Is there a good book about the troubles in Israel/Palestine?

[BadlyDrawnBoy]

something simple enough to start with.

[ChrisKnudsen]

There is a good graphic novel called, "Palestine." It is by Joe Sacco. I liked it. Here is an amazon.com review:
Reviewer: Nigel Parry (St. Paul, MN USA) - See all my reviews

This new one volume edition of Joe Sacco's Palestine comics evokes my first trip to the occupied Palestinian territories in 1989 a couple of years before Sacco's first visit from 1991-1992. His book faithfully represents the contradictions and striking images of the conflict, and being a graphic novel/comic book renders them visually and powerfully.

I couldn't think of a better medium to explain the Israeli-Palestinian conflict to someone than this book, which stands out as an honest account of one man's attempt to make sense of it all, as well as a work of art in its own right.

Powerfully-told stories are laced with well-researched facts, all couched in Sacco's humanity and disbelief at the people he meets and the events he sees. Particularly chilling is the account of a Palestinian father's torture experience. The book covers a wide variety of other topics, including refugees, Israeli attitudes, life inside prison, and more, introducing these issues (along with the atmosphere of a visit to Palestine) through Sacco's walk through the West Bank and Gaza, talking to people there.

The second half of Sacco's book opens up more of the conflict, this time in the setting of Gaza, but should be considered as indivisible from the first half, as the two halves represent the complete collection of "Palestine" comics originally published as individual magazines, then as a two volume edition.

The visual imagery is almost photographically faithful to the actual landscapes and cityscapes of Palestine, and accounts such as Sacco's taxi ride to Nablus will elicit delighted cries of recognition and wry laughter from those who have visited the country.

This book is a 'must have' that you will definitely not be disappointed with if you're buying them for yourself, and should be considered a necessary part of your standard tools to explain the Israeli-Palestinian Conflict to others. In the absense of a Palestinian "Cry Freedom", this is the next best thing.

Nigel Parry

[Corleone]

Righteous Victims: A History of the Zionist-Arab Conflict, 1881-2001
Benny Morris

[B.A.]

The Palestinian Identity - by Rashid Khalidi

[BadlyDrawnBoy]

I got The Palestine Israel Conflict - a basic introduction By Gregory Harms with Todd M. Ferry

An easy read so far, I'll be taking up some of the others when I'm done. thanks.

[joeydaninja]

I loved from Beiruit to Jerusalem, though i've never finished it did teach me a lot.

[Breakfast with Girls]

<a href="http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/ASIN/0195151747/103-1913405-4865459?v=glance&n=283155"><img style="border: none" src="http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0195151747.01._AA240_SH20_SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg"></a>

[chanster]

If you really want to start at the root, I would recommend the excellent book O JERUSALEM by Larry Collins, Dominique Lapierre. Its a pretty hefty book about the founding of Israel, but is balanced and gives you a good understanding of the beginning of the conflict.

[al_bundy]

if you want to start at the beggining, then this is the book for you

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/B0000AM6GX.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

You don't have to buy the King James version. I think some other one are better.



Also check out

http://images.amazon.com/images/P/0140445420.01._SCLZZZZZZZ_.jpg

[Nighthawk]

A couple years ago I read ISRAEL'S WARS: A History Since 1947 bu Ahron Bregman which I thought was a pretty good description of everything that has happened since WWII. It is surprisingly unbiased since it was written by a former Israli military captain.

[BadlyDrawnBoy]

Where were you all when I needed help at the start :) This is good though I'll be using this as a reference thread.

I'm enjoying the reading so far.