Customer Reviews

A House of Many Mansions: The History of Lebanon Reconsidered

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

This book isn't so much a history of Lebanon as about how the Maronites, the Druze, the Sunnites, and the Shi'ites hold different views of the history of Lebanon. It is difficult to understand one's history if there is little concensus about what is fact and what is myth. It is this latter aspect, fact versus myth, that Salibi explores. He attempts to outline the history of Lebanon as viewed by each of the major religious/political parties and detail what is supported by historical evidence and what is not. Overall, I feel that he has succeeded. Several points of particular interest include the fact that no group in Lebanon today has any strong claim to have descended from the ancient Phoenicians, and Salibi's discussion regarding the complications of Arabic nationalism versus Islamism is particularly enlightening. If I had any complaint about this book, it is that Salibi spends too much of the text on the Maronite and Druze communities, and not enough on the Shi'ite or Sunnite. This is a rather dense book packed with details and information, and I would not consider it a light read, but it is well worth the time invested.

Those who know Kamal Salibi, know that he is not affiliated with any Lebanese political group or party and that's what shoots Salibi's review of the Lebanese history up high.
Being an academic historian, Salibi wipes out popular versions of the Lebanese history and replaces them with a more analytical, critical, and well-researched version. In the heyday of a never ending debate about the identity of the Lebanese people, an objective historical record is highly needed.
Several Maronite historians should understand that they do not come from a different ethnic stock. They must thoroughly read their historical texts and subject them to historical analysis. Maronite history has become similar to a religious faith: it is not receptive of any historical examination.
Salibi does not favor one group more than another in this book. He only classifies groups according to the available texts and what he gets in conclusion is a different story about the history of Lebanon which might be sad, but true.
The anonymous reviewer who scorns Salibi for this book is apparently writing with the current political situation (the Syrians influencing Lebanese politics) in the back of his mind. This kind of review is what historians call biased history. Salibi never suggests that Lebanon must become a Syrian province, the reviewer reached to this conclusion by him/herself.

Could not put this book down. It's a great resource to explain the origin of Lebanon and Syria. What is amazing is that after so many years of conflicts, Lebanese politicians HAVE NOT learned a thing. (because what happened in the 1500s and 1800s is repeated over and over).
I think it must be a requirement to whoever gets into politics to read this book. Maybe they will eventually learn something and get this country to show the world its true potential.

At the same time, a very professional scholarly work and an enjoyable read. Good at setting the middle eastern context of Lebanese history.
However, the author seems to take sides when he is deconstructing the classical Lebanist version of history (such as the muslim religious persecutions, the mountain refuge, and the Shehabi state), as all his arguments go in the same anti-Lebanist direction.

I found the book very good and neutral. Concerning the comments of Abdel Hussein Hussein, I would say that he did not understand the main lesson of the book. Using the typical stereotype reaction by saying: "The Maronites should understand..." Mr. Hussein just committed the same mistake that was pinpointed by Kamal Salibi. I think it is time to wake up and understand that while Maronite, Sunni and Chiaa leaders were always hand in hand in securing silently their own personal interests, they where at the same time convincing people, such as Mr. Hussein, that the community was at risk and they should react (Just note that the worst combats during the Lebanese war were inter-community ones)

This piece of historical literature is perhaps the best book to date on the history of "Lebanon". Professor Salibi's synthesis is an essential read for anyone who's seriously motivated to understand, however, for all of those fuelled by bigotry and hatred, it would only add rage to ignorance.

Salibi's book is not exactly the history of Lebanon, although Lebanon's history is strongly addressed and examined throughout the book. It is rather a discussion of the different interpretations of Lebanese history that have been expressed by the various religious and political groups of Lebanese society, and their historical accuracy.

Salibi addresses the controversy which surrounds Lebanese historiography by addressing the works of previous historians, as well as the stands on the nature of the Lebanese entity that are held by political or religious groups (notably Arabism and Lebanism), and comparing and contrasting them with actual historical evidence that have surfaced through recent historical research. Salibi seems to discredit a number of views as apparently myths or fictional historiography, as they are not supported by the evidence. For this reason, this book is important and informative, giving the reader a reliable and useful analysis of Lebanese history until the creation of the modern Lebanese state.

However, in my opinion, the book is not without its faults. As other reviewers noted, Salibi fails to address the 1860 massacre, which is only one of the many historical events or issues that should be addressed. The book is lacking a lot in discussing the modern history of Lebanon. The Arab-Israeli conflict and its relation to Lebanon is nowhere mentioned. The PLO establishment in Lebanon is not addressed. The 1958 Lebanon crisis is not mentioned, and the civil war of 1975-1990 is only mentioned in passing (although this could be excused on the fact that the book was first published towards the end of the civil war).

As a discussion on the various views that exist on pre-1943 Lebanon and their historical accuracy, this book is a success. For this reason I give it four stars. However, as a general history of Lebanon, although useful and interesting, the reader should be aware that it is incomplete, and particularly weak on the history of the modern Lebanese state that emerged after 1943.

This book is very informative politically. I have not finished it and was warned that Salibis work is great if you have a good foundation of the history of what your reading. Each page is packed with information takes a while to absorb, so its a long read. would recommend for political knowledge excellent.

1 - Writing and Style:
I liked the way Salibi writes. It's fascinating and it keeps you attracted to the story. Above all, the chapters and paragraphs are well threaded. You have a series of questions at the end of every chapter that keep you focused.

2 - Content:
He tries to smartly undermine the fundamentals of history and philosophy on which the modern Lebanon was built. It's the famous synergy of its communities, mainly middle eastern minorities, fleeing pressure and persecution that bothers Salibi.

3 - Conclusion:
Salibi is absolutely not a "Lebanist" and I am not saying it in a pejorative way! When reading his book, he manages to take you around the confusing and complicated history of Lebanon expressing his views with arguments that are not better than those of his opponents, however you won't stop reading.

I recommend this book to the "History Analysis lovers". It shows a different face of things specially during the Maan and Shihab eras.

It is an excellent book that provides a clarification of the misconceptions about Lebanon's historical conflicts.