Middle East Books

Terry Anderson's Den of Lions is a den of insights into the radical bi-polar terrorist mentality in which he was trapped for over seven years. His descriptions of the bombings, shootings and random daily violence that permeated around the non-citizens and the citizens of Lebanon, make this a classic Middle East hostage survivor's story. Anderson's poems of his cruel incarceration are filled with searing depth that transport you to the various scummy basement cells which he shared with other Westerners. Den of Lions and Hostage by David Jacobson go hand in hand and are important contributions in the collection of Middle East books that help those of us citizens who were not there or too young to remember, the horror that Beirut was during the eighties and early ninties. Very highly recommended!

Mr. Anderson's book is a lesson on how to maintain sainity in the most horrible situations you could every be in; kidnapped and the lose of personal freedom.

This book is not a pleasant read. It is very important though in that it allows the reader, who is probably very comfortable while reading, to feel the sense of dispair that Mr. Anderson went through.

The political reasons as well as the climate in the Middle East in the 1980's is very interesting and this account allows us to see it from a totally different perspective.

Plus it has a happy ending, I highly recommend it.

Den of Lions: Memoirs of Seven Years by Terry Anderson is one of my favorite books. The book grabbed my attention and kept it. I read the book in one day. Learning of Terry Anderson's ordeal through his eyes and in his words was amazing. Having been only 4 when he was taken hostage, I did not really know much about him until he was released from Lebanon in 1991, when I was 10. I grew up watching the news with my parents and I can remember seeing his return on television.
When I decided to study journalism in college, I chose the E.W. Scripps School of Journalism at Ohio University. When I heard that Terry Anderson was going to be joining the faculty at Scripps, I was truly excited. I read his memoirs and then had the opportunity to hear him speak about his ordeal. Having him as a professor at Scripps was a wonderful experience for all journalism students. I have the great privilege of saying that I met one of my role models and I am grateful for that.
Den of Lions: Memoirs of Seven Years is one of the best books I have ever read. It is touching and wonderfully written. It tells Terry Anderson's story in a way that only he could.

I do not want this to sound insensitive, but the one thing I kept thinking as I was reading this book is why was he there? The U.S. government was telling U.S. citizens to leave, the Lebanese government did not care, his employer wanted him to leave, and there were increasing hostage incidents. The book his the story of his capture and the seven years he spent as a captive of this militant group. He does a good job in describing the locations he was in, the people that were his captors, and the other persons that he was with. I thought the most interesting parts of the book detailed his conversations with some of his captors and their views on the situation.

The book is a very interesting view of what happened to the author. The details are rich and he does a good job of painting the scenes for us. He also did a good job of explaining the depression of being a captive and what it is like to loss seven years of your life, although I do not think any author could truly express the emotional pain that he must have gone through. If you are interested in this part of the world or this story, this is a great book. It is also interesting given the current climate in the Middle East to read about what was happening 20 years ago.

I am a Westerner who has lived in Lebanon for many years and yet I gleaned new knowledge of the Middle East from reading "Den of Lions". Terry Anderson is a wonderful writer, and the addition of his fiancee's thoughts and feelings adds depth of insight into the agony of hostage-taking. There are interesting looks into the interaction between hostages and into the daily frustrations of the waste, and yet somehow the not-waste, of almost seven years away from freedom of choice. This is a book that has stayed on my mind.

I found this book to be very interesting, albeit only the first half. The historical accounts in the book are all footnoted to the original sources, and the author lets the events and laws speak for themselves.

The Dhimmi: Jews & Christians Under Islam is required reading for any American.

The author writes, in detail, in a marvelously researched manner. The mistake that many people make is that Islam is only anti-Israel and anti-Jewish. For from it. Islam is anti-American, anti-Christian, anti-Protestant, anti-Catholic, and anti-Buddhist, anti just about everything.

Even if there was no Israel, or the US was not an ally of Israel, radical Islam would still despise the USA.

When Islam despises you, your live is in danger.

This is a horrifying book. What is most horrifying is that it is non-fiction.

Why do Arabs attack Zionism? In this book, Bat Ye'or gives a surprisingly simple answer. I think she's absolutely nailed the cause of the problem:

"It is well known that the successful revolt of the colonized frequently traumatizes the colonizer. Vengefulness and hatred express the distress of the oppressor confronted by his victim's rebellion. An equality of rights with the inferior party humiliates the dominating group which, deprived of its superiority, seeks compensation in phantasms. Such reactions have been exhaustively analyzed in books dealing with the phenomenon of racism."

The author shows these attitudes in action, as various Arabs complain that the presence of Jews in Israel defiles the land, or that the land is all Arab, with Jews being mere "dhimmis." The liberation of the Jews is sometimes considered a crime against Nature, as we see Egyptian President Nasser call it "the greatest international crime that has been committed in the entire history of mankind."

The terms applied by Arab racists to Jewish dhimmis who sought freedom are now applied to Israel itself: insolent, arrogant, and needing punishment.

I think this book is one of the best at explaining why Arabs and Jews are at odds in the Middle East. And why they'll continue to be at odds until Arabs renounce such racism and until international applause for this racism quiets down.

Bat Ye'or explains the problems of being a dhimmi. A dhimmi lacks rights and is thus dependent on the good will of, um, real people. A dhimmi has no history; actually a dhimmi has no right to have a history, and real people write any history they please regarding dhimmis. And the author shows that although Zionism is more an Oriental phenomenon than a European one, the refusal to acknowledge Zionist history tends to lead to claims that Zionism is exclusively a European movement. In addition, she implies that the refusal of many Arabs to refer to Israel or to allow it to be on Arab maps is another symptom of the tendency to refuse dhimmis the right to a historical existence.

The author contrasts the outrage of many antizionist Arabs with the relative silence of some genuine victims: Jews who were expelled from Arab nations. She attributes some of this to a tendency of dhimmis, with their history of having been exploited, servile, and silent, to think in terms of gratitude and toleration rather than in terms of rights.

In this book, Bat Ye'or does a superb job of explaining the dhimmi condition. And I think we all ought to heed her warning that those who forget history are indeed condemned to repeat it.

This is a disturbing book which reveals what is described as a socially acceptable Islamic conduct against peoples who were classed as "inferior".

For the most part the book describes these peoples as Jews and Christians who were classed as "dhimmi". "Dhimmitude" being further elaborated as the religious, cultural, and political fate of non-Muslims living under Islamic rule, usually when their lands have been subject to Islamic conquest.

Where the politicisation/allegations of racial prejudice, segregation, apartheid and indeed genocide have become quite common-place in the Middle East against the Jewish state, a book such as this is very timely in showing another side to the story. A book that reveals the painful, disturbing policy of prejudice, racial hatred and segregation of countless people who the book describes were classed as "inferior"on the basis of their religion alone.

Many examples are referred to in this study and many issues are discussed. The book draws a number of distinctions drawn and prejudices applied upon Jews and Christians who refused to accept and bow to Islam. Just by way of a single example, page 56 of this study deals with the "Invalidity of the Dhimmi's Oath".

With legal cases being dealt with under Quranic law, every case involving a Muslim and a dhimmi received a "peculiar" treatment in that a dhimmi was forbidden to give evidence against a Muslim. The Dhimmi's oath being deemed unacceptable in an Islamic court, which made it virtually impossible for any Muslim opponent to be condemned. To further any defence, the book describes that the dhimmi would be obliged to "purchase" Muslim witnesses, often at great expense.

This refusal of Muslim religious courts to accept such testimony of the dhimmi being based on hadiths which maintained that the infidels were of a "perverse and mendacious character because they deliberately persisted in denying the superiority of Islam". The same law preventing any Muslim from being put to death on account of an infidel.

This principle alone is further elaborated in this book with the example of the frequent accusations directed at Jews and Christians of having "blasphemed" the Prophet or Islam, an offence punishable by death. In such a case, the dhimmi was clearly in no position to contradict the testimony of a Muslim making the accusation and could therefore only save his life by conversion to Islam. (Although some exceptions have been recorded, this was the abiding principle nearly always adhered to.)

This is a classic study of this subject and it is not a "light" read, but a subject which demands attention. Thank you.

This is the classic study of dhimmitude - the condition of non-Muslims who are permitted to live as permanent tributaries under the dhimma, a pact of submission to Islamic conquest. A profoundly moving human document, The Dhimmi is deeply challenging to the 'Andalusian myth', that Muslim relations with those of other faiths have been the epitome of peaceful coexistence. In The Dhimmi, Bat Ye'or provides her classical definition of the psychology of dhimmitude, which is of fundamental importance for understanding the current role of Islam in its full global context.

Dhimmi history is hard to study, in part because the conquerors have written their own version, and promulgated it with supreme moral self-confidence. It is also hard to access dhimmi documents, which are written in Greek, Latin, Farsi, Coptic, Ethiopian, Hebrew, Armenian, Serbian, English, French, Hindi etc etc. A great strength of this book is it's very rich collection of translations from dhimmi and Arab documents.

A must read in these times.

This is worth reading if the problems in Iran, Iraq and the Middle East concern you. It is a tragic tale that shows American foreign policy as the immature outgrowth of US intervention in world affairs during the 1940's. No administration is spared. The author we involved in these events while in the US State Department.

I would recommend this book to anyone interested in learning about the modern middle east, political Islam, the Iranian revolution, or the Iran hostage crisis.

After reading this book, I am amazed that James Bill is not the most sought-after Middle East commentator in America. His analysis of 20th century Iran leading up to the revolution of 1979 is a clear and concise explanation of part of the puzzle that led to the tragedies of 9/11. This is a MUST-READ for anyone who wants to become truly familiar with Iran's tumultuous history and its rocky relationship with the West. As the Bush administration continues to evolve its policy towards this area of the world, it would be wise for officials at the State Department and at the Pentagon to read and absorb the lessons contained in this crucial analysis of US-Iran relations. Again, this is a must-read.

Far and away the most balanced, well-researched, accurate and thoughtful book on US-Iran relations. Excellent psychographical backgrounds of the key players.

"The Eagle and the Lion: The Tragedy of American-Iran Relations", is an excellent book by James Bill, who explores the files of history in an effort to assess the series of events that culminated in the worsening and then breaking of U.S. -Iranian links. The author looks at the manner in which the American policy makers handled relations between the two countries. He highlights the uneasy diplomatic contacts between the two countries that date back to 1883 while searching for the causes of the artificiality of the "healthy" relationship between the two countries.

The main emphasis of Professor Bill is on the fact that American policy makers misunderstood those societal dimensions of Iran which play an important part in its foreign policy behavior. For example, the perceptions of the Iranians towards the Europeans or Americans; the sensitivity of the people of Iran towards their religion and culture and the respect that was given to the religious leadership. The writer emphasizes the modes adopted by the American foreign policy makers, especially in the context of delicate situations when ever they arose.

In order to reach a logical conclusion for the "mismanagement," the author is concerned with the deteriorating relations between the two countries, - and for that the book traces out the initial heavy contacts between the Iranians and the Americans.

One must give credit to the Professor for his understanding of Iranian society and his compassionate analysis. This study is a must for the students of U.S.-Iran relations. It is a welcome contribution, not only to the literature on the subject but also to the study of Iranian as well as American decision makers. This is the best book of its genre written by an American author.

Prof.Dr. S. Farooq Hasnat
Former Chairman,
Department of Political Science
Punjab University, Lahore
Pakistan

This is, in my opinion, the best single volume available on the military campaigns of the Arab-Israeli wars of 1948, 1956, 1967, and 1973. If you are looking for a balanced overview of the military campaigns of the four wars, this is the book you want. This is a 600+ page book packed with details about all aspects of the fighting. The campaigns are described from both a strategic and operational level. There are also more than forty maps, three line drawings, and more than 100 photos. The skirmishes (military, political, and irregular) between the wars are also described in detail. There are two things in particular about this book that I really liked. First, this work is not a thinly veiled attempt to glorify Israeli military successes, like virtually everything else written in English on this subject is. Both sides are treated evenly and fairly. Second, Dupuy explains the political causes for each of the wars as well as the campaigns themselves. Much of what is written about the causes of each of the wars (and they were all different) is little more than self-serving propaganda (on both the Arab and Israeli side), and although the combatants similar, the political situations that led up to each war were very different. If you don't know who Trever Dupuy was, a few minutes of searching on the internet would demonstrate both his knowledge of military affairs and his fecundity as an author. This book contains a cold, balanced analysis of all four wars: what all combatants did right, what they did wrong, and why they chose to do what they did. The discussion of the '73 war is particularly enlightening. It is my belief that the great improvement in the Egyptian army between '67 and '73, their well executed strategic plan, and their initial (and largely unexpected) successes they had using Soviet equipment had a profound influence on American military thinking throughout the rest of the Cold War and beyond. In any case, this is a great book, and I would have to say that it is outrageous that it is out of print. If you feel that you want to learn more about the Arab-Israeli wars from a balanced source, this is unquestionably the place to start.

I've been reading military books for 14 years and this book is very good. Highly recommended

The best documentary book I have ever read on the Arab Israili war. The book covers all the wars from a totally unbiased angle, and shows each and every detail throughout the war. I read the translated version fro Al-Ahram strategies center in Arabic, and I can't wait to get my hands on the original English one. Althugh I read the book, it is a must to have on your shelf. Simply it is a great reference

This book is a great reference for the Arab-Israeli wars. Although it is rather old (written in 1978), it is probably one of the best books on the subject. The book is very well documented and the author gives probably the most balanced and least biased account of the wars

This book is remarkable for what it is not: it is not a diatribe, it is not political, and it is not biased. It is a steadfastly-neutral account of the Arab-Israeli wars of the past sixty years and reflects the integrity and professionalism of the author. He is absolutely dedicated to presenting the perspectives of both sides of the conflict. It is meticulously researched and contains extraordinary detail about all military aspects of the conflicts. The book does not stray far into the political or diplomatic realms, and anyone interested in the personalities of the conflicts should look elsewhere. This is a professional military history that, while intended for a professional military audience, is accessible by most any reader with at least some basic knowledge of the conflict. Finally, at the risk of being repetetive, it is fair and unbiased, which is truly extraordinary, given the nature of the conflict. If you can find a copy, get it, and if you are the publisher, re-print it. Please.

Nothing to add to previous reviews, if you're interested in the topic, buy this book.

Rogerson makes this complex story intelligible. It's very involved, so it's no wonder that few non-Muslims understand it. Besides the interwoven relationships of the principals (nicely presented in charts at the end), there is the difficulty in seeing how religion gets spread through battle. This is clearly not a story that lends itself to sound bites.

While the book gives a framework for understanding the Shiite-Sunni split, I am at a loss to actually explain it to anyone. What I did learn, was how the religion was founded and took root. I came away with a greater understanding of its believers.

THE HEIRS Of MUHAMMAD by British journalist and travelogue author Barnaby Rogerson is both a thoroughly researched and quite enjoyable recounting of nascent Islam's first century and the origins of its split into Sunni and Shi'a factions.

Rogerson has gone to great lengths with this book to show that Islam, like all mass movements, was troubled by factionalism and in-fighting even before the death of the Muhammad. In Part 1 he details the rivalries amongst the Prophet's wives (called here by their respectful title, "the Mothers of the Faithful"), the roots of Aisha's lifelong hatred for Ali, and the rise in importance of such former adversaries of the Islamic faith as the Umayyad clan of the Quraysh and various other families, clans and tribes, who were now jockeying for leadership in the growing Muslim state.

Part 2 opens with the death of Muhammad and the institution of the politico-religious office of leadership known as the Caliphate. Abu Bakr is chosen over Ali as Muhammad's successor - and thus the origin of the Sunni/Shi'a split. Rogerson also recounts another event little known to most non-Muslims: the Ridda Wars. Also called the War Against Apostasy, these were a series of battles fought to bring rebellious Bedouin and settled Arab tribes back under Islamic rule. It is here that the author shows the complex political and religious makeup which existed in the Arabian peninsula: Arab clients of the Roman emperor in Constantinople, Arabian tribes under Persian cultural and political influence, or tribes and clans who desired not only to revert back towards indigenous pagan cults but also to the Christianity that they had only recently adopted before adopting Islam itself.

Most noteworthy also is Rogerson's history of the wars which would ultimately lead to the Arab conquest of the Mediterranean and the Middle East.

The Arab victories over the Roman Empire and its eventual conquest of Sassanid Persia -at the battles of the Yarmuk (636) and al-Qadisiya (637) respectively- altered forever the racial, religious, and political developments of not only the Middle East, but of Christendom (and thus Western civilization) as well. Suprisingly, however, very little has been written on these two supremely major events for the average reader of history. So, for his detailed account of these battles alone, Rogerson's HEIRS Of MUHAMMAD, is an exceptional and worthwile read.

With the long-awaited election of Ali as caliph, Rogerson illustrates the new religion's rising tensions in philosophies and practices. Would Islam -born out of strife- remain a religion of conquest? Or would it nuture and encourage its more spiritual and universal aspects, best exemplified in the personalities of Ali and his sons Hasan and Hussein.
The political rise of the Machiavellian Mauwiya upon the death of Ali and his Umayyad Dynasty's subsequent persecution and many attempts at the annihilation of the Prophet's very bloodline should help to answer these questions.

Barnaby Rogerson offers an excellent and fair-minded history of Muhammad's later years and the early Caliphate. Writing it filled with all the drama and intrigue, war and conflict of an epic. For this was a time filled with the people and events which utterly define the word of epic.

Reads like a mystery. The geography, paganism, sectism, perversity, mercantialism- and not to forget treachery,blood and gore, make this book a great read. Connects the dots from heir to heir to the leadership of ancient Islam. identifies the Prophets wives and tells you enough to get to know them. Most importantly, I grew to understand why the Shias think they were so hard done by.
The heirs seem to prefer age over 'ability,' not that anyone was obviously better than the next. The Shia- followers of Ali- were 'meritocratic'. I see why they think Ali paid his dues first, took great risks, was the first male convert e.g. while the elders, Abu Bakr, Omar and Uthman, seemed to inherit the leadership in chronological order. However each did a great job while Caliph
Growth of misogyny after the death of Mohammad evolved from subsequent leaders.Mohammad loved and respected women- he appears to have married about a dozen.

This is an extremely well-written book that details the history of Islam during the 30 or so years after the death of the Prophet. Not knowing much about this religion, and particularly the reason for the animosity betwen Shia and Sunni, I was compelled to read and learn. I must admit that the author handles all of the history and the main characters quite well, and never denigrates their view of the faith. Having read this book, I'm really at a loss as to why there is this split in Islam, for the differences between the two sides appears to be extremely minor. Of course, Chirstianity has split over many more trivial items of doctrine, the most conspicuous of which is the use or non-use of "filioque" in the Creed. To learn about one of the world's great religions, and its early leaders, this book is an essentail read.

This is an interesting book. The author brings together a great many sources to present a historical analysis of Saudi Arabia. But it is very flawed in fudemental ways. Far too often, the author substitutes his opinions and analysis for a factual/historical presentation.

The economic and social analysis is full of broad conclusions made to fit a narrative. That material, no matter what window-dressing it is given, ends up being nothing more than opinion.

The analysis of Wahhabism and the Saudis is overly simplistic. Presented is the familiar narrative of the "partnership" that conquered arabia. Neglected are the losers and alternatives that were in competition with the Saudis in Arabia. This is very much as the title suggests a history of "Saudi" Arabia rather than Arabia itself.

The book could have been better. It needed to focus more attention on the non-aaudi narratives within arabia: Turkish, British, the western gulf states and the Hashemites. The tendancy to allow the Saudi narrative to dominate the history of Arabia needs to be challenged and re-thought.

This is an excellent book on the history of Saudi Arabia, but not a staring place for the casual reader. Serious scholars should love it. Vassiliev provides a comprehensive account of the Saudi Royal family and their alliance with Wahhabi Islam, telling the story of how Saudi Arabia came to be established as a state in 1932. Anyone who has not had any prior exposure to Islam or Saudi Arabia had better start elsewhere, but if you are looking for details on Wahhabi Islam, the Bedouin, or the Saudis, Vassiliev will have many answers for you. In the latter half of the book he become somewhat dry and statistical, but overall this is a very solid presentation on the history of a very important, and little understood country.

That's for the moment the best available book on Saudi Arabia. Exceptionally documented, it stages the history of the most mysterious country of the Middle East from the beginning of the eighteenth century until 1998, coping with the socio-economical backgroung of that ideology which is named "wahhabism". It reverses the usual order of analyse, deniyng "islam" to be the only cause of the current shape of Saudi Arabia. A great work.

The biggest fault in the book is the absence of maps and pictures. It is annoying to have to open an atlas in order to follow a campaign that is otherwise described in such detail. The section on the last decade and the conclusion are generally anemic and provide no great insights into what the future may hold. But if you want to gain some idea of how Saudi Arabia came to be, what tremendous obstacles were overcome (or what great opportunities were lost, depending on your point of view) this is the book to own.

If you want one authoritative work about Saudi Arabia and its history, this is the book that you should buy and read.
Vasiliev not only thoroughly documents the history of the kingdom since ancient times and through the rise of preaching radical Wahhabi Islam in 1745, he couples this puritan movement with the socioeconomic trends of the Arabian peninsula resultant of its unfriendly desert weather.
Even for readers familiar with the history of the region, the author makes striking remarks saying that people should understand the Saudi modern history as the function of a unique event in history. Saudis had the most archaic society on the face of earth at the time they received the biggest fortune ever.
Readers might be also surprised to learn that the ruling Saudi family is almost exclusively composed of the sons of the founder and their sons. Another surprising remark the author makes is that, even with the huge budget this kingdom manages, it still has no treasury department.
Not very surprising, however, is the typical third world behavior of Saudi rulers who squandered their suddenly generated fortunes either to buy political loyalties or for self luxury.
The reader might be amazed at how many chances the Saudis have missed to modernize their country and make use of their once unparalleled wealth. Instead, they protected anti-modernization fundamental groups on which the stay of the regime itself depended.

A must if you plan on going to any of the historical areas of the Holy Land. Much superior to any of the "name" travel guides, incredible detail and historical perspective.

Great description of both the sights and the surroundings of all of the different areas of the Holy Land. Provides background to understand the significance, as well as other importance in other times.

Very informative with good descriptions. The language is a little difficult to interpret at times and I wish there was a little more history with each site, but overall a great guide.

This book is filled with the knowledge of vast experience and travel. If you want a book that doesn't just give the religiously naive and superstitious what they want to hear (like so many do), then this is your book. Excellent in several ways.

Recommended to me by an archaeolgist long active in Israel, I found this book quite helpful in appreciating a number of sites (and sights) I recently visited (and saw) in the Holy Land. For folks who are looking to learn more about various ancient sites than the typical tour guide can offer, this will be well worth its price. In addition to its being informative, I found the personality of its author evident and engaging.

I heard about this little book in a radio review, what a revelation. Highly recommended for it's historical irony.

This little book is both a historical curiosity and of current relevance. I really wish I had seen it -- or something like it! -- before I went over to Iraq. It is exactly what the description says it is (thus the 5 stars). It's simply a reprint of an old Army pamphlet, though, so of course you can't expect too much.

This book was meant for WWII but it could have been written for the Troops in Iraq today, and it is a must read for all those who support our Troops in Iraq right now!!!

Why didn't the very first U.S. soldier to step foot in Iraq four years ago carry one of these in his or her gear and read it? Why isn't every soldier sent to the Middle East today issued one? Imagine the possibilities.

The book really is a lesson in respecting an entirely different -- and unique -- culture. For instance: Page 18: "No Preaching" seems essential; we all need reminding that "Manners are Important"(page 15); "the "List of Most Useful Words and Phrases" on p. 35 is critical in communication, a key to diplomacy before sabre rattling. Be sure to read Lt. Col. John Nagl's "Short Guide" as well.

I'm gifting everyone in my family, no matter which side of the fence they lean, one of these little gems poste haste.

A great reminder about cultural differences in Iraq. If you're stationed in Iraq this could really help you understand local population better. Great phrase section in the back.

I FOUND THIS TO BE A BRILLIANTLY WRITTEN PIECE OF WESTERN HISTORY BY A FASCINATING AND ACCOMPLISHED MAN, WITH HEAVY EMPHASIS ON "MAN"......BY THE WAY, JOE FUSSELL WAS MY MATERNAL GRANDFATHER!! JOSEPH B. "JOE" JOHNSON

Bob Fussell's treatment of his grandfather J.B. Fussell's autobiography brings to mind a word not often associated with literature: verisimilitude. What makes this account fascinating is that not only is it true, but it rings true. This book should be required reading for every 12-year-old boy and girl in America; boys need to know how to be men and girls need to know what to look for in a man later on in their lives. America could use several million J.B. Fussells about now.

Unbridled Cowboy is the autobiography of author Joseph B. Fussell, a free spirit who sought his own destiny in the wild American Southwest during the late 1800s. At the young age of fourteen, Joe Fussell took to the rails to escape the school and harsh authority that chafed him. He became a roving cowpuncher in Texas territory, rustling cattle, tilling land, working in stables, and hitting the road whenever wanderlust stirred. Unbridled Cowboy is filled cover to cover with riveting true tales of undercover work as a Texas Ranger, life on the railroads, and rough justice. A captivating true life narrative of the wild west.

Unbridled Cowboy, the autobiography of Joe Fussell, is well written and brings the reader a vivid and realistic portrait of the man and his life. His story telling ability paints a vivid and sometimes raw reality. He brings to life a period of American and western history from a personal point of view that was fraught with change and upheaval.

While reading I found myself sitting next to Joe and hearing him telling me his life story. The ease with which he wrote of his life makes this book an enjoyable journey with a fascinating man.

Here's the skinny. I've read thousands of books over the years. I keep a few; the rest I give away to friends or the library. This book is a keeper. Why? I will read this book many times and still be astonished by the history, this amazing man Joe Fussell, and how far this once great country of ours has deteriorated in a century.
The first thought that entered my mind on finishing this book was, "I wish there was more." The second thought was that a man like Joe Fussell would have made an incredible president. In TR's time, when a young man chose to ditch public school at age 14 because he had "itchy feet", he didn't get Ritalin stuffed down his throat--he left home to make his own way. Fussell was a man so full of common sense, intelligence and integrity that the USA would have been privileged to have someone of his ilk as their leader. But alas, with no "education" except life, he was destined to become a laborer. And labor he did.
The chapter on Fussell's adventures in Mexico as a youth are more riveting than anything Hollywood will ever turn out. His depiction of his railroad career reads like you were switching cars alongside him. Fussell is a storyteller akin to Twain. I am still amazed he avoided jail, but then it was a century ago. Different times--a wonderful time in our country. Get this book. Its a keeper.
Norman Woodworth, DVM

This work is a valuable document. It speaks to truths which the international media systematically ignore, the truths of the sufferings of the Jews of Israel as a result of Arab terror and violence. It in considering what has happened in Israel from the years 1998-2001 Balint shows how the Israeli public is fundamentally a decent, peace- loving one however stigmatized by the world-media. Balint also shows through her encounters with various members of foreign media in Israel how events are distorted to slander Israel and favor the Arab side. In focusing on so much of the reality of Israel which others have ignored she does a real service to the people of Israel, and the cause of fairness and justice.

This is an interesting personal account of what it is like to live in Jerusalem. Written by a Jewish resident. And while the meat of this book is the tale of how Jebusites are dealing with the risks and tragedies, I was most intrigued by the reactions to historical events.

We get to see, on Balint's diary entry for October 6, 2000, that a "sea change" had taken place in Israeli attitudes about the prospects of peace in less than a month. The Israeli public had known that incendiary material fed to Arab schoolchildren was bound to result in violence. But it was surprised to discover the extent to which Arab citizens of Israel supported the same annihilationist goals as Hamas and Islamic Jihad.

And we get to see the lack of surprise when the Associated Press routinely reports Israeli self-defence as though it were unprovoked malice.

We also get to see her view of Sharon's defeat of Barak in the 2000 Israeli elections. Sharon won by a landslide, and Balint points out that Barak misread the willingness of the Israeli public to cede parts of Jerusalem. She doesn't even mention the problem of negotiating under fire with a party that will break any agreement anyway and then blame you for it.

Perhaps the most telling remarks the author makes are about the counterproductive manner in which European nations are interfering in the fighting. She explains that European nations fund the textbooks used in the West Bank "that promote hatred of Jews and intolerance of Israel's right to exist." And she shows how Europe donates hundreds of thousands of dollars to marginal Israeli political groups on the extreme left, in hopes of undermining Israeli democracy.

The author does a phenomenal job of recording events and her feelings about these events during a seige of Palestinian terrorist attacks in Israel from Nov. 1998 - Dec. 2001. The author fills each page with details of her life and how it transpired, her assessment of the media news, Israeli government positions (some of which she often disagreed with), political changes, the world outlook and news media coverage. She provides descriptions of how the deaths of individuals affected their family, friends, and the community where they lived. Written as diaries, the reader is given a personal viewpoint and feels the helplessness and fear associated with the thought that at any time, from any direction, a bomb could unexpectedly explode forever changing one's life for the worse. At any time, one could be in the midst of a horrible scene where everyday people, carrying out their everyday lives could in a split second be forever maimed or killed because of outside forces, by people who made decisions due to their political positions. One senses and feels the terrible loss of innocent lives and their impact. This is not often well conveyed in the small information bytes of film footage and brief interviews provided on the six o'clock evening news. This book is difficult to read because it is very uncomfortable reading about death, violence and destruction. However, since Sept. 11, 2001 more Americans need to understand there are destructive forces in the world that want to change our way of life. They want to curtail our freedom and revert it into a controlled despotism. They do not care about our Judeo-Christian values and whatever good has occured in the world due to Western values. The problem with creating a separate Palestinian country is unfortunately mixed in with the global problem of Islamic terrorism ... so in that sense what happens in Israel affects us all.

The author states in the beginning of the book she is a committed Zionist and chose to live in Israel during these difficult and historic times. She feels Israel subordinated its sovereignty to the Oslo agreements and she objects to the Wye Memorandam where the exchange of "land for peace" was to be the outcome. The author does not claim to be a neutral observer. She takes a definite stand that since Israel won the war in the 1967, whatever land it obtained due to this victory now belongs to Israel. She cites areas where the PLO violated Oslo agreements and the world does not hold them accountable. She mentions that Palestinians deliberately destroyed Jewish sites such as temples and are uncooperative or make it difficult for Jews to visit tombs of importance. Whether or not one sympathizes with any aspect of the Palestinian's position or problems, there is no doubt that the global issues of terrorism can no longer be separated from their midst. It will take greater minds than mine to analyze the main issues and sort out areas of cooperation and interest on which to build a lasting peace ... However, anyone interested in knowing what it is like to live under a siege of terror will appreciate the descriptions provided by this author. Sorting through some of the Hebrew terms used in the book and reading the Hebrew names of places in Israel was difficult but the author thoughtfully provided a glossary for those unfamiliar with the language. The intent of the author to convey her experiences of living "in tense times" comes through loud and clear. Anyone wanting to understand the realities of living in modern day Israel will want to read this book. Erika Borsos [pepper flower]

Judy Lash Balint leaves nothing unsaid. Her diary tells us everything Judy Lash Belint sees just by living in Jerusalem: from the daily terrorist attacks to the water being turned off when she gets back from yet another grueling day of work (in Jerusalem water is rationed and every apartment complex votes on when they will have no water but Judy Lash Balint was not there for the meeting and so did not vote and did not know...) and yet being so tired, no exhausted that never mind she can collapse and sleep without water or a bath or a drink.

And from her we hear what it is like to visit a family right after a horror attack. Vadim was murdered and a Palestinian soaked his hands in his blood and held them up for the cameras of the world to see. Irina his pregnant wife was watching television and saw it all on TV... and when Judy Lash Belint pays a condolence call and Irina says nothing because what is there to say?

And Judy Lash Belint tells us also of the Ethiopian Jews' custom of going up to the Western Wall to celebrate their gratitude for the Torah and she tells us of drinking coffee in a Starbucks and of the regular election debates.

The ordinary and the recognizable intermingle freely in these pages with the horrible and the incredible. It is a book all those who are interested in Israel should read because it tells of one woman's experiences in Israel, in Jerusalem; day by day.

Judy Lash Balint reveals an extremely moving side to the Palestinian-Israeli conflict seldom seen through the cameras of CNN, Sky, the BBC or any other Western media outlet for that matter. Judy Balint reveals the side of a victim long forgotten by the media.

The author presents the oft-ignored story of the innocent Jewish/Israeli victims of the Palestinian terrorist war. The innocent victims whose lives have been shattered and whose bodies have been battered and wounded through gut-less suicide bombings and other terror attacks aimed squarely at babes, children, teenagers, fathers and brothers, sisters and mothers, nearly all of whom have just been going about their daily lives like you or I, with no evil intent or political extremism.

Whilst we have all witnessed the aforementioned media sources devoting whole reports to the plight, claims and circumstances of Palestinian terrorist organisations and even many individual Palestinian suicide attackers, rarely does the Jewish victim receive any publicity, which is why this book is so important.

Judy Balint reveals the story of an Israeli civilian population under siege of Palestinian terrorism, where just visiting a public area such as a café, restaurant, cinema, disco, shopping mall or travelling on a bus is enough to place one's life at risk due to the threat of wholesale, indiscriminate terrorist attacks.

The author's words show the underlying fear and frustration of those who must live under this deliberately imposed horror by a neighbouring population that, through it's leader Yasser Arafat, does not even recognise their very right to exist or their ancient claims to their homeland of Israel.

Reading these words, one can feel what it must be like to have to send your own children of tender years to school in armoured school-buses under escort, never knowing if they will arrive or return safely.

The author's distress is clearly evident when she describes that even after fifty years of Israeli statehood, Israel still has to justify it's existence in a land that has belonged to the Jewish people for thousands of years. A claim to the Land that precedes and predates any Palestinian and indeed any Arab/Moslem claim to the territory. A Jewish claim that extends back through history for some 4,000 years and based upon a Biblical heritage which has yet to be and indeed cannot be rescinded.

Judy Balint provides through 55 essays a fact often quoted elsewhere. That although being unsuccessful on the battlefield in destroying & terrorising the Jewish people, Palestinian/Arab & other terrorist entities can terrorise 1,000 by killing one person and by killing civilians they can terrify people and the public at large far more effectively than when engaged in a full scale war. A fact that we too have since experienced in the West since `September 11th'.

The author's frustration is clearly evident as she passes comment on the moves of various Israeli governments towards peace and the concessions which have brought only more violence. In exchange for land, Israel did not get peace, it got suicide bombers, suicide machine gunners, drive-by terrorists, snipers, mortar bombs, car bombs, fire bombs, grenades, booby traps, explosive packages, remote controlled explosives, forest fires, lynching, and kids bludgeoned to death. Israel also got a few staged arrests and revolving prison doors.

Attention is frustratingly paid here to the indisputably unbalanced coverage of this conflict provided by the BBC/CNN et al., where despite repeated factual and accurate complaints having been made against this principle, basic rules of media objectivity are still ignored. Any reference to Palestinian terrorists being downplayed to the usage of lesser terms of `militants', `extremists' or `activists'. The `T' word being purposely ignored in a conscious decision not to show Palestinian terrorist barbarity.

These views might seem extreme in themselves, but they are deeply felt in isolation by the victims whose plight and the backdrop to Israeli society is at last brought to the written page so adeptly by Judy Balint. This is an essential read for anyone who wishes to truly understand the situation in Israel at this present time.