Amazon.com: Kissing Through Glass : The Invisible Shield Between Americans and Isrealis: Joyce R. Starr: Books

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly
"Hidden beneath Israel's Superman bravado is the Clark Kent of the Middle East," writes Starr, a political advisor on the Middle East in Washington, D.C. The average Israeli citizen, she contends, is an innate pessimist, cautiously conservative, full of deep-seated fears and insecurities. In contrast, Americans who have had extensive dealings with Israelis often describe them as arrogant, blunt, infuriating, willful or defensive. For their part, Israelis--who have deeply ingrained traditions of social welfare, communal support and friendship--tend to view Americans as a parochial, superficial people given to appalling levels of violence and closed to new ideas. This absorbing commentary holds up a mirror to each culture, with reflections that are both fresh and surprising.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal
Attempting to illuminate the differences between Americans and Israelis, this unfocused book is only partially successful. The author, a frequent media commentator on the Middle East, interviewed many Israelis (including Shimon Peres and Yitzhak Rabin) and Americans (both Jewish and Gentile) and obtained anecdotal information she uses to examine a wide variety of situations where citizens of both countries interact: banking, business negotiations, fund raising, political alliance building, landing contracts, etc. The pacing is somewhat uneven, as Starr skips from topic to topic attempting to establish a conversational tone, and her analysis begins and ends within the Israeli viewpoint: indeed, Kissing Through Glass seems to be primarily a primer for Americans who want to know what the Israelis think about them. Recommended with reservations for subject collections.
- David P. Snider, Casa Grande P.L., Ariz.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.