After the Last Sky

Rating:
Summary: Visual Poetry
Review: Initially, I did not think that a book written in the mid-1980s would be a useful in the fast-changing topic of the Middle East. This was written before the Oslo peace process and before the first Palestinian Intifada, remember. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to find this gem in the library. Visual poetry is the best description I can think of - beautiful photos from the lens of the Swiss master Jean Mohr document Palestinian reality on every page. The photographic narrative is intertwined with a poetic elaboration by Edward Said (in my opinion the best I've seen of his writing). So much information is there, but also so much is left unsaid - for us readers to think about and visualize. Though some of the events in Middle East history may appear absurd, after reading this book it all starts to fit together and make sense. Even events taking place afterwards like the Intifada makes sense after understand the context the this book paints with such wonderful clarity. More books like this are desperately needed!

Rating:
Summary: Visual Poetry
Review: Initially, I did not think that a book written in the mid-1980s would be a useful in the fast-changing topic of the Middle East. This was written before the Oslo peace process and before the first Palestinian Intifada, remember. I was therefore pleasantly surprised to find this gem in the library. Visual poetry is the best description I can think of - beautiful photos from the lens of the Swiss master Jean Mohr document Palestinian reality on every page. The photographic narrative is intertwined with a poetic elaboration by Edward Said (in my opinion the best I've seen of his writing). So much information is there, but also so much is left unsaid - for us readers to think about and visualize. Though some of the events in Middle East history may appear absurd, after reading this book it all starts to fit together and make sense. Even events taking place afterwards like the Intifada makes sense after understand the context the this book paints with such wonderful clarity. More books like this are desperately needed!

Rating:
Summary: Insightful, informative but Briiliant
Review: Once again Professor Said captures ones imagination as he takes you thru and insightful journey uncovering the hidden truth about the Palestinian tragedy. As I read one review by one reader, I can't stop but wonder why there is so much hatred against this man by some group only to conclude that the truth does hurt. It's so disheartening; I hope people realize how wrong they are.

Rating:
Summary: Poetic essay
Review: This book consists of a long personal essay about Palestinian identity which follows the author's thoughts as he reacts to a series of photographs (mostly from 1979) taken by Jean Mohr. It is not a memoir, although the author relates a few early memories of his parents' lives in Palestine and of the arrival of Palestinian refugees in Cairo, where he was living with his family 1948. Mostly, the book focuses on the injustice of a people whose homeland has been violently take away and what it means to be a nation in exile. The photographs are very poignant; it would have been nice to see them in greater detail, but most of them are rather small to accommodate the long text.

Rating:
Summary: great reading, wonderful photography
Review: This book is a must-see/read for anybody interested in a genuine solution to the pressing problems in Palestine. Edward Said's poignant descriptions of both Palestinian woes and the fight to retain identity force one either to reeavaluate his or her notions of the Palestinians (if one is inclined to take Western propaganda for granted), or to further support the Palestinian right to live with increased fervor and empathy. If the text is not given a chance, then the photos pose an even greater challenge: Should we finally all accept responsibility for the faltering, ludicrous "peace process" in the Middle East?

Rating:
Summary: An insight of the lives of the Palestinians
Review: This book is written and compiled beautifuly with the pictures. Edward Said, was not writing a memoir as was suggested by the second reviwer. Said even mentions it. To try and put down the wonderful work of Edward Said by justifying him with this so called human rights lawyer-Justus Weiner is yet another way of demolising a great scholar.