Rating: 
Summary: Compelling, objective & emotional all at the same time!
Review: This book does not claim to be a work of objective history. It is the subjective view (almost a biography) of a journalist living through the Middle East's roughing patch in the 70s and 80s. It was very difficult to put this book down, and the emotion written within the pages are compelling.
... Many facts are referred to in this book which doesn't fully explain the historical context.But once you are aware of the history, Friedman's views, experiences and opinions are interesting and compelling. His personal experiences -- from experiencing the death of his friend's family in Beirut to seeing his daughter scream when a Palestinian teenager broke their car's windshield with a stone -- make for a very emotional read. His opinions regarding the causes of the conflict are extremely logical and interesting. This book is a highly recommended read!
Rating:
Summary: Your first key to the Middle East
Review: When U.S. and U.K. launched their war against Iraq this March, I just wanted to learn something about the Middle East in order to keep pace with the daily news. Luckily, I had bought this book. The major focus of Friedman's work is on the relationship between the Israelis and Palestinians. Through the life experience of the author in Lebanon and Israel - whether it is a conversation with a taxi-driver or his listening to a speech by a politican - he can let you feel how the Jews and Arabs feel. The author also gives an excellent analysis on the game played by Yasir Arafat and provides us with a comprehensive coverage on the rules of survival in the region. My other favourite is Chapter 8. The lives of 241 U.S. Marines were lost meaninglessly in "peacekeeping" exercise in Lebanon in 1983. This is mainly due to that U.S. did not have a deeper understanding on the political scene of Lebanon and therefore needed to pay the price of over-estimating its diplomacy capablilities . As the Iraqi war has now almost come to an end, the America will likely need to deploy political and military forces in Baghdad so as to "re-build" the country. In order to avoid repeating past mistakes, American politicans really need to take a serious and careful look on this Chapter. After reading this book, I am now very interested in the history of the Middle East. I am sure I will continue to search for other materials to explore other stories of the region. If you are also a beginner of the subject, "From Beirut to Jerusalem" is definitely the first book you must read. Mr. Friedman does not waste any one word in the book. Strongly recommended.
Rating:
Summary: A must-read for all interested in Middle East
Review: This book recounts major observations and informative insights on the Israel-Palestinian conflict by Thomas Friedman, a New York Times journalist who has lived through the terror in the region for many years. Friedman assumes that the reader has no knowledge of the conflict and takes time to give the reader ample background on the geography, politics, history, etc. of the troubled region. In the first half of the book, Friedman discusses Lebanon and Beirut while the second half moves to Israel and Jerusalem. Friedman focuses extensively on the leaders of the region over the years (i.e. Arafat, Sharon, Rabin, etc.) and how their personalities have molded the conflict. As a gifted storyteller would, Friedman discusses the Palestinian society and how events lead to the emergence and explosion of the Palestinian intifada. Also, intricately intertwined into this conflict are the Arab world and the United States. Friedman also explores these relationships and their impact on the conflict. Here, he sheds some light on the dictatorial characters of the region, including Saddam Hussein, by briefly explaining how these men came to power and are able to maintain it. The book essentially ends in 1989 or 1990. It would be interesting to read Friedman's thoughts on the region in the next decade-plus since the book was written. Regardless, this book should be a mandatory read for individuals who want to either begin to or further understand the situation in the Middle East.
Rating:
Summary: Everything You're Looking For
Review: This book was everything that I hoped it would be. Israelis, Palestinians, Beirut, Reagan, the Syrians, Hizbullah, Hamas, Arafat, Hussein, Madrid, Infitada, Zionism, West Bank, Gaza, Golan Heights, Sinai Peninsula, Sharon, Rabin, Peres, Assad, Egypt, Six-Days, Yom Kippur, Jerusulem. The only thing that Mr. Friedman left out was the USS Liberty. I learned a lot from this book and I look forward to reading more of Mr. Friedman's work.
Rating:
Summary: Required Reading
Review: Well, I am a Thomas Friedman fan. I will say that right out. For anyone interested in the Middle East--and who is not these days?--this should be required reading. Friedman, who speaks both Arabic and Hebrew, is a Middle East specialist and the foreign affairs correspondent for "The New York Times." Unlike polemicists, he has well reasoned thoughts on what needs to be done to have peace in the Middle East. Post September 11th--and with war looming in Iraq--I presume he will be revising this book again. Even with the caveat that it was revised before 9/11/01, it is still definitely worth reading and very well written. I read it going back on the DC Metro, so it is an easy read.
Rating: 
Summary: well written, but biased.
Review: I'm sorry, but anyone who says this book is equally fair to both sides needs to be smacked. It is by far more pro-palestinian than pro-Israeli. Don't get me wrong, I think Friedman is an excellent writer and gives good arguments for the palestinian side. But if you're going to read this book, please also read the other side of the story. The complete Idiot's guide to the Middle East is good, and so is Myths and Facts, which can now be found ...So I suggest thisbook if you want the Palestinian perspective.
Rating:
Summary: New Understandings/New Perspectives
Review: This is one of the finest and most intelligent and interesting books I have ever read. It opened my eyes and widened my perspectives, providing me with a new and thorough understanding of the historical basis for the Middle East situation and conflicts. It describes in intelligent and vivid detail what life in the Middle East is really like for both Arabs and Israelis, and presents the real issues driving the politics of that region--something we are rarely given in our news media. The book is extremely well written and displays both the genius of Thomas Frieman and his genuine caring for the region and its peoples. As the cover says, if you only read one book on the Middle East, this is the one to read.
Rating:
Summary: pure genius
Review: If you really want to understand the whole psychology and social mores of the Miidle East, driven by history and religion, this is a must read. This will help anyone understand the current situations which exist there and how different their society is from America and Europe. If you have to read one book on the Middle East, this is it.
Rating: 
Summary: Lacks Scholarship
Review: Tom Freidman's work is a collection of anecdotes and opinion with an occasional reference to an historical fact. As is always true of his work, it beguiles. He pretends an even handed look at the the Israelis and the Palestinians, but a close examination of his conclusion shows that he advocates tough TALK toward the Israelis and tough ACTION toward the Palestinians. Where are the statistics showing the amount of aid the U.S. has given to Israel vs the amount given to the Palestinians? Where are the facts concerning the number of Palestinians killed by the Israeli armed forces compared to the number of Israelis killed by Arab suicide bombers?
Rating:
Summary: If You Want the Most Even-Handed Book on Israel/Palestine
Review: I thought I knew a ton about Israel and Palestine prior to reading this--I realized there was so much more to learn. Nobody knows that subject better than Thomas Friedman, and nobody writes about it more succinctly. His years in Lebanon allow him to describe the absolute insanity of that place, and why we would ultimately fail there as a peacekeeping force. When he gets to Israel, though, Friedman plunges far beneath the usual Israel/Palestine rhetoric and grievances for both sides and shows what is really driving both peoples. It's not necessarily what you think. Point is, you'll know after reading this, and you'll look at Israel and Palestine differently from that point forward. Friedman also details in very convincing fashion what has to happen--really--for there ever to be a peace between Israel/Palestine. Hate to use the cliche, but if you read one book about the Middle East, I'd go with this one (of course there's plenty of others to recommend). Particularly if you're interested in Israel/Palestine.
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