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From Beirut to Jerusalem (Paperback)

~ (Author) "I once watched a man being kidnapped in Beirut..." (more)
Key Phrases: super story, settler movement, army spokesman, West Bank, American Jews, West Beirut (more...)
4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (183 customer reviews)
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Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

"Friedman, who twice garnered the Pulitzer as a New York Times correspondent in Lebanon and Israel, further delineates the two countries in this provocative, absorbing memoir cum political and social analysis," commented PW. The work won the National Book Award.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.


From Library Journal

There have been any number of books that have worked hard at interpreting the melange called the Middle East. This one, however, makes a difference because it's so well written and captures the psychological mannerisms of the people of Lebanon and Israel--the first step to understanding some of the mysterious "why" that seems to elude the American public and government. Friedman's credentials are impressive: he spent six years of journalistic service for the New York Times in Beirut and Jerusalem, has won two Pulitzer prizes, and is now the Times 's chief diplomatic correspondent. His writing is vastly descriptive, incredibly illuminating, very educational, and marvelously persuasive. His advice to U.S. diplomats is that since "Middle East diplomacy is a contact sport," they must bargain as grocers, or, in other words, realize that everything has a price and the sale can always be made with enough hard work. This title is highly recommended for all libraries. See also Sandra Mackey's Lebanon: Death of a Nation , reviewed below.
- Ed. -- David P. Snider, Casa Grande P.L., Ariz.
Copyright 1989 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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Product Details

  • Paperback: 541 pages
  • Publisher: Anchor; First Edition edition (July 15, 1990)
  • Language: English
  • ISBN-10: 0385413726
  • ISBN-13: 978-0385413725
  • Product Dimensions: 7.8 x 5.1 x 1.4 inches
  • Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
  • Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (183 customer reviews)
  • Amazon.com Sales Rank: #143,439 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

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Thomas L. Friedman
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Front Cover | Table of Contents | First Pages | Index | Surprise Me!
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First Sentence:
I once watched a man being kidnapped in Beirut. Read the first page
Key Phrases - Statistically Improbable Phrases (SIPs): (learn more)
super story, settler movement, army spokesman, territorial compromise, national unity government
Key Phrases - Capitalized Phrases (CAPs): (learn more)
West Bank, American Jews, West Beirut, Middle East, Gaza Strip, United States, Tel Aviv, American Jewish, Yasir Arafat, King Hussein, Labor Party, Shin Bet, East Beirut, Muslim Brotherhood, United Nations, Gush Emunim, Amin Gemayel, East Jerusalem, American University, Jerusalem Post, Baath Party, Saddam Hussein, White House, Six-Day War, Israeli Jews
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Customer Reviews

183 Reviews
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4.4 out of 5 stars (183 customer reviews)
 
 
 
 
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56 of 62 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars A Fair, Firsthand Account from the Middle East, November 3, 2001
By miked99 (New York, NY) - See all my reviews
I had previously read Friedman's "The Lexus and the Olive Tree" and was basically disappointed with that book. "From Beirut to Jerusalem", his first and more widely acclaimed, is much better. I am on the opposite end of the spectrum as Friedman, politically, so I was not expecting to agree with him on every view and suggestion for solution that he describes in this book, but his writing was entertaining, his stories amazing, and his opinions very fair to both sides.

The book begins with Friedman's description of life in the middle of the Lebanese civil war. Friedman lived in the heart of Beirut when it was the worst place anyone could be at the time. His firsthand stories of bombings, murders, and simple terrorism, range from unimaginably scary to darkly humorous. Eventually Friedman and his wife move from Beirut to Jerusalem, where the second half of the book begins. This second part is much more applicable to today's news and debates since it is from an area in the middle of daily battles, whereas Lebanon's civil war has died down.

Friedman, although Jewish, has many misgivings about Israeli actions in their conflicts of the past several decades. But unlike most of his workmates and friends at the New York Times, Friedman is also not afraid to tell the whole truth when detailing Arab atrocities. Friedman's account of Hafez al-Asad's massacre of his own people in the town of Hama, Syria, is one that should be read by every Westerner -- especially those on the left who think the Jews, aided by America, simply "stole" a small plot of Arab land from an otherwise friendly group of people.

This book won many awards and is very unique in that it is a wide-ranging report from the world's greatest newspaper's leading foreign affairs writer. Many may dislike Friedman for his controversial views, (i.e. saying the famous Elian/machine gun picture brought joy to his heart), but in "From Beirut to Jerusalem", he is very honest and comes as close to playing the middle ground as is possible in a dispute that seems to have no middle, and will likely never end.

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47 of 54 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars Good Book on Seldom Understood Part of the World!, September 22, 2000
By Brian Leverenz (Palatine, IL United States) - See all my reviews
Those of you who follow and followed the events in the Middle East, Persian Gulf and the Gulf War, but seek a broader explanation of the sources of antagonism and conflict in the ARab world, would be enlightened and entertained by FRiedman's book. A Pulitzer prize winning correspondent for the New York Times, he spent ten years in Beirut and Jerusalem reporting first handthe violence, suspicion and hatred that is part of life in that region. The standing norm in the Middle East, according to Friedman is what he calls "Hama Rules" the pitiless and remorseless pursuit of political and economic ends through bloodshed. This attitude is rampant in all of its regimes, including Israel. Its source is the tribal politics and and deep rooted political tradition of authoritarianism, as well s the centuries of colonialism and subjugation that the region's peoples have endured. With a reporters eye for detail, Friedman analyzes many of the decisions that are familiar to us: the Reagan decision to send marines to Lebanon, The Palestenian uprising in Israel, the history of the PLO and the Arab-Israeli conflict are all analyzed in detail. Friedman is careful to point outthat the region's conflicts are not merely between Arab and Jew, but between Muslims and Christians, between Arabs, between different Muslim sects and different nation-states. In fact, Friedman finds the region's complexities beyond the comprehension of most American diplomats (no surprise!). This lack of understanding has resulted in numerous foreign policy blunders by the U.S. The first version of the book was written prior to the Gulf War, but its observations are still relevant, though you can now get a new edition. Hussein's regime is discussed at length and characterized as merely the latest version of "Hama Rules." Despite possible bias as a result of his Jewish heritage, Friedmans reporting is critical of both the Israeli's brutal treatment of the palestenians and of the PLO's disregard for the lives of its own people. My one criticism of the book is that Friedman has an idealized view of the nature of a Jewish state. This is to his credit, but as a result he often holds the Israeli's to a higher moral standard in their behavior than he does the other nations and groups, especially the PLO. But for those of us who believe in the power of reason to settle disputes and are infected with American optimism and values, the book is a grim reminder that there are places in the world that operate very differently from what we understand. He explains many of these differences in the book, often thru his deft personal touch and numerous firsthand experiences. Highly recommended!
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42 of 49 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars Fascinating, August 17, 2000
By "bigbadb" (Washington, DC United States) - See all my reviews
This is an extremely well written book about the Middle East conflict. The book is divided into two main sections, Beirut, and Jerusalem.

The Beirut section is about the Lebanese civil war -- Friedman discusses everything from the history of the war, to the different factions of Lebanese society, to why and how the U.S. became involved. His analyses are generally on-target, and his personal stories about living in Beirut as a correspondent during the war make the section especially engaging.

The Jerusalem section begins with a couple of chapters about Jewish culture and the origins of Israel; then goes with great depth into the history and analysis of the Palestinian - Israeli conflict.

Reading this book sparked in me an interest in the affairs of the Middle East. It also gave me the background necessary to delve further into the topic and understand the history behind the current headlines on the region

Highly reccomended

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Most Recent Customer Reviews

2.0 out of 5 stars A Memoir of Thomas Friedman's Middle East Reporting
I apologize for the length of this review, but it's hard to condense all that is wrong with a Thomas Friedman book into a few short paragraphs. Read more
Published 2 months ago by Suchos

5.0 out of 5 stars From Beirut to Jerusalem by Thomas Friedman
This book is vital reading for anyone interested in the Israeli-Arab conflict throughout Palestine. Friedman, a distinguished journalist, writes the book like a series of extended... Read more
Published 2 months ago by scott89119

4.0 out of 5 stars A Good Start
I'd recommend this book to anyone who is unfamiliar with the region because it really pulls you in like a novel or a flick, and it paints a vivid picture. Read more
Published 2 months ago by E. Hedlund

4.0 out of 5 stars Helpful Account of the Mideast
Being under 30, my firsthand knowledge of politics and world events only goes back about 15 years, so most things that happened in the Reagan Administration and before are... Read more
Published 3 months ago by Jonathan D. Polk

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Book
This is a great book for understanding the culture and situation in the middle east. After reading this book i have a much better understanding of the politics and motivations of... Read more
Published 4 months ago by Marsha Hunter

5.0 out of 5 stars From Beirut to Jerusalem Review
The book was in very good condition and arrived promptly. I'm so pleased I may order additional copies.
Published 15 months ago by S. Burnley

5.0 out of 5 stars From Beruit To Jerusalem
I am going to Beruit in August and I find the book fascinating. Sandy Tracey
Published 17 months ago by S. L. Rogers-tracey

5.0 out of 5 stars From Beruit to Jerusalem
I now have such a better understanding of this area, geography, cultures, religions. A great read...very well written. A must read prior to travel in this part of the world.
Published 18 months ago by Helen W. Cody

5.0 out of 5 stars Understanding The Middle East
I have always admired Thomas Friedman as an insightful writer of truth. Although a Jew his writing is impartial. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Kenneth Ray Taylor

5.0 out of 5 stars The most interesting book on Middle East societies complexity
I practically loved this book...the one I had read prior to such was "Pity the Nation" by Robert Fisk and I was honestly expecting it wouldn't have been as good... Read more
Published 20 months ago by Eleftheria Kama

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From Beirut to Jerusalem (Updated with a New Chapter)

Though considered by many to be the best resource of information about Middle Eastern conflicts, this book is not as good as we are all lead to believe.   While it does depict events in the area during the 80s and 90s, it does so with a very narrow-minded ...

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