Old Testament Psalm 33; 10-11..."The Lord foils the plans of the nations; He thwarts the purposes of the peoples. But the plans of the Lord stand firm forever, the purposes of His heart through all generations."

In other words, no matter what the politicians/nations conspire or contrive, the Divine Purpose for Israel, it's People & Land, will eventually be fulfilled.

We need more investigative reporters from Israel like Mr. Chamish! It's refreshing to read what's really going on in Israel behind the scenes of the "peace process." Few are courageous enough to expose the self-serving Establishment, but thankfully every generation has flickers of the "eternal flame" of truth. May "Traitors and Carpetbaggers in the Promised Land" serve to stir people up to truly think and question, and come to an independent conclusion, based upon all the facts and not just what we're spoon-fed!

I have been student of the Middle East for the past 40 years and have read hundreds of books on the Arab-Israeli conflict. All of them combined don't add up to what Mr. Chamish done: he has given us the real story, not the propaganda we read in the so-called "free press".

One can only wonder what this man can write for an encore.

Efraim Menashe Kibbutz Amchofshi Israel