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Rating: 
Summary: It is a book that reveals the hidden side of war
Review: Black September to Desert Storm is a book about the backstage of war. It is easy to read and instructive not only about the comlex issue of the Middle East but also about Middle Easterns themselves. Most of all it shows through one journalist what covering comlex news events could look like. Nobody can reveal the absurd and totally surealistic face of war better than a news photographer. One might find it hard to laugh about events that shook the world with horror, but Salhani shows you how strange enough even in the hardest situations some humour is hidden. Professionals who hop from one war to another mentally survive by cherishing that side. One might find it even harder to imagine that the most feared terrorist, soldier of fortune or sniper,can also have a human side to him. If you are someone who reads newspapers and are interested in knowing how news gets to you, this book is a must.
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Summary: Photojournalist Provides Rare Insider's View on Middle East
Review: For more than twenty years, Claude Salhani traveled throughout the volatile Middle East as a photojournalist and reporter in search of the region's biggest stories. Wars, terrorists acts, demonstrations by religious extremists, and the flight of refugees were among the events he witnessed. "I have seen much through my lens. . . the most terrible cruelties, the most horrible suffering--and the most improbable and moving acts of love and generosity. I have been warmly received by kings, prime ministers, and secretaries of state. I have been shot at, kidnapped, and rifle-butted," writes Salhani in the prologue of this fascinating memoir. From exclusive travles with former U. S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger to intimate moments with combatants in the battle for Beirut to the forbidden world of drug smuggling in Lebanon and, finally, to the rise of Desert Storm, Salhani transports readers behind the scenes of many groundbreaking news stories. He proves that behind the front-page story we see, an equally intriguing tale is often hidden--that of the difficult, bizarre, even comical circumstances in which the news is obtained. Claude Salhani, a photojournalist, reporter, and news executive for the last twenty-eight years, is currently Director of the UPI NewsPicture Service in Washington,DC. His photographs and articles have been published in numerous newspapers and magazines in Europe and the United States, including "Time," "Newsweek," "Paris Match," and many others.
Rating:
Summary: Black September to Desert Storm
Review: I have read numerous books on the "situation" in the Middle East but they all read like History books. This is the exception. Salhani writes about his memories of war with humour and yet realism that makes you understand the life of a journalist in these situations. It was a page turner and I enjoyed it immensely.I do not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.For a comprehensive look at the Lebanese civil war et al,this is the book. Enlightnening, informative, humorous and yet touching. Salhani opens his heart to us in print and one cannot help but respond.
Rating:
Summary: Black September to Desert Storm
Review: I have read numerous books on the "situation" in the Middle East but they all read like History books. This is the exception. Salhani writes about his memories of war with humour and yet realism that makes you understand the life of a journalist in these situations. It was a page turner and I enjoyed it immensely.I do not hesitate to recommend it to anyone.For a comprehensive look at the Lebanese civil war et al,this is the book. Enlightnening, informative, humorous and yet touching. Salhani opens his heart to us in print and one cannot help but respond.
Rating:
Summary: Fascinating, touching and often humorous.
Review: I thought Black September to Desert Storm was a fascinating look at 15 years of unrest in the Middle East through one reporter's eyes. The fact that the author seems to be smart, funny, observant and versatile makes the book easy to read and the complex political and social situations that form the backdrop to his adventures simpler to understand. No one book can capture the entire scope of the Middle East's continuing conflicts, but Salhani is able to show the ludicrous side of these myriad struggles as well as the human tragedies they engender. He does so with compassion and empathy as well as the cold eye of a cynic who has seen too much to be easily fooled. I found myself caught up in the human stories, fascinated and amused by the bizarre cast of characters which populate these pages, but I also felt anger and frustration at the bullheadedness and stubborn pride of the politicians and military leaders whose fault it is these conflicts will seemingly never end. Also, his candid insider's descriptions of the life of a war correspondent and the antics of the foreign press corps were astonishing and often hilarious. If you want to read an enjoyable book that's easy to understand but will still and enlighten you about the Middle East and foreign journalism, I strongly recommend Black September to Desert Storm.
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