I read quite a few novels every year about Semitic subjects, the Arab World, Israel, Islam, Judaism, etc. and this one of the novels that I picked up at a used book store. To put it quite simply, I now understand why the novel was used before I purchased it. This novel is extremely poorly written and I highly recommend NOT EVER reading it!

Dana Adams Schmidt of The New York Times wrote this spindly paperback back in 1974 and the books rear blurb states:

"Collectively, THE NEW YORK TIMES SURVEY SERIES is designed to better inform the American people of what is happening around the world today, what underlies our present problems, and what can and should be done about them. These practical 'background' books are especially appropriate for busy people - students, professional and business people - who need to know and understand more about the great, relevant issues of the day."

The back blurb sounded good so I took a chance and bought this book. From the very beginning of the novel, I began to have my doubts as the author established her credibility in the first chapter of the novel entitled "A Personal Note." Mrs. Schmidt went on to explain that she was a reporter in Europe during the Holocaust and later uses that experience to justify repeating Yassir Arafat's rhetoric, which she quotes constantly in the novel. She literally spent time interviewing Yassir Arafat as a reporter stationed in Israel. Apparently, she must have developed some sort of romantic affection for Yassir Arafat, because she spends much of the rest of the novel pining for him. Here's an example directly quoted from pages 153-154:

-

"Looking back on his formative years, in an interview in Amman in October, 1968, Arafat observed that 'Since I opened my eyes to this world, I was able to hear the sound of bullets." It is likely that as a boy the future commando leader heard about the exploits against the British - and the Arabs - of the Jewish paramilitary groups, Haganah, Irgun, Stern. It would have been natural for him to yearn to do likewise, or better, with the Arabs against the Jews."

"'Of course,' he said, 'I joined the fighting of 1948 just as thousands of my brethren ... because we believed it was a fight to defend our existence and the existence of the Arab people.' The interview took place in one of the small, bare rooms of the headquarters Fatah was using at that time in a stone village on Jebel Luwebdeh, a few hundred yards from the American Embassy. He sat at a small wooden desk, the afternoon sun shining upon him."

"As he grew accustomed to his visitor he seemed to relax, and removed the heavy dark glasses which had become his trademark. With his large, brown eyes, he gazed searchingly at the visitor. He spoke quietly, even gently. For a man who has spent much of his life 'underground,' his manner with strangers is not easy at first. He conveyed a quality of sweetness. As I pressed him for the personal side of his story, he smiled broadly showing his full, sensitive lips and regular teeth. He wore a heavy, brown sweater in the chilly atmosphere of the stone house, a tattered red-covered notebook in his left breast pocket visible above the edge of the sweater. His trousers were of the wooly British battledress type, his boots black and heavy. He spoke Arabic, through an interpreter most of the time, although his English is good."

-

As you can imagine, I was about ready to gag after reading the above quoted passage. It's not even good writing by the standards of a Harlequin romance novel let alone a novel about politics and international relations. Much of the novel is characterized by a gaudy romantic approach to the PLO's (Palestinian Liberation Organization, a terrorist group that became well known for killing innocents and blowing up aircraft) approach to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Of all the novels I have read about the Middle East, this is, rock bottom, the very worst! Don't read this novel if you want to LEARN anything factual about the Middle East.

Review by: Maximillian Ben Hanan

FOR STARTS THIS BOOK IS FACT NOT FICTION. It tries to be a little less biased than some books I've read; and takes a pragmatic approach. You would expect this from the New York Times. It is fairly in depth too; over 250 pages, and fully indexed! Any more I just wouldn't want. Five stars for being a fair objective portrait of the situation at the time, from whence you can see how things got where they are in 2003.

Mr.Schmidt sheds some light on an unknown war pitting the newly enthroned Iman al Badr against General Sallal. The Iman had the best intentions of reforming Yemeni society and even admired President Nasser of Egypt. General Sallal, the opportunist seized power with the help of massive Egyptian manpower and resources. The royalists fought back, with the help of the Saudi King. The civil war ends after this book was published, so the reader does not know the outcome of this civil war.
The book details a little known war on the Arabian peninsula. Few people have heard of this war. What is known is that Nasser waged aggressive war against a poorer nation simply to put his stooges into a position of control. Kind of makes Nasser's actions in the Suez Crisis look like the hypocrite he was. For those of you needing a dose of Arab politics, this book show the double dealing nature of the Middle East.