Middle East Books

Using extensive documentation, including documents unreleased by the British government when earlier, more speculative biographies were written, Jeremy Wilson produced a phenomenal work of great scope and power. The book may be too exhaustive for casual readers, who will find the reams of speculative nonsense written about Lawrence more to their liking. Wilson also carefully deconstructs many precious Lawrence myths: that Lawrence was homosexual, for instance, is unproven (there's no evidence that he was sexual at all); that he made up large portions of his adventures is also proven untrue -- though in his later writings he sometimes shaped a story to sound better and certainly he had to dance around descriptions of his intelligence work. But these are both side issues. Lawrence lived a life of tremendous accomplishment in the First World War, but in other fields, such as archaeology and literature. Wilson is fair, and corrects Lawrence's own accounts when necessary. This is not a work of hagiography. It is the most well-documented biography of Lawrence, and Wilson quotes primary documentation extensively -- perhaps too extensively. It's a must for the library of any Lawrence fan, and the only necessary secondary reference work for anyone who wants the truth about Lawrence. Those who require something more nonsensical and speculative in their diet may add Knights "Secret Lives of Lawrence of Arabia".

I had previously read the Robert Graves book on Lawrence. This was far more superior. It was engrossing, detailed and made me want to know more about this incredible man. There didn't seem to be any bias for or against Lawrence by the author. It moved quickly. It's apparent that he did a very detailed job of researching Lawrence. I am know looking for other books that might uncover even more information. Enjoy!

I read this because of my great love of the movie. Interesting enough, this is the first time that the real life was far more interesting than the myth. What happened in Arabia might have been his coup de grace of achievements, but hardly the only aspect that makes him a ledgend. He was an archeologist, thinker, writer, humanitarian, culturalist, adventurist, and only a military genious by circumstance. This book makes it all clear and vivid.

I have read biographies before, but none that held on to my imagination so tightly while still using the historical records. I am only sorry that it has the unfortunate sub-title as authorized biography because many who think it will be a dry "whitewashed" examination of his life will miss a wonderful book. I can't heap praise on this book, and the life of T.E. Lawrence, enough. There might be books with far different and valid interpretations, but hardly as fun and interesting to read. The size of the book at nearly a thousand pages is worth every bit of paper printed on it. I guess I should congradulate the author for a fine presentation of a wonderful character.

This 128 page paperback version may be a good read. I don't know, haven't read it. My copy is the 946 page hardcover edition. It is thorough, balanced and an excellent read. If you can find that version, get it!

LESS THAN A SHADOW is a carefully made story of the present day Middle East and the city of Istanbul. What seems to be a simple murder mystery that must be solved by Jason Ender, a State Department investigator, becomes the shadowy trail that leads to the Mafia and beyond. The death of one American reporter spreads like oil in water, coloring all the things it touches. In the end, only Ender stands between complete chaos and all the things he loves.

Less Than A Shadow is a suspenseful murder mystery by David Chacko. It begins with the murder of a prominent journalist in Istanbul and escalates into a drama involving the Turkish Mafia, a lethal hidden secret, and a terrible threat about to change the Middle East forever at a terrible blood price. An exciting novel that combines action with a labyrinth of motives and deadly perpetrators, Less Than A Shadow is very highly recommended reading for mystery/suspense enthusiasts and documents David Chacko as a gifted author who pays particular attention to background detail and character development making both his stories and his characters come alive in the "mind's eye" imagination of the reader.

LESS THAN A SHADOW is a great adventure that is well-written too. If you don't think that espionage is back, you'll find out when this one lures you into a dark world and takes you by the throat. The streets of Istanbul--the byways of a dead reporter's beat--are the ways that will lead you to know the people and places of a fascinating land.

LESS THAN A SHADOW

by David Chacko

When a high-living journalist, Al Rydell, turns up dead in Turkey, Jason Ender is dispatched by the American State Dept. to investigate the murder. Ender learns that Rydell had travelled to Turkey to interview a mullah for his book. But when Ender searches Rydell's apartment, the manuscript is gone. Ender then begins a dangerous escapade of investigation by pulling a string in a Turkish tapestry of drugs, terrorists, and political intrigue.

Ender follows his leads from the list of informants, thugs and suspicious characters that made up Rydell's nefarious associations - and the other kind, including Rydell's beautiful, high-paid companion. His equally beautiful artist-sister, Veronica, becomes Ender's lover and partner in solving Al's murder as they travel a maze of misdirection and mayhem. At the end of the trail, Ender fingers Rydell's murderer. Should he turn the killer over to authorities or is there another means of poetic justice?

LESS THAN A SHADOW is a classic, yet contemporary whodunit with a narrative so tight that it squeaks, dialogue so realistic you'll look around you to see who said what you just read, and a story line that will engage you from beginning to end. ***

David Fleishhacker uses his personal experience in the Peace Corps in Afghanistan as a framework to teach us about that country's history, topography, and culture. His sense of humor and his affection for the people of Afghanistan make this a fun book to read, but Fleishhacker also has a strong message--urging everyone to gain more knowledge and understanding of other cultures and places in the world. A wonderful book!

Three cheers for David Fleishhacker, a wonderful writer! And, three cheers for the Peace Corps! Far more than a collection of reminiscences, this little book contains the sort of philosophy, based on history and experience, that should be the underpinning of our foreign policy everywhere. I devoured it at one sitting and only wished he had written more. Clear, funny, honest and tender, this book should be required reading for our entire State Department, the Military Establishment, the "Lords of Poverty" (international aid/relief organizations)and literally every American involved in overseas activity. For that matter, it should be required reading in every high school and board room in the country. Great stuff.

David Fleishhacker's "Lessons from Afghanistan" is based on the author's experiences in the country as a Peace Corps volunteer in the 1960's. This brief account is, however, more than just a memoir of a vistor who was in Afghanistan forty years ago. Fleishhacker deftly connects his experiences with current events. Unlike many of the "instant experts" whose views on Afghanistan appear daily in the media, this book gives one a feel for what the country is really like. This slim book is a good way to get a sense of the country as experienced by someone who was there and who had an opportunity to observe the way average people live their lives.

This is a most entertaining and enjoyable book to read about a part of the world which is virtually unknown to most Americans. It is well written and contains many anecdotes and amusing incidents relating to the author's personal experience in the Peace Corps in Kabul and Mazar-I-Sharif in the 60's. Beyond that, however, it provides comment which should be food for thought for anyone who wishes to follow or who seeks to implement American foreign policy in the future. The comments on basic issues faced in Afghanistan are timeless and universal in nature and provide much food for thought.

My sister and I visited Israel for 2 weeks in June and I bought this book and she bought the Lonely Planet guide. After a few days we realized my book had better information, the details were more accurate, and it was generally more useful. If you only want to buy one book, at this point in time I'd recommend the Let's Go over the lonely planet.

The editorial staff of this fine work made my vacation in Israel a success. For the first two days I used Let's Go Middle East as my guide book. I figured I might want to venture beyond Israel so why limit myself by an Israel only travel guide. That was a mistake; those first two days were mediocre. Fortunately I found a copy of Let's Go Israel while in Israel. This book saved my vacation. Not only was it an enjoyable read (particularly the history) Let's Go Israel offered countless great ideas for things to do. After investigating why Let's Go Israel was so helpful, I learned that the book was a success due to the outstanding efforts of Editor Laura Weinrib.

Thank you Laura Weinrib and the let's go staff, you made my vacation one I will never forget!

The researchers and everyone else who contributed to this book did a mediocre job at best, but everything was pulled together so incredibly well by the head editor that you should buy this book even if you never intend to travel. I used to wonder how the beautiful Ms. Weinrib ever got into Harvard, but the reasons are obvious with this truly landmark work. Without question, this volume will change the face of travel guides forever. I was deeply moved, and on the edge of my chair the entire read. Thank you, Laura Weinrib, from the bottom of my heart.

seriously, this is the best and most comprehensive guide to israel out there. a lot of people travel in the country, and so there are a lot of guide books available to the country, but all you need is this one. it was very thorough (the jerusalem section was amazing!), and it listed the cheapest places to eat and sleep and it had great places to visit--i mean really awesome and fascinating places that they described in great detail and gave the background of. i also liked the fact that they included day trips to petra (this awesome sight in jordan) and the sinai peninsula of egypt (i did some great scuba diving there, and for cheap, too, because they had these really budget but incredibly safe (safer than even the upscale scuba places, so i heard from a friend of mine) sites). the only thing i wish could be changed in the book is that it was a little bit funnier. i traveled to israel after visiting the rest of the middle east and i used let's go middle east, and that book was as accurate and helpful and wonderful as israel, but it was really so funny! SO funny! It had an israel section, too, which would have served me as well as the let's go israel book. i just bought the israel book because people on the road kept saying "oh i see you have the new middle east book from let's go, we have the other new let's go book, for israel," and it was awesome. i recommend this book to anyone and everyone as the best guide to the country--you will thank yourself 8000 million times over if you buy this book (and only this book--all that stuff about people needing like multiple guide books is a lie--you need this book and this book alone for travel in israel; if you want to go travel in the area, pick up a middle east guide, too, you'll be thanking yourself for that too, and laughing really hard because it is REALLY funny!). that's right, go out and buy both books right now!

Joseph Agassi is a thoughtful philosopher, whose recent book, Liberal Nationalism in Israel, presents a profound analysis of national identity, political processes, and the relation between religion and the state. He makes a passionate plea for the separation of religion from government in Israel, arguing that the result will be greater security for the nation, a more open political life, and a healthier religious life. It should be read by every one concerned with fundamental questions in political philosophy and with the special case of Israeli society.

_Who is an Israeali? Who is a Jew?_ On May 14, 1948 David Ben Gurion declared the establishment of the State of Israel. At the time there were about seven hundred thousand Jews in the country. On the threshold of the third millenium about five million Jews live in Israel, nearly one million Arabs, Druse and Circassians, hundreds of thousands of foreign workers and non-Jewish new immigrants from the Commonwealth of Independent States. Israeli Society and its political system are still engaged, perhaps excessively so, with the problem of national identity and the question of the political status of religion. The Israeli "melting pot" does not manage to smelt this great people into a homogenous "Israeli" entity. On the contrary, the chasm is deepening and it is as if it threatens to tear apart Israeli society. Professor Joseph Agassi, one of the important Jewish Israeli philosophers of our time, designs a platform for the normalization of Israel in the accepted western liberal style, and does this in the internal, regional and global contexts of Israel. This book is an absolute must for anyone who cares about the future of Israel. Professor Shevah Weiss, Chairman of the Thirteenth Knesset

Joseph Agassi is a thoughtful philosopher, whose recent book, Liberal Nationalism in Israel, presents a profound analysis of national identity, political processes, and the relation between religion and the state. He makes a passionate plea for the separation of religion from government in Israel, arguing that the result will be greater security for the nation, a more open political life, and a healthier religious life. It should be read by every one concerned with fundamental questions in political philosophy and with the special case of Israeli society.

This is a brilliant book by a leading Israeli public intellectual on the vexing question of Israeli national identity and the relationship between church and state, religion and nation in Israel. Agassi provides a brief synopsis of the history of nationalism and Zionism from the perspective of "liberal nationalism" and develops a program for radical revision of Zionist goals and Israel's "constitution" in light of progressive enlightenment ideals. He demonstrates that "normalization" in accordance with the Western model of nation-state would have beneficial effects for Israel, the Jewish Diaspora, and the Palestinians. When the book first appeared in 1983 in Hebrew, it evoked a lively discussion, but few were willing to consider seriously Agassi's vision of a secular Israeli identity. Since then a second edition has been published, and the number of Israelis willing to follow the book's inexorable logic is constantly on the rise. An excellent translation and wonderful design enhance the pleasure of reading. A must read for anyone wishing to understand Israel's abiding dilemma.

I was fortunate to live in Italy the last 4 years and have the author as teacher and mentor. Taking art history and appreciation classes with her in Aviano and Venice was definitely one of the main highlights. She and her partner, Craig, who is featured in the book, are both wonderful teachers and mentors. During the summer they head to the coast of Turkey and experience all the magic and wonder of travel, as well as frustration and disbelief. This is a wonderful culmination of discovery, partnership and beautiful experiences of building a home and living in a foreign land.

An intellectually thoughtful and visually stimulating armchair journey. This is a vicarious adventure for those of us who do not have the nerve to travel to "off the map" places, much less to attempt to live, or -some ancient gods forbid, try to build a house there. The book does however encourage me to take a few small steps away from my comfort zone, and that effect alone is worth the reading of it. I read it in a long weekend sitting because I became engrossed in the tale and could not wait to find out what perils were next met and conquered. I will now reread it to better savor the rich descriptions, clever asides, and to immerse myself in the "situations" (and experience the joys when they are resolved). I already feel like I know many of the characters. Certainly I feel close enough to Toni and Craig to think of them as friends; a bit eccentric perhaps but living a life I envy!

If you liked "Italian Neighbors", "Dinner with Persephone", "Under the Tuscan Sun", or "Eat, Pray, Love" you will adore this book.
"Life with a view" disproves Yeat's claim that the artist must choose between perfection of the life or of the work. Toni Sepeda has perfected both--the rich experiences of her quest for the sublime in everyday life are described in exquisite detail in her work. Each perfectly chosen word illustrates the glory of a life filled to the brim with celebrations of every meal, every task, and every view.
Descriptions of the wealth of wildflowers, the dragon rock, and the glittering sea carry the reader away to a land of enchantment. We fall in love with the characters we meet along the way--Osman, Ali, Mehmet, and Adnan (not to mention Rumi, Odysseus, and Xenophon), We cheer each triumph and sigh with resignation when Allah's will prevents an easy victory.
The quotations that start each section and chapter are perfect gems, and the pen and ink illustrations are absolutely gorgeous. With each page the reader is reminded that the glory of life is in the journey, not the destination. We close the book at the end feeling richer for having joined the author on her quest.

There are times when a reader chooses a book to disconnect from boring realities and mundane day-to-day activities. Other times we choose a book because we find the overall topic interesting, or because a friend has recommended it. There are even times when we simply close our eyes and take whatever our daring fingers end up picking from a shelf. Our reasons for choosing vary, and often times we don't even have a concrete idea of why we purchased one book over another. "Life with a View" does not need a reason--it chooses us. It takes us away to the Black Sea, to the small virgin coves, and noisy Istanbul. Toni's book does not force us into the magic of Turkey; we fall for it, page after page. Describing this couple's quest, which is not theirs alone, we find ourselves in a world of chaos, yet order; we can see the streets, smell the sea, hear the prayer calls. We can taste the exotic yet simple meals. We are taken in and out, page by page, from the west and into Islam. We feel alive, and the mundane, page by page, goes away. Thank you Toni!

This is a good book because the author of book is using Iranian intellectuals in order to illustarte how Iranian lost their own knowledge. The author is encouraging Iranian people to think independently about Iran.

One of the best books I have read in the last couple of years. Dr. Milani's eloquent and well researched comparative study of literary texts written in Persian from Saadi to Golestan and Parsipour, sheds light on a multitude of interesting topics such as modernity. His well-thought knowledge of Iran as well as the West coupled with his academic approach creates an engaging reading that is quite pleasant and informational.

By illustrating that Modernity and its accompanying social, literary and political structures are not only relevant but also historically germane to Iran, Dr. Milani has dispelled the familiar notion that Modernity is a Western phenomenon and its adoption by Iranians, therefore, a confession of inferiority. The 'modern' format of the book - a series of biographical sketches -- is judiciously employed to cover substantial ground from the discussion of Sa'di as a harbinger of democracy and equality to that on the plight and role of the Iranian diaspora in its exiled state. This work is a must-read for anyone interested in Iran, modernity or world history in general. Dr. Milani's anecdotal style captures readers' attention, even those who are entirely unfamiliar with the subject matter. He is as brilliant an author as he is a professor and researcher. This work is an incredible contribution to academia and the global pool of knowledge. In fact, I have yet to read something of Dr. Milani's that is not superb.

Dr. Milani has done it again! The "Lost Wisdom" is an outstanding achievement by Abbas Milano who is fast becoming the eminant scholar on Iranian history and political affairs, if not already there.

In his famous work, "The Persian Sphynx", Dr. Milano demonstarted his amazing capablities as an objective and thorough researcher of history. Despite the injustices that he as a political prisoner had suffered at the hadns of government agents controlled by the late Mr. hoveyda, Milani mainatined his academic honesty, and reported the former Prime Minister for what he really was.

In this book, Milani is so amazingly find the paralells and commonalities between the Irnaian thinkers and those of the "West." His masterpiece clearly shows the craving for individual liberites and human rights among all nations, races and times, albeit each in their unique molds.

The "Lost Wisdom", at these times that all those who love Iran are so desparately searching for a way out of the Islamic dictatorship without being labeld as having sold out to the "West", is the greatest intellectual contribution that any Iranian scholar could have made.

The native Iranina reader will so quickly identify with the passages and have that nostalgic feeling all over. Those with less familairity with Iranian history and culture will soon fall in love with the beautiful and elequont, yet easy, style of Milani's writing, and will follow page after page.

My sincere thanks and congratulations to Dr. Milani for this wonderful piece of literary work.

Hamid Bahadori
Mission Viejo, California

Making the connections speaks to our intuition and the power of connecting people. It is written is a clear and understandable manner. The author captures for us the value and importance of being aware of and using our intuition. One can only imagine how much better our world would be if this book was published in every language and shared around the globe!

I loved this book because it encompasses more than just how to achieve personal aspirations but promotes a natural and intuitive self that is connected to a collective energy. It outlines new ways to think and connect with the world beyond temporary materialistic needs creating the opportunity for us to truly understand what we want in life. Babicki reclaims the importance of intuition and being sensitive - two natural values that have been largely denigrated in our technological society - outlining their crucial role in bringing us closer to understanding our wants and needs. An inspiring book that offers a fresh perspective to creating a better life for all not just the individual.

Making the Connections is a fascinating read. It is certainly time for a global shift in consciousness, and Babicki's explanations of the old and new paradigms are clear and inspiring. Even better, her simple suggestions for being part of the change we want to see are both do-able and effective. This book is a keeper!

Making the Connections
Just as Copernicus and Galileo helped awaken mankind from the idea that earth was the center of the universe, an idea which led to centuries of stagnation in human development, modern writers like Babicki are trying to awaken us. The symptoms of today's flawed ways of thinking are clear: pollution levels rising to critical levels worldwide, violent confrontations on religious grounds, growing unhappiness and dissatisfaction despite rising material wealth and a general decline in morals and ethical standards. This book has many great ideas to help us make a change. Read this book, underline the key passages so that you can refer to them again. Give a copy to your friends and family members. It is time for a change!

"Marx's Das Kapital" is noted Marx-sympathetic journalist Francis Wheen's contribution to Atlantic Magazine's series on book biographies. It's short, merely 120 pages of actual text, but it does the job well. Relying strongly on prominent secondary literature about Marx, such as David McLellan's excellent biography (Karl Marx, Fourth Edition: A Biography) and S.S. Prawer's equally fascinating study of Marx' use of literature and literary references (Karl Marx and World Literature (Oxford Paperbacks)), Wheen summarizes the background of Das Kapital, how it came to be, as well as its content and its reception.

Wheen is at his best in the journalistic parts, when he can give colorful and well-done descriptions of Marx's life and activities, his relation to Engels, his trials and tribulations while working on the magnum opus, and in commentary on Marx's books and style. On the other hand, his grasp of Marx's economic theories is very weak and likely to make things more confusing, especially since he misses the point and meaning of Marx's Theory of Value entirely. Also dubious is that he appends a chapter on 'afterlife' of the book, which is mostly an attempt to summarize all of the later Marxist tradition (from an anti-Leninist viewpoint) in a few pages, a task so impossible that its attempt is fruitless and uninformative.

However, Wheen is quite good at putting Das Kapital in its historical context, in emphasizing the rhetorical and literary qualities of the book and of Marx' thought in general, and the book also contains some fascinating quotes and remarks from pro-capitalist economists and businessmen who have come to see, to their own astonishment, that ol' Marx was a better analyst of the system they wish to support than anyone else. Let us hope the reader of this booklet will be inspired by this to attempt to delve into Marx & Engels' own works, which constantly show their relevance in new and unexpected ways. As Wheen demonstrates, this is precisely as Marx had intended it.

Mr. Francis Wheen's narration of the genesis of Karl Marx's Das Kapital deserves an honored space on the library shelves of every man conversant in current affairs.

John Gooch

Karl Marx. For some, those two four letter words elicit hissing recoils and vicious claw swipes. Just one glimpse of the man resembling Santa Claus' evil twin can send them into a relentless conniption of fury. They may equate Marxism with communist, socialist, Leninist, anti-American claptrap. After all, weren't the Soviets America's diabolical enemy? Didn't they breed Bolsheviks in our washrooms? Inject anti-capitalist fluid into our drinking water? And didn't they derive such sinister plots from their hoary prophet of doom, Herr Marx? Surely the mighty bearded one inspired the killing fields, the Gulag death camps and the Red Square parades? So why drudge up this hateful mess?

After the Berlin Wall and the USSR collapsed, and especially after the September 11th, 2001 attacks, which put the focus on Middle East terrorism, Marx has acquired a more innocuous aura. Nothing cools old passions like new enemies. This new era has allowed Marx to crawl out from under those who have claimed him as their ideological messiah. And many have claimed him. But why did they claim him, an impoverished exiled German journalist? And were those countless communist regimes of the past two hundred years accurate reflections of Marx's ideas? Where did those ideas come from?

This small book explores the origins and fate of those ideas through Marx's maniacal magnum opus, "Das Kapital." As spiraling, towering, and dizzying, and as incomplete, as Gaudí's cathedral, this sprawling tome usually goes unread. A reputation for Tolstoyian verbosity, Proustian opacity, and Gödelian complexity preceded it into the twenty-first century. Not only that, at some 1000 pages, the book's physical presence alone would intimidate anyone but the most recklessly courageous bookworm. Nonetheless, it somehow persists. The story of how it came to be makes up this much shorter book's first two chapters. Procrastination, neglect, illness, despair, and squalor almost kept it from appearing. Decades passed between its conception and its printing. Fredrick Engels, Marx's partner and financial supporter, egged him on through a parade of excuses and diversions. Along the way snippets of Marx's economic theory, such as use-value, exchange-value, surplus-value, commodity fetishism, immiseration, and dialectic, also dot the narrative.

The reception of "Das Kapital" following its publication, outlined in chapters two and three, surprised everyone, except Engels. It didn't sell. It seemed to have fallen, a la Hume, still born from the press. Engels blamed the book's dense obscurity. The one place it did catch on, to Marx's astonishment, was in Tsarist Russia. Though Marx passed on well before the 1917 revolution there, he nonetheless praised the assassination of Tsar Alexander II by a group called "The People's Will." He also spent the rest of his days waiting for the fall of capitalism. He and Engels seemed to revel in every economic disruption. But the big blow never struck. The boom and bust cycles that Marx outlined in "Das Kapital" never destroyed capitalism from within, as he predicted it someday would and should. Of course, it still could, but to this day the system endures.

Chapter three discusses Marx's legacy. Most of all, it rescues him from some of the crimes perpetrated by "Marxist" regimes. Vladimir Lenin in particular seemed to turn the Marxian dialectic on its head by postulating an elite proletariat "intelligentsia." Marx never condoned such a thing. As the twentieth century continued, Marx was also appropriated by academic movements such as cultural studies. The book dismisses these movements apparent "Marxism" through figures such as Louis Althusser. It also criticizes this movement's displacement of economics, which lies at the heart of Marx's work, with critiques of mass culture, such as television shows and candy wrappers. Most shocking are quotes from modern economists who support some of Marx's views on capitalism. So Marx wasn't blacklisted along with all those 1930s entertainers. Marx's legacy may just be beginning, but not as a revolutionary overthrowing the capitalist machine, but as an observer of the machine's working and flaws.

A better introduction to Marx and "Das Kapital" is hard to imagine. The book reads like a roller coaster in clear accessible language. Pros as well as cons of Marxist theory, its implications, and abuses receive apt attention, and Marx's turgid masterpiece comes to life. Anyone curious about "the spectre of communism" should start with this tiny but riveting - and appropriately colored - book.

If you're anything like me, you have neither the time, nor the patience to delve into Karl Marx's monstrous Magnum opus of political economics, Das Kapital. Fortunately, Francis Wheen has done us a great service by giving us this fantastic "biography" of a book that changed the world. The book is superbly written, and the audio version, eloquently delivered by Simon Vance, is equally good. It is a concise work; the CD version is 3.5 hours, while the printed format is only about 144 pages. My CD version is separated into three sections. The first section details Marx's life and the circumstances that led him to write such a groundbreaking book. The second section is a succinct exposition of Das Kapital. Wheen aptly outlines and dissects the basic principles of Marx's revolutionary economic theory, objectively pointing out both Marx's errors, as well as his numerous insights, many of which have proven true. While his prophesies of the collapse of the capitalist system have obviously not come to pass, Marx offers more insight into the "nature of the beast" than anyone else before, or since.

The final section deals with the book's lasting influence and Marx's legacy. Wheen points out that in most "Marxist" countries, Marx's ideas were never thoroughly researched and interpreted, their leaders simply took their own interpretation, made it an unquestionable dogma, and that was that. Ironically, it's been in western capitalist societies where Marx, due to the freedom of scholars to study him, has been more thoroughly understood. "Marxism as practiced by Marx himself," Wheen writes, "was not so much an ideology, as a critical process, a continuous dialectical argument." More simply put, Marx was not a Marxist.

Wheen clearly has a great amount of respect for Marx. And while he is quick to point out certain lapses in logic or prognosis, he maintains that Marx was one of the most brilliant thinkers of the 19th century. In fact, he predicts that we have not seen the last of Karl Marx, and boldly suggests that in the end, he may turn out to be more relevant than most would expect. All in all, I would recommend this as a great introduction to Marx or even a refreshing new look at an old subject. 5 stars.

The idea of a book full of arguments for the war in Iraq from liberal authors seemed so interesting that I immediately ordered it and started reading it as soon as I had finished my book of conservative authors not so happy about the war.

Seeing the way liberals had reacted to Iraq was one of the biggest reasons why I have started calling myself moderate instead of liberal. I'm not trying to imply that the word liberal is monolithic by any means, but seeing the way so many different types of liberals were so strongly opposed to this war (many times out of pure hatred of George W. Bush and nothing else), really made me take serious look at what I thought.

Some of the articles in this book are a bit dense, and the average reader might not be able to get through them, but there are numerous other brilliant articles in this book that make a very strong case for their arguments. Put simply, the main point of this book is that a perfectly logical case can be made in favor of invading Iraq from a humanitarian perspective.

The authors in this book are not fans of Bush in any way, but yet they still make the case that getting rid of Saddam Hussein is a good thing. One of the contributors, Adam Michnik, put it best when he said "I believe you can be an enemy of Saddam Hussein even if Donald Rumsfeld is also an enemy of Saddam Hussein."

Throughout the book, the authors pose tough questions such as "If Bush really did lie about the weapons (and knew that none were in Iraq), why did the U.S. not arrange to plant the weapons after the invasion? A simple, but ironclad point in my opinion. The authors also tackle many of the liberal points used to argue against the war. Michael Moore is mentioned several times and because of this book, I am firmly cemented in my view that Moore has about as many positive contributions to make to the political world as Ann Coulter (which would be next to none).

Something I found particularly interesting was that a lot of what was said could be found coming from the right, but the point here is that the talk of liberating the Iraqi people from these authors are genuine. Hearing someone like Sean Hannity making these arguments isn't convincing because he's only for liberating another country if a Republican President is the one doing it. You never hear Hannity-types making the liberation argument in any other case.

I sincerely hope that anyone calling themselves a liberal that is opposed to the war in Iraq reads this book. It really challenges liberals to look at Iraq from the humanitarian perspective and I would venture to say that if you're a Michael Moore fan or a Noam Chomsky fan that could make it through this book and not have second thoughts, you're no different than the Republicans and conservatives you accuse of being blinded by ideology.

Irrespective of whether it leaves you believing that the Iraq war was just, this book is a fresh and valuable perspective. It explores important and critical arguments of a sophistication and depth that the lightweights and bigots of the contemporary media simply ignore (whether through bias or ineptitude).

Read the introduction here:

http://www.ucpress.edu/books/pages/10415/cushman.pdf

...and another example of the books chapters is here:

http://www.dissentmagazine.org/menutest/articles/wi04/berman.htm

Highly recommended.

With the exception of Roger Scruton, all of the contributors to this thought-provoking book come from the left of the political spectrum. It is most refreshing to see that there are still rational people on that side and that the strident, hateful and juvenile shrieking that one encounters in the media are not the only voices of the left.

Part One: Reconsidering Regime Change, contains contributions by the brilliant Christopher Hitchens, Jeffrey Herf, Jan Narveson and Mitchell Cohen. These essays state the case for the overthrow of the sadistic Saddam whilst discussing the liberal and humanitarian case for the liberation.

The next section, Philosophical Arguments, includes a reflection on national interest and international law by the conservative Roger Scruton, an essay on a just war against criminal regimes by Mehdi Mozaffari, and moral arguments on sovereignty, agency and consequences by Daniel Kofman.

Critiques Of The Left is the third section. This contains the most interesting dissection of leftist positions and thoroughly undermines the fallacy created by the mass media that liberals and leftists were unanimously against the war. My personal favourite essays in this group include Pages From A Daily Journal Of Argument by Norman Geras, Ethical Correctness And The Decline Of The Left by Jonathan Re and A Friendly Drink In A Time Of War by Paul Berman, a liberal.

In European Dimensions, people like John Lloyd, Michel Taubmann and Anders Jerichow reveal that many prominent European intellectuals, including Vaclav Havel, supported the war on liberal-humanitarian grounds.

Part Five: Solidarity, contains an interview between the compiler Thomas Cushman and the Polish intellectual Adam Michnik. There are also moving essays by Timorese leader Jose Ramos-Horta, Johann Hari, Pamela Bone and Ann Clwyd. It is quite clear that unlike the rest of the Left, these authors have genuine compassion for the weak and the oppressed. An important point made here is that indifference to the plight of the oppressed means abdication of the duty to protect them.

The volume concludes with Liberal Statesmanship that contains Prime Minister Tony Blair's full statement to the House of Commons on 18th March 2003 and another speech of his titled The Threat Of Global Terrorism. They are both eloquent arguments for the liberation of Iraq that are rooted in principle and morality.

This valuable book demolishes many myths perpetuated by the academic and media elites and more importantly, exposes their malignant mindsets to some extent. For example, Johan Hari points out how Anti-Americanism has become a religion and how leftists ignore the crimes of sundry third world dictators. It is made clear that the anti-war camp really did not care about Saddam's victims. Then again, this is nothing new - leftists of the past also tried to suppress knowledge of Stalin's atrocities and those of Pol Pot.

Another lie that is exposed is the myth of American unilateralism. Forty Eight countries had joined the Coalition by March 2003 and in Europe, states like the Netherlands, Italy, Hungary, Denmark, Poland, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Romania, Bulgaria, Albania, Croatia and Macedonia strongly allied themselves with the USA. Many Asian states supported it too, including Australia, Japan, South Korea, Singapore and the Philippines. That puts the myth of unilateralism to rest.

In his introduction, Cushman mentions the relentless campaign of hatred and disinformation against Israel by the United Nations and the travesty of a UN Human Rights body that that includes representatives of cruel totalitarian states like Libya, Sudan and Zimbabwe.

He also mentions the shady motives behind the anti-war position of France, Germany and Russia. These essays were written and the book compiled before the full extent of the UN Oil For Food graft became widely known, but this scandal of the century only confirms the hypocrisy of the leadership of the aforementioned countries.

The book is not flawless. Some of the writing is perhaps too self-critical and as a Reaganite, I obviously disagree with many contributors on a range of other issues. But they are brave people who are willing to stand up for their convictions in a hostile environment. I regard the George Galloway/Michael Moore Moonbat Left as one would a hairy spider, but these authors are rational and decent. Their concern for the wretched of the earth is genuine. Their hearts are in the right place.

I also recommend A Long Short War: The Postponed Liberation of Iraq by Christopher Hitchens, Unholy Alliance and The Anti Chomsky Reader by David Horowitz, The Force Of Reason by Oriana Fallaci plus everything written by the wonderful Norman Geras.

The essays in this book about the Iraq War and international law are for the most part in clear and accessible English and do not rely on theories that are left unexplained in the body of the essay itself. For that reason I would recommend this collection to people who are interested only in the development of international law and mores and who are not much concerned with the Iraq War.

For those who are interested in the Iraq War, this collection is, I feel, indispensable. Not because the authors agree (they do not) but because the debate in this volume has about it a quality that has been largely absent from the Iraq debate: candor. Thus while the authors disagree on fundamental issues such as:

* was the war in Iraq, on balance, justified;

* did the governments that lead us to war lie or act in good faith;

* was the suffering of the Iraqi people alone sufficient justification for war; and

* do we have what it takes to see this war through

they do so without simplifying the arguments and without assuming that the Iraqi people agree with their positions.

For as profound as their disagreements are, the authors agree that:

* Saddam's regime was genocidal;

* leaving Saddam in place was not costless either (and most immediately) to the Iraqi people or (eventually) to the West; and

* the Bush administration has terribly botched the occupation, thereby endangering the whole enterprise.

And finally these authors point out that when in a public policy debate, the liberals sound like Henry Kissinger while the conservatives echo John Rawls, the political landscape is out of joint.

This is the sort of debate liberals like myself had every right to expect in the days and months preceding the Iraq invasion. We did not get it (for reasons addressed in this volume). We get it here; in this collection of essays. I highly recommend it.