Mirror of the Arab World: Lebanon in Conflict [Paperback]

Sandra Mackey (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 16, 2009

"A vivid picture of the crushing difficulties faced by every Arab government."--Kirkus Reviews

The security of the West is threatened by escalating turmoil rising out of the Arab states is Lebanon, a small, tortured country poised uneasily between East and West. Improbably, this most unique of Arab states has much to teach about the Arab world. Like many Arab little sense of common identity and no strong central government.

The tumultuous history of Lebanon illuminates not only the challenges that Arabs pose to themselves but also the fear and hostility that arise in response to perceived threats from the West. Awareness and understanding circumstances and pressures are the first steps toward resolution, cooperation, and solidity on all sides.

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Editorial Reviews

From Booklist

Reporter Mackey focuses on Lebanon, “the most transparent of all Arab states,” to offer insight into the complexities of and challenges posed by the Middle East. She examines the cultural, religious, economic, and historical factors that contribute to the current politics within the Middle East—specifically Lebanon—and with Western nations, understanding that the Middle East has been complicated by artificial boundaries set by Westerners after World War I and interest in protecting the state of Israel. Those boundaries have not altered the strong influence of loyalty to ethnicity, tribe, religion, or family. Mackey maintains that Lebanon offers a microcosm of every major issue that has plagued the broader Middle East, including Palestinian statehood, Sunni-Shia sectarianism, and militant Islam. Despite its large Christian population and comparative cosmopolitanism, Lebanon took center stage in Western concerns about the Middle East until the U.S. invasion of Iraq. But Mackey maintains that Lebanon still holds the greatest promise to understanding the Middle East. She offers a clearly written, well-researched analysis of Lebanon and broader Middle Eastern issues. --Vanessa Bush --This text refers to the Hardcover edition.

Review

Incisive, timely, and eminently readable. A wonderful guide to the complexity of the brewing conflict in Lebanon and what it will mean for the Middle East. (Vali Nasr )

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Product Details

• Paperback: 304 pages
• Publisher: W. W. Norton & Company; Reprint edition (March 16, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0393333744
• ISBN-13: 978-0393333749
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.5 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 8.8 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #338,771 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #31 in Books > History > Middle East > Lebanon
  • #91 in Books > History > Middle East > Palestine

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

8 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Informative and Well written, December 28, 2008

By 

Daniel W. Stoker "D. Stoker" (Basin City WA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mirror of the Arab World: Lebanon in Conflict (Hardcover)

McKay does a great job breaking down the complexities of the Arab World and explaining the challenges that await it in the future. She does this by exploring the great trajedy that has befallen Lebanon in the last century and analyzing the roots of the conflict. The book is clear in its style and easy to understand and enjoyable to read. Excellent for both those who have little knowledge of the region and for those who studied the region in detail.

29 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

1.0 out of 5 stars Substandard repetition of Lebanon's history, March 16, 2008

By 

Samir Kassir "Sam" (United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Mirror of the Arab World: Lebanon in Conflict (Hardcover)

"Mirror of the Arab World: Lebanon in Conflict" by Sandra Mackey is a journalistic rehash of repetitive accounts of what goes on in Lebanon. The book scandalously borrows from other standard works without substantiation or referecing even when statistics and important details are stated in the book. Entire passages seem to have been taken liberally from other books without footnoting that. It is full of factual and historical errors (pre-war Lebanese election was in 1972 not 1974, Hafez Assad died in 2000 not 2002, Syria's president is Bashar not Bashir, etc.). The attempt to collapse complex issues about religion and community and the narratives of Iraq and other Middle East countries is anything but professional. The choice of the photo on the cover is ill-advised. It is about the destruction of Beirut's downtown in 1975 but this risks giving the reader the feeling that this is happening now.
On the bright side, those trying to learn something about Lebanon and the Middle East for the first time will get an easy-going read. Also I grant the author her good intentions towards the people of the Middle East.

5 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Ex-Arabist brought up to date, May 30, 2008

By 

John R. Mc Carthy - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Mirror of the Arab World: Lebanon in Conflict (Hardcover)

As someone who lived in Beirut in the early sixties and has lost touch with the country, I found Mackey extremely helpful in putting all subsequent events into perspective without taking sides except against the selfish elites who have ruined the country over and over again.