This was the first book club book I ever went to the meeting for where I had not read the book. The lone woman who read it inspired me to give it a chance. A friend got it from the library and I borrowed it.
The concept of the book was great - telling the story of the Israel / Palestine conflict through two families who lived in the same house; the Palestinian one who built it and the Israeli one who later moved into it. I thought I wanted to know the history of Israel - to understand why the conflict never seems to get better. Faced with the mess the British started and that the rest of the world allowed to happen, I can't believe that it hasn't been worse. What country would allow immigration to cause a 50% population increase in a matter of a few years?
Reading the history (I only made it to the early '70s) was extremely depressing. I can't believe how many stupid moves both sides have made. The Israelis couldn't have done much more to breed hatred and the Palestinians couldn't have done more to focus on what they lost, not on what they still had. Maybe if I had read the entire book, I wouldn't have such a pessimistic view of the situation, but based on my reading, I have no faith this conflict will end.
The book has been returned to the library. Maybe, some day, I'll try it again.
1 comment:
I keep reading books on the topic. I think I have to stop. It's truly overwhelming...
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