The Covenant: Love & Death in Beirut [Hardcover]

Barbara Newman (Author), Barbara Rogan (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: January 13, 1989

In this account of her relationship with Bashir Gemayel, who was elected president of Lebanon in 1982, Barbara Newman uses all her skills as an investigative reporter to unravel the background to his assassination and to the history of the civil war.

--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Newman was an experienced journalist in her 30s when she arrived in Beirut in 1980 to produce a TV documentary on the political maneuvering there. Her meeting with Bashir Gemayel, head of the Christian militia fighting the PLO and Syrians in Lebanon, was the start of a love affair, intense although doomed. Gemayel was tied to his wife and family; Newman, a divorcee, had a daughter waiting for her at home in Washington, D.C. Convinced that the 32-year-old leader could accomplish his goals of restoring peace and unity to his country, the author rejoiced when Gemayel was elected president in 1982, but he was assassinated shortly afterward. Impelled to investigate the crime, Newman risked her life, returning to Beirut and amassing evidence in support of the belief that the president's threat to entrenched power-sharers led to his murder. This is an important book about the intriguers that create bloody strife in the Mid-East, by an observant reporter.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From School Library Journal

YA-- War-torn Lebanon and contemporary Middle East politics are the background for this exciting true-life adventure and romance. Bashir Gemayel was young, vital, married, and in control of the Lebanon Christian forces when Newman first met him. His rise to power, election as president of Lebanon, assassination, and the descent of his country into anarchy and terrorism provide an interesting narrative that newspaper headlines and articles lacked. Newman tells of the perils an investigative reporter may face to uncover truths necessary to tell the whole story. Researchers will appreciate the index and the map of Lebanon. For students wanting an exciting, contemporary, different kind of biography, this is a find!-- Carolyn Henebry, Espicopal High School, Bellaire, TX
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Hardcover: 242 pages
• Publisher: Crown; 1st edition (January 13, 1989)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 051757215X
• ISBN-13: 978-0517572153
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6.2 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,138,952 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Passion, love, war, adventure, tragedy, hope, suspence......, February 3, 2000

By 

Ray (Seattle Wa) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Covenant: Love & Death in Beirut (Hardcover)

When I started reading this book, I thought it was just another fairy tale written by a reporter who was seeking fame and fortune. I was wrong. the events in this book are acurate, and the story in all is very intense. I congradulate miss Neman for her honesty and courage. I would love to meet and share some stories with her one day since I grew up in the Covenant's home town... No matter what was said about Shiek Basshir, and no matter what he had done, HE WAS TRULY THE ONLY HOPE LEBANON HAD..

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Amazing!, April 29, 2000

By 

fadi bou karam (Beirut, Lebanon) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Covenant: Love & Death in Beirut (Hardcover)

Imagine that a foreigner to Lebanon knows more about it than the Lebanese themselves. It's a great history book, and one would have to read it to really know what was happening in Lebanon.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Who Will Save Lebanon, November 23, 2000

By A Customer

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: The Covenant: Love & Death in Beirut (Hardcover)

A superb piece of work. Only someone with "inside" information could have written a book with so much details, showing unfortunately dirty (local, regional and international) politics. Politics that killed, probably what was known to be as one of the best places to live in. It is sad and ironic to see world powers leave such a country to disintegrate and die leaving it at the mercy of its meddling and envious neighbours.