Arab and Jew: Wounded Spirits in a Promised Land

Plot

Amazon.com Review
The correspondent for The New York Times in Jerusalem from 1979 to 1984, David K. Shipler brings a very American moral commitment to the problem of Arab-Jewish relations. The occupation of the West Bank was by then a static fact of life; many young Israelis and Palestinians had grown up knowing no other reality. The Israeli invasion of Lebanon and the massacres of Palestinians by Lebanese militiamen at the Sabra and Shatila refugee camps, which were under Israeli control, had shaken the consciences of many American Jews. Many of the voices in this book are American, from idealistic young secular Jews working for Arab-Jewish cooperation to the more fanatical followers of Meir Kahane. This work, which won the 1987 Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction, gives Shipler's narrative the power of a terrible family argument.

Shipler (Russia: Broken Idols, Solemn Dreams) explores the mutual stereotypes and the corrosive effects of terrorism practiced by Arabs and Jews on each other. He offers "an important contribution to the literature on the Middle East,"

From Library Journal
int affairs The political and military dimensions of the middle Eastern crisis are the common stuff of headlines and books; Shipler focuses instead on the human dimension. In portraits of Arabs and Jews from all walks of life and political perspectives, he examines the "attitudes, images, and stereotypes that Arabs and Jews have of one another, the roots of their aversions, and the complex interactions between them. . . ." The effects of war, nationalism, terrorism, religion, and history come to life, illuminated by Shipler's insights drawn from his five-year residence in Jerusalem and his wide reading. While he concludes with a dream of a peaceful society growing out of direct links among the youth of the two groups, he offers no promise that such a dream can survive the hatred, fear, and pain. Highly recommended. Elizabeth R. Hayford, President, Assoc. Colls. of the Midwest, Chicago
Copyright 1986 Reed Business Information, Inc. --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Review
Nearly 600 pages seem to leave no aspect of the complex Arab-Jewish relationship untouched . . . presented in an abundance of narratives, anecdotes and conversations that never seem hackneyed. -- The New York Times Book Review, Ronald Sanders --This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
Product Description
The Jew, according to the Arab stereotype, is a brutal, violent coward; the Arab, to the prejudiced Jew, is a primitive creature of animal vengeance and cruel desires. In this monumental work, revised and more relevant than ever, David Shipler delves into the origins of the prejudices that have been intensified by war, terrorism, nationalism, and the failure of the peace process.

"The best and most comprehensive work there is in the English language on this subject." (Walter Laqueur, The New York Times)

"A rich, penetrating, and moving portrayal of Arab-Jewish hostility, told in human terms." (Newsday)