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Rating: 
Summary: Breathless and biased
Review: Holy Lands is an awkward pastiche of two topics. The first half of the book presents an historical overview of the 3 faiths. In seventy pages, the authors breathlessly race through three thousand years of Middle East history, oversimplifying and distorting (especially with respect to Judaism and Christianity) as they pass. The second half of the book provides a topical but slanted account (favoring Muslims) of the current violence in Israel. Anyone looking for insight on the Muslim world's anti-West jihad, oppression of women, or violence perpetrated against Christians, Jews, and Hindus, will not find it here. Despite some nice photography, the book ultimately fails because of its scattershot approach and biased tone. I cannot recommend it.
Rating: 
Summary: Good Starting Point
Review: I have to disagree with the reader from NY. I believe this issue was meant to provide everyone with a baseline for understanding the three religions in question as well as a brief history of the current problems plaguing that part of the world. This issue provides a great starting point for anyone trying to understand the history of the three great monothiestic religions and for anyone trying to understand the violence of the region. Additionally, the photography in the issue is superb. Those looking for this special edition from Life to provide all the answers regarding the history of Christianity, Judiasm, and Islam, which I think that is what the reader was expecting when he/she purchased the issue, should not buy this issue of Life. As the reviewer accurately states, it's only 70 pages and it cannot do justice to thousands of years of history. Also, if you're looking a treatise regarding these religions and their various histories/beliefs that have led to wars and oppression, you need to look somewhere else.
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