3 Review(s)

From Beirut To Jerusalem is a journalist’s account of his experiences in Beirut and Jerusalem during the Lebanese Civil War and the beginning of the Intifada. Summary Of The Book From Beirut To Jerusalem details the journey undertaken by Thomas Friedman. Friedman, an American of Jewish descent, cherished everything to do with Israel when he was young. And then, he was posted in the Middle East representing the New York Times, at a time of heightened conflicts in the always strife-torn region. He was in Beirut during the Lebanese Civil War in which alliances and loyalties switched rapidly, the whole situation aggravated by interference from other countries like Israel and Syria. Then, during the first Intifada, he was posted in Jerusalem, as the violent conflict between Palestinians and the Israelis broke out. While he describes the war torn streets and analyzes the situation and the reasons behind the conflict, the reader is brought close to the stark realities of everyday life in these regions. As car bombs and explosions in the streets became more common, the author describes Lebanese radio stations giving bulletins that provided information on street conditions, like radio stations in other countries providing bulletins on weather and traffic conditions. The book also depicts how easily people get used to any kind of situation over time. One of his colleagues, while in Beirut, told him that when the war began, he would rush to get his children from their school whenever a fight broke out. After fifteen years, he worried only when the fighting was taking place literally at his doorstep. Another anecdote is about a woman who  is hosting a party in her house when fights break out in the street. After a while, she casually asks her guests whether they would like to eat now or whether they want to wait for the cease fire. Filled with such interesting anecdotes and the author’s own analysis of the reasons for the conflicts, this book is a fascinating read for anyone interested in the Middle East. About Thomas Friedman Thomas Friedman is an American journalist. Other books by Friedman are, The Lexus and The Olive Tree, Longitudes and Attitudes, The World Is Flat, and That Used To Be Us. His books document his journalistic experiences around the world. Thomas Friedman was born in Minneapolis in 1953. Being part of Jewish descent, he was obsessed with Israel when he was very young. He has a degree in Mediterranean Studies from Brandeis University. He also has an M.Phil from University of Oxford in Middle Eastern Studies. He started his journalistic career at the London Bureau of the United Press International. He then joined the The New York Times and was posted in Beirut during the Israeli invasion of Lebanon. His coverage of the conflict won him the Pulitzer Prize for International Reporting. He has won the Pulitzer Prize three times, and received the Overseas Press Club Award for Lifetime Achievement in 2004. He has also been named in the Order of the British Empire.