Live From Jordan: Letters Home From My Journey Through the Middle East [Hardcover]

Benjamin Orbach (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 30, 2007

On the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Pittsburgh native and graduate student Ben Orbach traveled to the Middle East to experience the region first-hand. Despite having a degree in Middle Eastern studies, he was completely unprepared for what he discovered. Beyond the anti-American sentiment he expected, he found a complex, curious people whose lives were made even more difficult by an overwhelming feeling of powerlessness. "Live from Jordan" is the story, told via his letters home, of Orbach's one year trip through Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Turkey. As he begins his unforgettable journey which takes him from bustling bazaars to underground brothels, he meets all kinds of characters: a falafel cook who hates Americans because they 'have no mercy', a kindly baker who wishes him 'peace and blessings' every time he buys pita bread, and the curious, impassioned 21-year-old medical student with a penchant for debating U.S. foreign policy.From the angry streets of Cairo to the living rooms of ordinary people in Jordan and Palestine, Orbach offers an honest, balanced portrait of a region in turmoil and the vivid, misunderstood, and often welcoming people who inhabit it. With humor and wit, he sheds new light on a culture that few Americans understand. Engaging and evocative, "Live from Jordan" is a myth-breaking book that combines the lyricism of a travelogue with the insight of reportage.

Editorial Reviews

Review

"It's a wonderful tale -- not of danger and intrigue, but of good friends and interesting, hospitable people."

-American Pundit blog, July 24, 2007

“A funny, poignant trip through [the] Mideast.”

-Miami Herald

“Orbach's knowledgeable but down-to-earth style is refreshing, and it's a delight to follow him on his 13-month sojourn.”

-National Geographic Traveler Online

“Live from Jordan…is the thoughtful, illuminating, and highly entertaining book debut by Pittsburgh native Benjamin Orbach….an elegantly written, and often hilarious account of Orbach’s prolonged stay in Jordan and Egypt….an intelligent, balanced, and insightful book debut.” Democracy and Security

Book Description

On the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Pittsburgh native and graduate student Ben Orbach traveled to the Middle East to experience the region first-hand. Despite having a degree in Middle Eastern studies, he was completely unprepared for what he discovered. Beyond the anti-American sentiment he expected, he found a complex, curious people whose lives were made even more difficult by an overwhelming feeling of powerlessness. Live from Jordan is the story, told via his letters home, of Orbach’s one year trip through Egypt, Jordan, Syria, Palestine, and Turkey.

As he begins his unforgettable journey which takes him from bustling bazaars to underground brothels, he meets all kinds of characters: a falafel cook who hates Americans because they "have no mercy," a kindly baker who wishes him "peace and blessings" every time he buys pita bread, and the curious, impassioned 21-year-old medical student with a penchant for debating U.S. foreign policy. From the angry streets of Cairo to the living rooms of ordinary people in Jordan and Palestine, Orbach offers an honest, balanced portrait of a region in turmoil and the vivid, misunderstood, and often welcoming people who inhabit it. With humor and wit, he sheds new light on a culture that few Americans understand. Engaging and evocative, Live from Jordan is a myth-breaking book that combines the lyricism of a travelogue with the insight of reportage.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Reading level: Ages 18 and up
  
• Hardcover: 320 pages
• Publisher: AMACOM; 1st ed edition (April 30, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0814474276
• ISBN-13: 978-0814474273
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.4 x 1.2 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (46 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #190,000 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #6 in Books > Travel > Middle East > Jordan
  • #10 in Books > History > Middle East > Jordan

More About the Author

BENJAMIN ORBACH works in Jerusalem as the West Bank and Gaza Country Director for Creative Associates International, an international development company. He manages a grassroots small grant program that partners with women's associations, youth clubs, and village councils. Prior to joining Creative Associates in June of 2007, Orbach was the Deputy Regional Coordinator of the Middle East Partnership Initiative (MEPI) at the U.S. Department of State for three years. He received superior achievement and meritorious achievement awards for designing and managing democratic reform projects in the Middle East and North Africa. Before joining the State Department, Orbach was a research fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy, where he wrote analyses and essays on democratic reform in the Middle East, public diplomacy, terrorism, and Arab politics. Orbach has a Masters degree in Middle East Studies and International Economics from the Johns Hopkins University School for Advanced International Studies (SAIS). At SAIS, he was a Boren Fellow, CASA Fellow, and the David Kagan Fellow. A speaker of Arabic and Hebrew, Orbach has lived in Egypt, Israel, and Jordan, and has traveled extensively throughout the Middle East and North Africa. He previously taught special education social studies in Washington D.C. and worked with AmeriCorps in Colorado and Texas. He is a University of Michigan graduate and a Pittsburgh native. Orbach can be reached BenjaminOrbach at yahoo.com .

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars bottoms up, January 18, 2008

By 

Vance A. Stephenson "vecks" (Wilmington, NC United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Live From Jordan: Letters Home From My Journey Through the Middle East (Hardcover)

A fantastic book. The parallels with Tom Friedmans' "Beirut to Jerusalem" are remarkable, but where Tom's insight derived from serving as the NY Times correspondent to Beirut and Jerusalem and interacting with high level politicos (top down), Ben's piece involves living in Amman where he had to endure a brief, cold shower every other day due to water constraints (bottoms up).

This work palpably demonstrates how miserably US foreign policy aggravates Middle East problems, but reinforces the hope that if we take the time to know our neighbors, peaceful reconciliation is possible.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Sincere and Honest Search to Understand Arab World, Pursue Peace, June 22, 2007

By 

Eagle Eye - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Live From Jordan: Letters Home From My Journey Through the Middle East (Hardcover)

Sincere, honest, and funny are words that come most readily to mind when summing up this book. Young American Ben Orbach showed significant courage in traveling to the Arab World (and Turkey) post-9/11, and he was on the ground with war in Iraq brewing and then breaking out. He is a true traveler in the classical sense, going afar to seek wisdom and change, not to impose or justify prejudices or preconceived notions. He is clear about his convictions, but humbly does his utmost to understand the many different opinions he encounters along the way. His insights, informed by his knowledge of the local language, are passed on to us through the e-mails that he wrote home from the Middle East--those missives are the substance of the book. His distinction between "America haters" and "American policy critics" will help Americans who are struggling to grasp the nuance of Arab/Muslim politics and society. In this and some other sections of the book, Orbach outlines what he believes are some of the implications for U.S. Middle East policy.

The author's personality comes through with a great sense of humor. His account of using the facilities in high-class hotels is hilarious--something any young and cash-strapped traveler who has searched desperately for clean restrooms in developing nations can surely relate to. The Jordan snowball fight is awesome.

This wil be a sort of guide book for Americans studying in the Arab/Muslim world. It can also be a Middle East primer for any Americans who are seeking to be more-informed citizens.

Perhaps the most important question to ask of any text is, "what of it?" At first glance, pursuing peace might seem a somewhat grandiose ambition to link with this book, but I believe that is the author's primary motivation. His search is in the spirit of U.S. Middle East envoy Dennis Ross, who dedicated his book "To the Children of the Middle East." The Middle East is controversial, and readers will surely find cause to disagree with Orbach at points along the way. But they will also find his views to be balanced, fair, and reasonable.

In sum, the author's sincerity, credentials (advanced Arabic, SAIS masters degree), and his travel and work experience (notably with the U.S. government's Middle East Partnership Initiative) demand that his book gets a serious look and a fair read. At a time when the need for mutual understanding between the U.S. and the Arab (and Muslim) world has never been more vital, this is a timely, important, and enjoyable book.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars True Essence of Paradoxical Middle East, May 23, 2007

By 

Harlan Knipes (Cairo, Egypt) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Live From Jordan: Letters Home From My Journey Through the Middle East (Hardcover)

Benjamin Orbach captures the true essence and political character that is the present paradoxical Arab East. Live From Jordan is a very accurate account of the Middle Eastern climate today. Through his clear writing and attention to detail, Benjamin Orbach's words give insight into these different cultures and the struggle of everyday life. Orbach's experience in the Middle East is one that is unique, yet he touches on so many common threads, and is able to come to a comfortable understanding in the end.