To Jerusalem and Back: A Personal Account

This is a book from the 1970s, covering some of Saul Bellow's encounters in Jerusalem and his reflections on the Arab-Israeli conflict. A lot has changed since then: for example, the Cold War has ended and there is no need to spend that much time conjecturing Russia's stance on the issue. Gone too, is the language of imperialism; so are the names of that era, Kissinger, Rabin and Nasser. But more has remained the same, although 30 years have elapsed since the writing of the book. Therefore, Bellow's reflections on the Jews as a people, on the supposed relationship between America and Israel, and on the root of animosity between Israel and its Arab neighbors are still pertinent.

The background of this book may look obscure to a casual show more reader not sharing any expertise on this topic. However, Bellow's plain yet beautiful language and thoughtful meditations makes it an enjoyable read. show less

Published in 1976, this nonfiction book consists of Bellow's reflections on his trip to Israel and the history and future of the country and the Jewish race. Bellow is Jewish, and he makes no apologies for his obviously biased point of view. I also think that the book would have been easier to read if it had been more organized and if he had rambled less. While the topic is interesting, this book is just too dated to be worth reading today.

I just finished To Jerusalem and Back, by Saul Bellow. I thought the book was excellent. Saul Bellow usually writes fiction, so it was a different genre than he usually writes. It was more a series of approximately 100 essays, organized into a book. Good book concerned broadly Middle Eastern politics and some religious issues, focusing on the mid-1970's. That was a period of time that Israel was in in the shadow of the 1973 war between Israel and the Arabs. The book focused around discussions with 1970's-era academicians and politicians. Those people and the author made some predictions that did not pan out. For example, Egypt negotiated real peace with Israel, whereas the other surrounding powers, as predicted by the book, did no

The show more book is a good read for people with a deep interest in history, and the way things were during an earlier period. It is the kind of book that for other readers would seem dated. show less

hard to read. lots of name droppping. his notes while going to Jerusalem around 1973--after 6 day war, before Rabin was shot. he meets with dignitaries, i.e. Teddy Kollack...and hears their thoughts.

regalo di Ina, interessantissimo, solito tema questione ebraica, premio nobel autore

Author's 1975 stay in Israel, his personal record and meditation.

Trip to Israel. Arab-Israeli conflict; personal biography