At the beginning of this autobiographical book, Friedman sets out to begin his post as a foreign correspondent for The New York Times in Lebanon.  Through captivating journalism, Friedman navigates the perplexities of Lebanons recent civil war bringing the history, culture, and people to life with unforgettable anecdotal recollections.  Exploring the complex religious make-up of the country alongside the equally convoluted political issues, he leads the reader through Lebanons hostile struggle to come to terms with its political and social components.  Just before leaving for Israel, Friedman covers Ariel Sharons orchestration of the massacre of Palestinian refugees at Shabra and Shatilla, for which Friedman later wins a Pulitzer Prize in Journalism.  His experience in Jerusalem covers the period of the first Palestinian intifada and he provides equally brilliant explanations and anecdotes to flesh-out the many issues and personalities that shaped this conflict.  Friedmans Jerusalem coverage puts forth both Israeli and Palestinian points of view and actions in an interesting and engaging fashion that leaves memorable images and profound perspectives.
All in all, this book serves as a perfect entry point from which to learn about the issues, characters, and politics of these conflicts.  Although the book was published in 1989, it remains relevant today due to Friedmans balanced approach to highly charged issues on all sides.  This is the perfect book for someone new to Middle Eastern politics and history and provides a comprehensive, evenhanded analysis of the specific time periods of each conflict.  These include main issues that simply must be understood in order to make sense of the region today.
At the beginning of this autobiographical book, Friedman sets out to begin his post as a foreign correspondent for The New York Times in Lebanon. Through captivating journalism, Friedman navigates the perplexities of Lebanons recent civil war bringing the history, culture, and people to life with unforgettable anecdotal recollections. Exploring the complex religious make-up of the country alongside the equally convoluted political issues, he leads the reader through Lebanons hostile struggle to come to terms with its political and social components. Just before leaving for Israel, Friedman covers Ariel Sharons orchestration of the massacre of Palestinian refugees at Shabra and Shatilla, for which Friedman later wins a Pulitzer Prize in Journalism. His experience in Jerusalem covers the period of the first Palestinian intifada and he provides equally brilliant explanations and anecdotes to flesh-out the many issues and personalities that shaped this conflict. Friedmans Jerusalem coverage puts forth both Israeli and Palestinian points of view and actions in an interesting and engaging fashion that leaves memorable images and profound perspectives. All in all, this book serves as a perfect entry point from which to learn about the issues, characters, and politics of these conflicts. Although the book was published in 1989, it remains relevant today due to Friedmans balanced approach to highly charged issues on all sides. This is the perfect book for someone new to Middle Eastern politics and history and provides a comprehensive, evenhanded analysis of the specific time periods of each conflict. These include main issues that simply must be understood in order to make sense of the region today.