Middle East Books

Well, I'm the second person to write a review, and I should probably wait until I finish the last ten pages. But I can't wait! This books is wild, unlike any other book that I've read from the Middle East. Fatma's life keeps spinning, twisting, reshaping, and surprising. What an amazing ride!

Raja Alem has gifted English speakers with this wonderful tale about a young Arab woman and her strange life. Raja wrote Fatma in English with some help from Tom McDonough, these two should collaborate more often! It's intense stuff, and yes Raja does mean it. She's one of a kind, and you should all thank whatever you consider sacred that her stuff is getting published. She's the closest thing to a modern day profit I know of, and if you hear her talk you'll realize she isn't playing around. Poetic, beautifully written, every word is meant to be there, readable and very enjoyable, and if you let it Fatma can make you think differently about life. It is capable of rehumanizing the most jaded soul. It's like the opposite of Kafka's The Castle, Raja is the 'Anti-Michel Houllebecq'- and it would be funny to see what her mind's creations would do to a sad balding Frenchman. Raja's stuff is great, her sister Shadia did the cool cover art. Now, having been BLESSED with owning and reading Fatma, I and many others fervently wish for her other books to be published in English... she's a genius, you've just got to love this woman.

What did America look like on its way to war in Iraq? Anthony Suau's Fear This could have easily been presented in our Art section for its photographically astute and involving artistic creations but is featured here for its equal strength in hard-hitting political pictures. Black and white photos capture anti-war demonstrations, soldiers leaving home, and reflections on war alike in a series of revealing social commentaries.

Anthony Suau is a brave photographer who has won not only the Pulitzer Prize for his coverage of the famine in Ethiopia but also a prize for his coverage of the war in Chechnya. Thus is it with credentials such as these that we are forced to pay close attention to this startling folio of black and white photographs of the response of Americans to the war in Iraq. It is work such as this that may bring the country to seriously ponder the situation in Iraq that daily appears to darken into yet another war of error not unlike the Vietnam experience.


The power of Suau's visual statement lies in the apparent simplicity of his extemporaneous views of the Americans' responses to the preemptive invasion of Iraq, its effects on the families of soldiers killed, the political outbursts of citizens in opposition to the war, the photographs transmitted from Iraq as seen in context of US newspapers and postings, the response to the capture of Saddam Hussein, etc. The photographs are as dark as is the cloud that hangs over this country in the wake of the war that should have never happened.

This is photojournalism of the highest order. FEAR THIS, succinctly stated, translates to "fear our stance", and without preaching or pamphleteering, Suau calls for an awakening of response to call an end to this war. This is a very powerful book that hopefully will find wide audiences. We all need to see this documentation. Grady Harp

An extraordinary book. This slice of 19th Century history, remarkable in its own right, is background to much of the strife in today's geopolitical news. My benchmarks for such things being David Fromkin's wonderful A Peace to End All Peace, and Karl Meyer's Tournament of Shadows, plus the works of Peter Hopkirk, I can safely say Taylor surpasses them all in rendering complex events, timelines, and relationships with clarity and immediacy. Fever and Thirst fills out an extra perspective on the machinations at the fringes of the Great Game, and serves up a hugely erudite portrait of fractious Christian attempts at empire-building in the Middle East circa 1840, mischief which remains at the heart of so much woe in that region. Taylor is not afraid occasionally to render sophisticated judgments on everything from the missionary's apolitical disengagement to the quality of the local wine (which I'll remember to forego should the occasion arise). It's reassuring that the author has opinions on his topic, and cares to express them. Likewise, that he can find some wry humor in such a tale of Romantic - even obsessive - zeal, despite the horrendous human cost he has catalogued. Fascinating detail and broad learning underpin the superbly sustained narrative (including some finer points of Christian theology, not to mention the history of the Ottoman Empire, about which it's hard to imagine many Westerner knowing a useful amount these days), and a controlled dramatic tone pushes the character-driven story forward. Fever and Thirst is particularly good at portraying the endless political chaos in the soul of the regions then nominally under Turkish domination, characterized by ever-shifting alliances, greed and betrayal. Artfully written and thoroughly enjoyable, the book offers lessons we may be thankful for, especially those that resonate with our contemporary experience, in particular the hubris, ignorance and fantasy at the heart of our misbegotten role as Crusaders still. Highly recommended.

Before I read this book I knew little about this part of the world and nothing about the 19th-century missionary movement. The author writes with grace and confidence and has a reasssuring command of his subject. The book makes accessible a particularly complicated political arena and the motivations -- so foreign to a 21st-century reader -- of a passionate individual determined, at all costs, to bring Protestantism (and medical help) to the Christians of Kurdistan. Highly recommended.

A sensational overview of the archaeology, geology, flora and fauna of this fascinating country. I can't wait to use it in the field!

Fantastic Book! Beuatiful images, great information on the geology and history of jordan; plus fun details to know about flora and fauna. Easy to read, small compact size just right to fit into a handbag or back pocket.

What a great book on a topic that is virtually unknown to the western world. "The First Tithe" is the story of the Israeli Declaration of Independence that was made on the of 14 May 1948, the day the British Mandate expired. "The fire will brand our faces, Our eyes like the sun of Givon, The shadow of our flag like the wings of eagles, Will strike fear in the Arabs of Zion". What followed next was the an invasion of the new state by troops from Egypt, Iraq, Lebanon and Syria, starting the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, known in Israel as the War of Independence.

Through underground resistance, revolutionary activities, and even assassination, came the fruition of the modern state of Israel, called by Eldad "the Kingdom of Israel". A remarkable story told by a escapee of the Nazi's, a forefather of Israel, Mr. Israel Eldad; who led the "Fighters for the Freedom of Israel". Translated by Zev Golan, this is a must read for anyone interested in Israel and the Middle East.

The First Tithe allows readers to understand the Jewish war of liberation from the perspective of Dr. Israel Eldad. Eldad was not only one of the leaders of the Hebrew underground but was actually the revolution's spiritual guide and ideological director. These memoirs grant access into Eldad's psyche and treat readers to his analysis of the personalties and political events of the time (as well as the role he played in shaping those events). Also exposed in this book is the formation of the author's world view and how he arrives at many of his political conclusions. The First Tithe is sharper and deeper than most other works on the Jewish struggle for freedom from British rule but its depth may be somewhat overwhelming for readers who are new to the subject matter.

Most readers who come to this text are, no doubt, overly familiar with the more playful spiritual intensity of Japanese Zen, whether it be through the writings of stoic mountain hermits (say, Dogen); the peripatetic musings of hip flask, sake swilling outcasts (say, Santoka Taneda or Ryokan); the no nonesense monastic types (say, Hakuin); the earthy, gritty advice for living in the modern world (say, DT Suzuki); or even the American literati influences (say, Gary Snyder).

Far fewer readers, however, will be familiar with the logistical organization of Zen temples in Japan. As esteemed Japan expert Edwin O. reischauer writes in the brief preface, "It is ironic that Zen philosophy, which is commonly charaterized as being beyond words, has inspired millions of words in English print, whereas Zen instituions, though vastly important in many aspects of medieval Japanese civilization and in no way beyond description, has drawn so few."

Indeed.

Yet, does a book about the logistical organization of Rinzai's Gozan ("Five Mountain") temples sound boring?

Perhaps. But let me tell you: this text is anything but boring! Author Martin Collcut takes a seemingly mundane subject and delivers a delightfully informative product that will not disappoint even the most discerning reader. Moreover, he neatly ties the development of the temple system into the existing socio-political milieu of Medieval Japan.

Quite frankly, this is a dream book for a Japanese history "otaku" (lit: "buff," or worse, "nerd" or "geek") like myself: clear and detailed but highly readable, unlike so many other academic texts.

Lastly, I do not think you need to have too much knowledge of Japanese history or even Buddhism for that matter, as Collcutt does a great job of keeping the reader informed and up to date. Roughly speaking, there are three main branches of Zen in Japan: Rinzai (founded by Eisai), Soto (Dogen), and the lesser known Obaku (imported by Chinese monks in the Tokugawa Era). This book, of course, focuses on how the first, Rinzai Zen, which mirrored the organization of its "five mountain temples" on the Chinese model (and literally had main temples on five mountain sites).

Though this book is full of details, it exceedingly engrossing at every turn. I wish I could give it 10 stars.

Buy it today!

Not everyone wants to explore the history of Rinzai Zen as an Institution - but, if you do, Martin Collcutt's study is a veritable treasure trove. Potted within its pages (382, excluding the index and bibliography), you will find fascinating references to just about everything of significance concerning the formation of the 'Gozan' or 'Five Mountain System' - its precedents in Sung China, its patrons and supporters in Japan, the temple builders, key figures, secular and religious, all the regulations, and all the myriad processes involved in the maintenance of these inter-linked temple complexes.

Even at their best, studies like this can be tedious, in places, but this well informed account is never dry. It explores macrocosmic factors, and surveys microcosmic details. Collcutt conveys an almost organic picture of the entire complex of processes - social, technical,human and spiritual - which brought the 'Gozan' system into being and made it a living entity. While all of this was ultimately directed to one end - the spiritual life nurtured in the Sodo or monks hall, Collcutt's study makes us keenly aware of the managerial and administrative skills required to run such large complexes. Rather like their equivalent in medieval or late medieval Europe, these monastic institutions virtually became thriving 'businesses'- running large landed estates, even employing hired labour. Beating the Medici family to the game by several centuries, the Chinese Buddhists were the first people to print paper money - and lend it at interest. As with the European monastic institutions, corruption and worldliness sometimes took over. Similar traits sometimes characterised life in the Japanese temples. Collcutt's study can be statistical in places, but this is always tempered by the human interest - the notable figures and events which have shaped life in these temples. It details the virtues, vices and the vicissitudes, which have left their mark upon the Gozan system.

With every word, every phrase, Israel Shamir displays his love
of the holy land. I've read lots of books on the Middle East,
but this is - by far - the most compelling. I really cannot
express how important this book is to me, so I'll include a
quote from Nick Pretzlick, which I agree with wholeheartedly:

"Israel Shamir is in love with the Holy Land. He has a
passion for the land and its people; he believes the
two are umbilically linked. For him there is only one
viable solution to the conflict that has ravaged the
region for so long and that is the one state solution.
Shamir is a humanist and although he is scathing about
Palestine's enemies - the Jewish elite - he takes
pride in and writes lovingly about the courageous
Jews, who resist Israeli crimes.

Flowers of Galilee is a collection of essays, so full
of affection - such an elegy of love - that, reading
it for the first time, I felt impelled to delay the
turning of pages, preferring instead to linger over

images - to savour the sentiments.

Shamir does not pull any punches. He challenges
conventional thinking, but he does so with honesty,
affection and such thorough understanding and
knowledge that his outspokenness is reasonable and
rational. Flowers of Galilee is an eye opener - a
learning experience. It is also enchanting."

Many of us - and this specially applies to the allegedly democratic and prosperous West - have come to realise that there is something deeply amiss with our societies. Our leaders seem strangely alike, bland corporation men in suits, who blindly lead us into wars against popular will, at the same time as they slash away at social provisions that have stood and served us well for decades.

Ordinary people too have come to understand that the mainstream media only provides a slick but highly slanted view of world events. We hear much talk of Palestinian terrorists, but never of Palestinian poets. Alternative viewpoints are desperately required in times like these. Such a new outlook is provided by Flowers of Galilee.

Its author, Israel Shamir, is a true Palestinian poet, though an adoptive son of Palestine, rather than a native. Gently Shamir leads us from the local and the particular, to the global and universal. The olive trees and blossoms of Palestine lead in an entirely natural and unforced fashion to the great questions.

Why do we stand - apparently - on the very brink of World War III? Why is the Left fading away into 'business friendly' neo-liberalism? What about the increasing brutalisation of society, and growing gulf between rich and poor?

Reading Shamir's analysis of Palestine and the world is like seeing a metaphorical onion being peeled away, till you finally come upon the kernel of truth. This stripping away of the layers of illusion is bound to be an almost painful and traumatic process for many readers, so it's good that Shamir's friendly tone is there to guide you through. The example of the British Prime Minister is always there to warn of the dangers of believing your own falsehoods and illusions.

It's unfair, perhaps, to categorize any author in terms of his peers, but those who are unfamiliar with Israel Shamir's writings might imagine something of a combination of Lawrence Durrell and John Pilger. It would be out of place for this brief review to attempt a detailed description of the collected essays that comprise Flowers of Galilee : all however make fascinating reading and re-reading. Individually, the essays vary in overall tone from the largely amusing such as 'Up to a Point', to at least one - 'Cornerstone of Violence' - that will scare the hell out of its reader.

But amid all the moving or philosophical passages, there remains a gentle vein of serious humour :

'The instant recovery of a hijacker's passport, intact on the scene of jet crash, should be counted among the most spectacular miracles of all times, well ahead of Daniel's trip into the fiery furnace. The old Babylonian furnace surely had not built up to the temperature of burning jet-fuel. Arab-language flying manuals in the trunk of a car,
inaudible videotapes and other conveniently recovered exhibits make of the Moscow trials of 1937 a shining example of justice uncorrupted. The Afghani prisoners of war have been kept away from prying eyes, in the limbo of Guantanamo Bay, lest they disclose the greatest secret of all: their innocence.'

Despite the fact that the collection was written during 2001-2002, Flowers of Galilee retains an absolute contemporary immediacy.

For example, he leaves us in little doubt what a victory for the 'Mammonites' of the USA would mean for the world :

'Their programme of globalisation would eliminate all beauty and specific quality of the world, kill the spirit, undermine art, wipe out spirit, destroy nature, undo social achievements, divide mankind into Masters and Slaves. Wherever they go, old cafès and restaurants disappear and Starbucks and McDonalds take over. Workers lose their working places, museums are filled with trash, art is replaced by TV. Still, they should be contained, not destroyed.'

Shamir seems to imply that an alliance of the outsiders of far left, far right and Muslims could defeat the forces of Mammon and the globalisers. But above all, he is convinced that the future of the world will be settled, one way or another, by the struggle for Palestine : 'The fall of the Holy Land would create a point of no return for mankind and signify Man's total enslavement by the forces of domination. Our victory will set the world free.'

THE FORBIDDEN RUMI: THE SUPPRESSED POEMS OF RUMI ON LOVE, HERESY, AND INTOXICATION presents the 13th-century poet and mystic's spontaneous poems, created after he let go formal religion. Nevit Ergin decided to translate his collected works - the Duivan-I Kebir, which consisted of some forty-four thousand verses packed into over twenty volumes - into English: the Turkish government withdrew its support of his efforts after twenty-two volumes appeared and wouldn't publish the final due to its openly heretical nature. So if you wish to see these contents, you have to look at THE FORBIDDEN RUMI, which presents for the first time in English his poems on love and intoxication.

This book is a translation of verses from the 13th century mystic and poet which were considered blasphemy and prohibited from being translated by the Turkish government.

In these verses, Rumi, clearly says that in order to truly have a God experience one must go beyond your religion. One must not get stuck within the restrictive confines that define any specific religion.

A must read for Rumi lovers as well for highly inspired truth seekers.

A fine visual source on the fortifications of the Maccabean, Hasmonean, and Herodian Jewish States from the 2nd Century BC to the 1st Century AD, full of diagrams and color photos, as well as detailed descriptions and analysises based both on archaeology and the writings of Flavius Josephus and others. The author, Samuel Rocco, is a veteran of the IDF and is an expert on Biblical and Jewish archaeology, specializing in the Herodian Period.

The fortifications of Judaea have an interesting history, their construction and appearance having both pre and post-exile Jewish, and Seleucid and Roman elements. Their strategic roles were various, though most were designed for internal purposes-the holding of political prisoners (Alexander and Aristobulus, the sons of Herod the Great, and John the Baptist being three famous examples) and places of refuge for the king in the event of a revolt.

Osprey has long neglected both the post-Alexandrian Hellenistic Period and the Classical Jewish states, but this title and the forthcoming `Army of Herod the Great' will help to fill that unfortunate gap. This is a solidly-written, well-researched, and visually impressive title, and anyone interested in the forts and architecture of Judaea/the late Hellenistic World should definitely buy it!

This is a seldom explored topic covering an often ignored period for this region of the Middle East. Other than the Bible, other popular books rarely cover this period. The latter part of this time span is only known for the birth of Christ and events of the New Testament. Actually it is a period where the remnants of the Jewish state struggle to survive and remove Hellenistic domination only to have to contend with other factions in the Middle East, civil wars and finally the Romans. The author provides good background information on Maccabee revolt that leads to the rule of Judea by the Hasmoeans to the takeover by Herod. He concludes with revolt of the Zealots and the major sieges of the Roman generals Vespassian, his son Titus, and Flavius Silva that ended the revolt.
Rocca describes the characteristics -from walls to gates and towers -of both the Hasmonaean and Herodian fortifications and includes good descriptions of several sites including Herodium, Gamla, Jotpata, Masada and Jerusalem. He describes the composition of the military forces from the best sources available and then covers several of the major sieges of the period.
In addition to drawings of several of the fortifications, the book includes a few photos of reconstructions that appear in museums in Jerusalem and the Holyland Hotel. Many of the names may be unfamiliar to the general reader, but the author does attempt to identify them and the sometimes rather confusing tangle of wars. This is one of the titles in the series that cover relatively new ground for most military history buffs and is well worth having.

Fragments of Memory is a socio-historical novel that illustrates the characteristics of rural life in Syria at the time of the French Mandate. This biographical novel is particularly effective in illustrating issues related to the exercise of power and the role of the state. There will also be an analysis of the expectations of family life and the respective roles of men, women and children and the role of religion in daily life. The Novel offers considerable insight into relations of power and the role of the state in rural society. The vicissitudes of the author's family in al-Suwaydiya and the village of al-Akbar clearly show that the landowner and the village headman - mukhtar - held all the power, especially when the landowner was also the mukhtar as was the case in al-Suwaydiya. The first chapters of the novel describe the family's move from the administrative capital Latakiya to the coastal village of al-Suwaydiya. There the family virtually submits to a sharecropping arrangement with the mukhtar, Mr. Elias, who owns the land, which entitled it to earn a quarter of the income accruing from the cultivation of mulberry trees while the rest went to the mukhtar (p.19). The paramount characteristic of this arrangement, however, is the relationship of dependency that the family develops upon the assistance of the mukhtar that borders on slavery.

This was a powerful and sad story about a young boy growing up in Syria, and about the hardships in a person's life due to culture and geography. Most people don't know much about Syria, let alone the Middle East. The story does a superb job of revealing the agony of hunger, sickness, poverty, the marginalization of women and the poor, and it brings up the excesses of our own American society. It becomes obvious that Syria lacks the infrastructure to realistically support its people. Thus, they are forced to live day by day, barely avoiding injustice and death. It's a miracle that the author survives to tell his story. Sickness and poverty take on a new meaning in this book, showing how death can be much more humane than life itself, and how God can be ruthless, how begging can be dehumanizing. There are just so many elements of the human experience compacted into this story. If anything, after reading this book, I gained an appreciation for the relative comfort and security of my life. Lastly, I think this book shows how work and the ability to work give value to a person's life. A truly worthwhile read.