Two blog entries for the price of one??? Say it isn’t so... but it is. I love to write, and in fact I love to read... almost as much as I love to eat, but THIS is a whole other topic. I have been a little busy; and while I had drafted a post for Terrorist, I hadn’t published it, and in the meantime also finished reading, Mornings in Jenin... so yes, you get one post for two books. Funny enough, while these stories are nothing alike, they similarly do deal with religion. One looks at the true faith and the true belief of a youngster; pure belief. The other examines how religion has played a key component in warfare. Note, both books are fictional, but both could be real... at least that is how I felt when I read these books.
Terrorist
Where do I begin? Given what occurred on September 11, 2001 people are very sensitive on the terrorist topic... and rightfully so. I won't get political or religious or go on a rant, but we do know that when we utter the mere word, "terrorist" people may get their back up. This book gets you from the very beginning. At the end of the day, read into it whatever you will. Among quite a few mixed messages I noted some of significance that I will share. The first is (and I have said this before reading this book), that many faiths out there are quite similar, and yet are at war with one another. The second is that a believer's pure belief, and misguidance can still lead to destruction and despair. I think that this book does just that. Lastly, as strong as we think we may be, we can still be brought to extreme weakness that is beyond our own view. By this, I mean that you may wholeheartedly believe in what you are doing, and miss it's blatant consequences. You want to judge every single character, but at the end, you really learn the meaning of naive. A quick, yet satisfying read! Enjoy!
Where do I begin? Given what occurred on September 11, 2001 people are very sensitive on the terrorist topic... and rightfully so. I won't get political or religious or go on a rant, but we do know that when we utter the mere word, "terrorist" people may get their back up. This book gets you from the very beginning. At the end of the day, read into it whatever you will. Among quite a few mixed messages I noted some of significance that I will share. The first is (and I have said this before reading this book), that many faiths out there are quite similar, and yet are at war with one another. The second is that a believer's pure belief, and misguidance can still lead to destruction and despair. I think that this book does just that. Lastly, as strong as we think we may be, we can still be brought to extreme weakness that is beyond our own view. By this, I mean that you may wholeheartedly believe in what you are doing, and miss it's blatant consequences. You want to judge every single character, but at the end, you really learn the meaning of naive. A quick, yet satisfying read! Enjoy!
Mornings in Jenin
WOW! What an amazing book! It chronologically captures the life of Amal and her ancestors. It captures the grief, the joy, the love, the determination, the pride and the beauty in the language of a Palestinian family and their friends and relatives. It is a one-sided story; it is told from the perspective of Muslims originating in Palestine and eventually Lebanon. That said, you don’t leave this book with bitterness or spite. You read this book and you leave with a little more perspective and an appreciation and sadness for people who lose their loved ones and have their relationships severed in the face of war. Regardless as to the side you would be on, war severs families and friends... nothing could repair that loss. This truly was a wonderful story; I urge you to pick it up and give it a read!!
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