Reviews (2)

Excellent Scholarship
ONE SHAKER LIFE by Glendyne Wergland is one of the finest pieces of scholarship ever done on the Shakers.There is so much of merit, it is difficult to choose a few aspects to highlight.When the entirety of the book is considered, however, perhaps the most intriguing chapters are numbers three and seven.
A Really Good Read!
For those of us who gravitate toward the written record of one person's life as a lens through which to understand broader historical trends -- and those of us who are particularly interested in 19th century American, religious, New England, and of course Shaker history -- this book is a gem. It brings the American Shaker religious sect to life in the person of Isaac Newton Youngs, a member of the New Lebanon, NY Society of Believers.For this we have not only the author to thank, but also her subject, who left 4,000 diary pages for her study. Through these pages we see more than a glimpse of Isaac's daily life. We get a comprehensive view of his spiritual, emotional, and vocational development from the age of 13, when he joins the New Lebanon Shakers, through adolescence (including a surprisingly frank account of his decades-long struggle to live in a celibate society), adulthood, and his shocking end. The author's sympathetic yet insightful analysis of this material puts Isaac's travails in religious, social, and psychological context, so that we understand Isaac and the world he lived in, and how it was perceived by outsiders. We are left with the sense of having known someone intimately, despite the spatial, chronological, and cultural remove.
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Subjects:  1. (Isaac Newton)    2. Biography    3. Church history    4. General    5. History    6. History - U.S.    7. History: American    8. New Lebanaon    9. New Lebanon (N.Y.)    10. New York    11. Religion - Contemporary Issues    12. Shakers    13. United States - Civil War    14. United States - General    15. United States - Revolutionary War    16. Youngs, Isaac N.    17. American history: c 1800 to c 1900    18. Biography: general    19. Denominations of American origin    20. Social history    21. c 1800 to c 1900   

Reviews (5)

Intimacy with the terrain
"Intimacy with the terrain." The Most Comprehensive Book on Hezbollah
(Ignore the transliteration - the writer is spelling the title with an Arab name vs. its Farsi variant which Hezbollah uses on its own website)
Basic insight into Hizbullah
Of the many Islamist groups that have emerged within the Muslim world over the last two decades, perhaps none has had so great an impact on Middle Eastern and international affairs as Hizbullah, the Party of God. This group of mainly Lebanese Shiite Muslims gained both infamy and fame by its pragmatic use of both militant and moderate tactics in pursuit of its goals. Hizbullah's oscillation between these two extremes has left most scholars and policymakers perplexed.
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Subjects:  1. History    2. History: World    3. Hizballah (Lebanon)    4. Islam - History    5. Islam and politics    6. Islam and state    7. Middle East - General    8. Political Ideologies - General    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Islam    11. Middle East    12. Terrorism, freedom fighters, armed struggle   

Subjects:  1. History: World    2. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT   

Subjects:  1. Performing Arts    2. Pop Arts / Pop Culture    3. Performing Arts/Dance    4. Film & Video - History & Criticism    5. Cultural studies    6. Egypt    7. Films, cinema    8. Iraq    9. Lebanon    10. North Africa    11. Palestine    12. Performing Arts / Film / History & Criticism    13. Syria    14. Film Criticism    15. Arab countries    16. Motion Picture Industry    17. History    18. Motion pictures   

Reviews (22)

A True Reader Experience
I recently purchased this cookbook and at first I thought that this was absolutely the best Middle Eastern book I could possibly get my hands on.However, after a few weeks use, I discovered that this book is very biased and does not reflect the true culinary journey through the Middle East.Furthermore, none of the receipes faired well with my favorite Courvoisier.

The one eastern Mediterranean cookbook I wouldn't be without
I was thoroughly disgusted to read the baseless criticisms of this superb cookbook. It is precisely to obtain an accurate account of the cookery of this region along with first-rate recipes that one needs to own "Recipes and Remembrances." Although Claudia Roden's "A New Book of Middle Eastern Food" is better than Paula Wolfert's "The Cooking of the Eastern Mediterranean," when it comes to recipes and text neither can approach "Recipes and Remembrances" in quality. I have cooked extensively from many Middle Eastern cookbooks, including these three, and I can honestly say that Uvezian's book upholds the highest standards of eastern Mediterranean/Middle Eastern cooking and is in a class by itself.

Fascinating History Book
While I haven't cooked a tremedous amount of food out of this book yet, it is probably the first cookbook that I have read more than once.It is some wonderful information on the people, history and food of the Levant.It goes through how the different groups in the Middle East serve and prepare food.Talks about the influence of foreign powers on the food and culture.I really enjoyed this book.It's only flaw if that it is long and difficult to wade through if you just in the mood to cook a simple Middle Eastern dish.One of the strengths is the spice mixes. I keep the prepared spice mixes in my cupbard within easy reach and use them a lot. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Cookery, Mediterranean    2. Cookery, Middle Eastern    3. Cooking    4. Cooking / Wine    5. Courses & Dishes - General    6. Middle East    7. Regional & Ethnic - Mediterranean    8. Regional & Ethnic - Middle Eastern    9. Social life and customs    10. Cookery, Lebanese    11. Cookery, Syrian    12. History    13. Cookery, Jordanian   

Subjects:  1. History: American   

Reviews (2)

Syrian Intervention in Lebanon: The 1975-76 Civil War
Although Weinberger recited some information about the issue, she purposefully ignored most of the realities when it comes to recent historical relations of the greater Syria.Her Training as western educated writer did not help her in understanding such relations.In the region, things are neither black and white nor rigid numerical system that can be added or subtracted to conclude such states outcome.In addition, she lacks credible source to clearly state Syria points of view, as well good portion of the Lebanese society.

Perhaps insightful, but utterly unreadable.
Weinberger offers some useful insights into the causes of Syrian intervention in the Lebanese civil war, but her muddled prose undermines any good points she may have intended to express.Namely, she apparently has yet to discover the active voice. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Civil War, 1975-1990    2. Europe - General    3. Foreign Relations    4. History    5. History: World    6. Lebanon    7. Middle East - General    8. Political Freedom & Security - International Secur    9. Politics / Current Events    10. Syria    11. Europe    12. International relations    13. Political Science / International Security    14. Politics | International Studies | International Security & Strategic Studies   

Reviews (13)

Hezbollah The Lebanese Goodwill organization
This bookd paints hezbollah in a very benign manner.The author goes to great detail to explain how hezbollah helps the lebanese people.I did not know much about hezbollah before i read this book.I was interested in learning why they were among the world's most feared terrorist groups.This book did not do that for me.From the little I do know about this book it turns the tiger into a mouse.If you're interested in reading about how hezbollah really isnt that bad and Israel is the devil, Buy this book.If you're not keep searching for a good book on hezbollah, I've yet to find one.

it a good book with lots of facts
i liked the book..it showed lots of facts..and as a person from south lebanon...i could tell whats right and whats wronge..especially reading a book about south lebanon and the war which went down there The moving inside story of Hezbullah
I read Ms Jaber's book, and was so inspired by it I visited South Lebanon. Ms Jaber is obviously not an Islamist, but her unbiased and contextual approach presents a picture, which many of Hezbullah admirers would recognise. She shows the Quranic roots of the movement by quoting the Holy Scripture at each chapter head. Most importantly she describes the comprehensive nature of the Party's work, and not just it's military aspects. She allows the Hezbullahi and other players in the drama to speak for themselves, yet is not afraid to form an opinion about some of the controversial aspects of recent Lebanese history.Read more

Subjects:  1. Contemporary Politics - Middle East    2. Criminology    3. Fundamentalism    4. History    5. History & Theory - Radical Thought    6. History: World    7. Hizballah (Lebanon)    8. Islam and politics    9. Israel-Arab Border Conflicts,    10. Israel-Arab Border Conflicts, 1949-    11. Israel-Arab conflicts    12. Lebanon    13. Middle East - General    14. Political Terrorism    15. Politics / Current Events    16. Politics and government    17. Judaism    18. Middle East    19. Revolutions & coups    20. Social Science / General   

Subjects:  1. Feminism & Feminist Theory    2. Gaza Strip    3. Lebanon    4. Social Science    5. Social conditions    6. Sociology    7. West Bank    8. Women's Studies - General    9. Women, Palestinian Arab    10. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    11. Biography: general    12. Feminism    13. Israel    14. Middle East    15. POLITICS & GOVERNMENT    16. Palestine    17. Warfare & Defence   

Subjects:  1. Ancient - General    2. Ancient Archaeology    3. Archaeology    4. History - General History    5. Middle East - General    6. Social Science    7. Sociology    8. Archaeology | Ancient    9. History / Ancient / General   

Reviews (2)

A good book
This is a good book, and few exist on the subject.A short easy, consice, and pleasent read not full of polemics or bias.It covers the main actors involved, the struggle and the outcome.The Lebanese Civil war began in 1976 with the attempted assasination of Pierre Gemayel, a Lebanese Christian leader.In retaliation a cycle of violence broke out originally between Phalange militias and PLO elements, widening into a costly wider war, that dragged in all communities eventually dividing the nation between christian and Muslim.In the ensuing violence and massacres more than 100,000 may have been killed.The Syrians intervened in the first year and in 1982 so did the Israelis.
This is excellent work
Itamar Rabinovich's The War for Lebanon is by far one of the most authoritative works on the Lebanese civil war. It is a quick survey that gives background information about most of the players, whether international, regional or domestic.
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Subjects:  1. 1946-1975    2. Civil War, 1975-1990    3. General    4. History    5. Lebanon    6. Middle East - General    7. Middle East - History    8. Politics / Current Events    9. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    10. Warfare & Defence    11. c 1970 to c 1980    12. c 1980 to c 1990   

Reviews (21)

Lenghty Study of the Conflict
This is a solid, and lengthy study of the Arab-Israeli conflict.The reader benefits from the author's inside knowledge of the topic for sure.That said, this is not a short history of the subject.Those seeking that will not find it here.This is primarily a military history.Those seeking more social and political perspectives will not find too much of that here.This is basically a chronogical study of the various Arab-Israeli wars from 1948 to the present.The author does a fine job describing each event in good detail.His inside knowledge provides an authoritative approach to the subject.The narrative is also clearly written and easy to read.There is more than a slight pro-Israeli bias, but it is not distorting.Herzog credits the Arabs on occasion, and reserves his own political views for the most part.He is often much harder on Israeli set-backs than he is on the Arabs.This in itself implies in his bias that more is expected from the IDF than its opponets.For a comprehenive military history of the Arab-Israeli conflict this is a must read.Those seeking a more general approach should look elsewhere.

Detailed book on the military side of the Arab-Israeli conflict
This book offers a detailed look at the tactical and operational level.It does not offer much for the strategic level.Nor does it contain a lot of interviews in the "I was there" mode.This book tells you what this company/battalion/brigade was doing and why.I don't think I am ranting if I say the author tilts towards the Israeli view on events.I read this book exactly for what it offers.There are other books out there for the "big picture".I disagree strongly with a previous reviewer who described the book as tedious.This book can be criticized but not for being tedious.This is the Israeli version of Mellenthin's Panzer Battles and that is how it should be taken.

A Necessary Addition To Any Mid East Library
Former Israeli president Chain Herzog's account of the wars/conflicts between The State of Israel and her Arab neighbors is a riveting history. The book covers almost every Israeli military operation from 1948-2004 (this refers to the most recent version updated by former Israeli Intelligence officer Shlomo Gazit).
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Subjects:  1. Arab-Israeli conflict    2. History - General History    3. History, Military    4. History: World    5. Israel    6. Israeli-Arab relations    7. Middle East - General    8. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    9. History / Middle East    10. International relations    11. Islamic countries    12. Jewish studies    13. War & defence operations   

Reviews (8)

Must read for history buffs
Good account of the big picture of the events leading up to the "bomb blast". I wish it covered the operations afterwards more, but good none the less.

An Eye Opening Heart Breaker
A chronicle of all that can go wrong when misguided policies and intentions expose our troops to dangers and horrific results that could well have been avoided or, at the very least, mitigated.The Marines in Beirut were forced to abandon every precept of defensive theory ~ billeted in a single, exposed structure, for instance ~ to satisfy the political "don't make it look like we're there to DO something" heebeejeebees of the Administration.You will weep like a baby at the heroics; not just of the rescues after the bombing, but of the incredible difficulties the Marines faced just walking the streets among the warring factions.The Rules of Engagement did not allow them to return fire (which is happening at this moment in another Middle East conflict) without utilizing a torturous chain of command process, most times resulting in denying them permission to defend themselves.As you can imagine, it became open season on Marines.And, if you care about our troops at all, you will be seething with anger at their impotence and treatment by the Administration, the DOD and State Department.
Wonderful, the truth
This wonderful account tells the story of the peacekeeping Americans who came to Beirut to help aid the peace efforts of the international community.Instead the Americans only found bloodshed as fascist terrorists bombed their barracks and their embassy, all this because the Americans dared to try to prevent the genocide taking place against the christians of lebanon.This book explains how the terrorists bombed the americans so the americans would leave and the terrorists could go back to committing genocide while no one watched.A wonderful account, a great anecdote that shows how the war on terror should not be fought. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History    2. History - Military / War    3. Middle East - General    4. Military    5. Military - Aviation    6. Military - United States    7. Asian / Middle Eastern history: postwar, from c 1945 -    8. Battles & campaigns    9. History / Military / Aviation    10. Lebanon    11. Special & elite forces    12. USA   

Subjects:  1. History - General History    2. History: American    3. Middle East - General    4. Middle East - History   

Reviews (1)

the mysterious shi'a
Though the place is Lebanon and the time is mid-20th century, the story it tells offers a lot of insight into the present situation in Iraq.Ajami gives a brief, cogent history of Shi'a religious beliefs, history and politics.Musa al-Sadr, the vanished imam of the title, is a tantalizing individual who tried to bridge the abyss between the Shi'a past and its future.I found the book and the bespoke imam fascinating. Lebanon in the 1970s was a misunderstood religious, political and international disaster and there are frighening parallels to the events of today. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. Islam - Shi'ism    2. Middle East - General    3. Middle East - History    4. Politics/International Relations    5. Religion - General    6. History    7. Middle East   

Reviews (1)

The Political Dimension of this Book Leaves Much to be Desired
As Marius Deeb from Johns Hopkins University wrote, Dib, an economist by profession, has written an interesting book, especially with respect to the economy and business practices of Lebanese merchants and bankers. The author's survey of how the Lebanese banking sector emerged from the 1940s onwards is outstanding. The role of the powerful Intra Bank in the Lebanese banking sector and the financial crisis that engulfed it in 1966 are fully covered. Dib claims that the Lebanese political establishment plotted against Intra Bank, which had become by then the largest bank in Lebanon (with assets and reserves amounting to 56 percent of that of the whole Lebanese banking system's total) because it was predominantly owned and run by Christian Palestinians.
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Subjects:  1. Business and politics    2. Businesspeople    3. Economic conditions    4. History    5. History: World    6. Lebanon    7. Middle East - General    8. Political activity    9. Asian / Middle Eastern history: from c 1900 -   

Subjects:  1. Foreign relations    2. General    3. History    4. History - General History    5. History: World    6. International Relations - General    7. Iran    8. Lebanon    9. Middle East - General    10. Relations    11. 20th century    12. 21st century    13. Asian / Middle Eastern history: c 1500 to c 1900    14. Asian / Middle Eastern history: from c 1900 -    15. Modern period, c 1500 onwards    16. Political Science / General   

Reviews (2)

A must read book mirroring Lebanon's ordeal...

A book from the perspective of a hostage
This book caught my eye...What must it feel like to be captured by terrorists ? Or to be held in solitary confinement, day in day out not knowing when the situation will end ? This is not just a narrative to pick up because the news is full of hostages's lives being bargained with, in Iraq. It is also relevant because it shows how denying anybody access to the outside world when they are imprisoned, is an unacceptably inhumane way to treat another human being.Terry Waite began this book in his head - whilst coping with solitary confinement in Lebanon in the 1980's. The title is important: he was taken whilst trusting his negotiators to bring him, as a representative of the Archbishop of Canterbury, to meet the hostages they were already holding.Read more

Subjects:  1. Biography    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. England    5. Evangelists    6. Historical - British    7. Hostages    8. Lebanon    9. Waite, Terry   

Reviews (2)

Useful Introduction to A Tragic Turmoil
For those with curiosity about all the factions involved this book will behelpful. This book details the complex factional civil war in Lebanon, the Palestinian occupation of the south, the Israeli invasion, and the foreign intervention attempt to make peace. The events covered here follow on from those covered in the two earlier volumes The Israeli Army in the Middle East Wars, 1948-1973, and Arab Armies in the Middle East Wars, 1948-1973. A somewhat biased analysis of the Israeli intervention.
I am somewhat disappointed with this book even though it covers this particular conflict thoroughly. The problem is the pro-Israeli bias which is not even subtle. This is reflected in the text and some of the captionsof the otherwise good photographs. Even the plates show drawings of heroiclooking Israeli troops and frightened lebanese militiamen and Syriantroops. Authors should seek whenever possible to analyse complex problemssuch as the Lebanese Civil War in a balanced and scholarly way. My ownperception is that this book does not follow these basic principles. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. History - Military / War    2. Military - General    3. Military Science    4. History / Military / General    5. History of specific subjects    6. War & defence operations   

Reviews (1)

Aworth reading personal ordeal, mirroring Lebanon's,
This is a personal ordeal worth reading.
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Subjects:  1. 1931-    2. Biography / Autobiography    3. Biography/Autobiography    4. Captivity, 1984    5. Historical    6. Hostages    7. Hostages, American    8. Lebanon    9. Levin, Jerry    10. Levin, Sis,    11. Middle East    12. Travel    13. U.S. - Middle East Relations    14. United States    15. Journeys    16. Levin, Sis    17. Relations with hostages    18. Syria