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Summary: Great book
Review: This book is an excellent contribution to Middle East history from a basic perspective. The writer tells the truth (apparently to the dismay of some). Yes, the Jews were in the Holy Land before the Arabs. Yes, the Jews never left, even after the destruction of the Second Temple.
True peace can be achieved only after the conflict, with its attendant claims, is properly understood. I highly recommend this book.
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Summary: Clear, concise and objective perspective on complex subject
Review: Finally, an explanation of the Middle East not weighted down by idiology. Anybody who wants an objective, factual account of the history of the conflict in the Middle East should read this book. Highly recommended.
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Summary: Unbiased??? NOT!
Review: Very informative book, providing background into the situation, but Bard is very biased (pro-Israeli). The book should be read with an open mind.I would like to see the Palestinian point of view represented in future editions.
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Summary: Incisive, accurate & non-political
Review: There is simply too much propaganda & too little objectivity in many publications involving this subject. This affordable and comprehensive book changes all that. Anyone who criticizes the erudition of facts in this book is simply not interested in history. They have some other agenda. Conversly,the critical reader of any political persuasion will keep this book nearby as a treasured reference.
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Summary: Objective history for beginning students!
Review: Why are all these countries whose names I can barely pronounce all of a sudden on the front page of my newspaper, day after day after day? The answer to this question and many more will be found in this book, which I would highly recommend to all you readers who want to know more about the roots of what's going on in the world today. You won't be able to put this book down once you start it!
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Summary: at last-- clarity!
Review: What a service to the general public to at last have a clear picture of the Middle East conflict and the history that has fueled it. I don't need opinions. I will form my own. But I need the facts that will help me formulate my opinions intellectually. This guide, idiot's or not, provides that clarity. It is even-handed and precise.Thank you for stocking it and thank you for selling it.
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Summary: Achieving the Impossible
Review: Mitchell Bard has achieved the impossible: he's written a lucid, balanced and very readable history of the conflict that has torn the Middle East for the past 100 years. I had thought that there was very little for me to learn from a "Complete Idiot's Guide" since I am well-versed with the history of the Middle East. Mr. Bard, however, showed me the many gaps in my knowledge of the origins and key events of the conflict. I recommend this book both to "Complete Idiot's" and to those who think they know it all; I guarantee you will both learn a tremendous amout.
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Summary: Idiot Savant's Guide
Review: Makes a complex subject accessible and understandable. A must-read for responsible citizens of the world - especially in these tumultuous times.
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Summary: Impressive scope and content
Review: After reading this book and the reviews here, I can see why some readers are particularly upset. "Idiot's Guide" continues the debunking (as in many other books) of some of Israel's adversaries' most cherished myths that continue to be used to foment enmity in that volatile region of the world. For example, the so-called "massacre" at Deir Yassin and the bombing of the King David Hotel by the Irgun are two events that have been so distorted by Arabs that they have become fables. Also, the history of Jerusalem from ancient times to the present, as depicted in this book, is precise and true. A great read.
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Summary: The Complete Idiot's Guide to the Middle East Conflict,
Review: The Middle East is a complex world. This book gives a straight-forward analysis of the conflict between Israel and all the arab states and why Israel has had to fight a war of existence every 10 years or be wiped off the map. Concise and understandable, this guide is a wonderful reference.
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