Hilarious account of a Jewish reporter with minimal knowledge of the area and his experiences. All I can say is - a must read for anyone who wants a break from hearing of the violence in the Middle East. The Chapter on Yemen is one not to be missed!! ( )

This is the second Tony Horwitz book I've read, after Confederates in the Attic, which was so great that I was worried I'd be disappointed if this one didn't live up to that high standard. I needn't have worried! Horwitz travels through the Middle East and he treats the people he meets with the same dignity, respect, and occasional humor that he treats Southerners with in Confederates. Although the book was publish in 1991, and much of it takes place in the late 1980s, and some of the landscape and politics of the region has changed, what's striking is what hasn't changed. Horwitz has a gift for capturing the spirit of everyday lives and the contradictions inherent in people's personalities and beliefs. An absorbing, intelligent, enjoyable read that I'd highly recommend. Four and a half stars. ( )

Great book - sorry I did not read it before a recent trip to Egypt and Israel. Gives insight to the people of the countries where Horwitz traveled as well as why some of the problems the world has exist today ( )

This is the third travel journalism book I've read by Tony Horwitz, the earliest he's written of the three I've read, and one that puts him over the top as one of the most talented writers of our time. The book details travels during two years of living in the Middle East. Bravely or foolhardily (jusqu'au boutiste - "It mean you are very brave. And maybe very stupid."), Horwitz travels into some of the most dangerous places, somehow finding locals to speak with and finding a great deal of hospitality. There are some powerful scenes such as walking through the trenches on the Iraq / Iran frontier with a pack of bloodthirsty journalists, helping a woman clean leper's wounds in Sudan, a bizarre staged press conference by Colonel Qadaffi, and a secret cocktail party with wealthier Iranians. A lot of the book takes on new meaning in light of recent events, especially the final paragraph where he hopes to see a celebration in Baghdad when the country is liberated from Saddam Hussein. Sadly, I can't find any current commentary online for Horwitz's view on how that actually happened.

On Yemeni qat:

"I think Americans like drugs that hit fast and hard and then wear off, such as whiskey and cocaine," he said. "They could never get used to something that makes you sit around all afternoon doing nothing." -p.17

"I was to spend a lot of time nodding gravely as bile poured from both Palestinians and Israelis. It was easier than explaining that I thought they were both right, or both wrong. I wasn't sure which." - p. 136

"Khomeini, for all his fanaticism, hadn't abused power to enrich himself or advance his family. But the guests' grudging respect for the imam had another source. They felt the same pride as other Iranians when Khomeini thumbed his nose at the rest of the world." p. 246-7 ( )

This is a great travelogue, very funny and enlightening about the middle east. Its companion volume Nine Parts of Desire by his wife Geraldine Brooks about her voyages in the same area but with women. Nine Parts of Desire is much more serious, however. ( )