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Liked It “Amazing history of Lebanon from an eye witness. It's a long read and the subject matter does not make it an easy read but it is a great book. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking knowledge about the Middle East crisis.” see full review » see other reviews » |
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“Amazing history of Lebanon from an eye witness. It's a long read and the subject matter does not make it an easy read but it is a great book. I highly recommend it to anyone seeking knowledge about the Middle East crisis.”
Melissa P wrote this review Friday, November 6 2009. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“This is an epic account of the Lebanon conflict by an author who personally witnessed the carnage of Beirut for twentysix years. It is the story of western betrayal and the loss of American power and prestige in the Middle East. The book tells, too, in frightening detail, the story of the Middle Easts first suicide bombers and their first devastating srike at Americans.Fisk derscribes Lebonon's ferocious civl war and subsequent Israeli invasions., the Lebanese militias whose appalling brutality spared no one.the US Marines who found themselves trapped in the horror of Lebanon where many of them were to meet a terrible fate.and the Isralis who tried to install their own puppet rulers, and with their 1982 invasion provoked war crimes of their own”
Dee wrote this review Tuesday, June 24 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“An interesting, though unsurprising, journal of the Lebanese conflict during the 70’s and into the 80’s. Fisk gives little true history, but seems more intent in creating a feel for the evil in Israel, America and the Lebanese Christians. If you think that Israel is the real culprit here, this book will be more enjoyable for you than it was for me. More than simply biased, Fisk seems seriously prone to the Stockholm syndrome, infecting his prose with exaggerated bucketfuls of “poor pitiful me” support for Palestinians. If you didn’t know any better you would think that Arafat was a divine savior who was manacled by his own compassion. Not once is Israel given credit for responding to rather than initiating a conflict. Children are only killed by Israelis and Christians with help and support from America, except for a couple of dismissive admissions against the Arabs. This is better than nothing, and if you are interested in the minutiae of this conflict, this tome offers some useful background, such as it is, and much editorial.”
hector a. wrote this review Sunday, December 14 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“"Mr. Fisk's account of the wars that have ravaged the Lebanese society is peerless. Rarely have I read a book that so realistically depicted the sundry horrors of armed conflict. Further, the books provides the much-needed context to the current situation in the Middle East, and finally exposes all the suffering, the double standards, and key players that have made the region such a complex riddle. And while it covers a conflict that, for one reason or another, has long been forgotten, it successfully makes the reader aware of the fact that the seeds of discontent that were sown in 1948 are still growing to this day. Besides a number of realistic depictions of the horrors of war, the book also dissects the notions of "terrorism" we generally take for granted and thereby shows how the use of language, as well as the manipulation of the media, will inevitably bias our understanding of what is, unarguably, an emotionally-charged situation. As with many a conflict, the book leads the reader to the conclusion that "solving" the Israeli-Palestinian issue will ultimately require nothing less than a region-wide (and honest) effort. Found many echoes of current US policy as well, where the "honest broker" gets sucked into a culture it does not fully comprehend. There are lessons to be learned from this book-lessons with immediate applicability-but somehow I have doubts that the powers that be in Washington have enough cognitive staying power, if not a sense of moral probity, to read it. Absolutely brilliant, daunting in size but altogether satisfying. Anyone who wishes to reach a better understanding of the headlines emerging from the Middle East simply cannot afford not to read this book." J. Michael Cole ”
Mizoleila wrote this review Sunday, March 30 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“"Fisky" as he is known in the Middle East. An accurate, unbiased and true account of the country! He has spent over 25 years in Beirut and still lives there and no doubt this book is a triumph for pure journalism. I wish I could meet this man to thank him for writing such a superb but sad history of the conflict in the Lebanon. A hero of mine”
Jihad S wrote this review Tuesday, February 19 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
“Wars are devastating to Nations and their influence remains for decades. Pity the Nation: the abduction of Lebanon is a great source of the Lebanese Civil War, my beloved country! It depicts episode by episode the devastating war of Lebanon which is not but a reflection of the war within most of us Lebanese, Perhaps.
Sawsana wrote this review Tuesday, January 15 2008. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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“I just started reading this book, and am really enjoying it so far, Fisk's style of humanistic journalism is very engaging.”
shabbin wrote this review Thursday, November 15 2007. ( reply | permalink ) Was this review helpful? Yes | No
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