Customer Reviews (2)

The story of a family, the revelations of a history
Ms. Abinader has written a slice of history that teaches all ofus how a family's desperate fights for survival wins out over thehorrific clashes of clutures. Her book made me realize that what I thought I knew about the Middle East was simplistic. The complexities of race, religion, and geography are rooted in each family's struggle. No better family than this could teach us this lesson.

Recommended poignant, poetic ethnic narrative.
Elmaz Abinader has created a vivid and insightful biography of three generations of a family's struggle to define itself amid the dislocation and challenges of the first half of the 20th century.Her characters arestrongly drawn and distinctive, reflecting values so typical of the Lebanonand other communities where family and kinship are both strength andobstacle.

Elmaz has a particularly strong feeling for her women.Theyare sometimes overwhelming and tedious in their ability to bear pain,rationalize hurt, support erring spouses, and recognize flaws in others. The men do not hold up as well.Despite some heroic moments in fleeingfrom persecution and making new lives in America, in general, the men arenot as spiritually hardy or as forebearing as the women.There is astrength and lyricism in these pages that goes beyond another ethnicnarrative.Elmaz' grounding as a poet has served in well in unfolding thedramatic and incremental movement of these families towards a conclusionthat renews again the wheel of life.

Well-done. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from Junior Worldmark Encyclopedia of Foods and Recipes of the World, brought to you by Gale®, a part of Cengage Learning, a world leader in e-research and educational publishing for libraries, schools and businesses.The length of the article is 1521 words.The article is delivered in HTML format and is available in your Amazon.com Digital Locker immediately after purchase.You can view it with any web browser.Provides comprehensive coverage of the foods and recipes of approximately 75 cultural groups from more than 60 countries. Entries provide 10-15 recipes for each group and include data on the agriculture and dietary habits of each group as well as an overview of each group's nutrition and health. ... Read more

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"'The Thistle that is in Lebanon" is the harassed, weak, yet simple disciple of the Eastern Church; and "the Cedar that was in Lebanon" is the true Church of Christ, whose seeds were first derived from [Syria's] Holy shores, and are now firmly rooted in England. The Thistle has sent to ask thy daughter, Enlightenment, in marriage to her son, Simplicity. O refuse her not! lest the wild beast in Lebanon should tread down the Thistle and obtain the ascendancy.'" A nineteenth-century Syrian Christian raised in Lebanon, Habeeb Risk Allah Effendi was a traveller, emigre and doctor whose charming, anecdotal traveller's tales take us throughout his troubled native land and on to Egypt, Malta, France and England. From pirates, belles and balls to the status of women and the role of health care in society, Effendi's position as outsider lend his observations of his own and other cultures a unique perspective. But this is more than a travelogue, and the detailed account of life in nineteenth-century, multi-faith Syria is more than an introduction to a then - and even now - exotic realm.Effendi hoped to arouse interest in the future development of his country, which he regarded as having great promise and potential. He was particularly interested in securing English interest - and help. Despite their apparent 'lack of reverence for beards' and an irritating 'devotion of the young fair sex to uniforms', Effendi believed that the English, with their Protestant and therefore (as he saw it) tolerant and enlightened views, could act as a moderating, beneficial influence, both for the Christian faith in Syria and for his country as a whole. ... Read more

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This digital document is an article from APS Diplomat Recorder, published by Arab Press Service on June 14, 2008. The length of the article is 398 words. The page length shown above is based on a typical 300-word page. The article is delivered in HTML format and is available immediately after purchase. You can view it with any web browser.

Citation Details
Title: LEBANON - June 13 - Fadlallah Tears Strip Off 'Selfish' Politicians.(Sayyed Muhammad Hussein Fadlallah )
Author: Unavailable
Publication: APS Diplomat Recorder (Newsletter)
Date: June 14, 2008
Publisher: Arab Press Service
Volume: 70Issue: 25

Distributed by Gale, a part of Cengage Learning ... Read more

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"Lebanon is more than a country, it is a message": these words of Pope John Paul II illustrate Lebanon's post-war endeavor to preserve its age-old Christian-Muslim coexistence and power-sharing formula and to invalidate Samuel Huntington's assumption of a "Clash of Civilizations."Lebanon's current challenge is also the challenge of a whole region, the Middle East, where the fate of minorities, including Eastern Christians, reveals the prospects of democracy, pluralism and political participation. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (5)

The Lebanese situation
This book provides a clear description of the Lebanese situation. Lebanon encompasses intertwined subcultures that underlie its current situation. This book covers all the details that are needed to understand why Lebanon is the way it is.

It is informative and covers the major details. Good book to read!

A model of engaged journalism
To reclaim its legacy as a paragon of plurality, argues a research associate at Georgetown's Center for Muslim-Christian Understanding, Lebanon must first climb out of the morass of "isms" into whichit has devolved through decades of civil strife and the meddling of others.Though relatively short, Dagher's book covers a lot of ground. It containsa historical overview of Lebanon's myriad communities as well as ananalysis of the development of their mutual distrust. By exposing thenation's self-destructive, inter-communal misconceptions, the author aimsto dispel them. Among her allies she numbers no less afigure than PopeJohn Paul II, whose 1997 visit to Lebanon is stirringly described byDagher, who shows him standing outside a cathedral (with the sun settinginto the Mediterranean as a backdrop) and imploring the country's youth to"bring down the walls erected in the painful past". Those walls,in the author's view, are founded on dogmatic ideologies: sectarianism,Maronitism, fundamentalism, pluralism, and pan-Arabism, to name a few. Withunabashed passion, Dagher warns that if Lebanon fails in its multiculturalmission, it spells doom not just for a nation uniquely positioned to bridgethe gap between Christianity and Islam, but for the entire Levant, whichlooks to the "country of Cedars" as an oasis in a desert ofexpanding fanaticism. Her book is a model of engaged journalism, combiningthorough research with intensity derived from a personal connection to thesubject matter. Quoting numerous Christian and Muslim leaders who stressthe importance of preserving diversity, she proves that pluralism is nother ideal alone; it is Lebanon's. Documenting the nation's efforts beforeand after the civil war to build a model democratic society of diversesects, she makes a convincing case that the current chronic discord is anaberration. A tougher read for the casual Middle East reader than, say,Thomas Friedman's From Beirut to Jerusalem (1989), but far more penetratingand therefore a must for the expert.

An extraordinary and remarkable book, A must read!
"Bring down the Walls" is a truly unique contribution to the understanding of the sublime mosaic that is the Middle East. The author delves with expert understanding into the complexities of Lebanon'spost-war efforts to renew itself and rejuvuate inter-communal relations.Unlike many other writers who approach Lebanon with a snide cyncism andstereotypical images of religious and political groups, author Dahgertreats her subject with a compelling sense of humanity, realism anddignity. Combining her honed journalistic skills with an obvious scholarlyaptitude, Dagher offers the reader that rare literary opportunity: to learnand enjoy at the same time. The book is replete with incisivefirst-handaccounts of dramatic efforts to rebuild the shattered spirit of Lebanon,and in particular that of its ancient Christian community. With equal skilland finesse,the reader is effortlessly transported inside the walls of theVatican to listen in on the great deliberations of the historic 1995 Synodfor Lebanon, or toDamascus and the discussion between the US Secretary ofState and the President of Syria over Lebanon's future, or to Pope JohnPaul II's emotional and triumpiant 1997 visit to Lebanon, listen to theauthor's words, "The Popemobile dived into the bubbling cauldron ofthe jubliant crowd. It was strewn with rose petals and rice. His faceturned red by the sweltering heat of May and by the emotion,the SupremePontiff scanned with tenderness and attention the faces and hands liftedtoward him. He opened the window and reached out to a a child."(p.189) Not only is this a book sparkling with an abundance of literarygems, but it is an important and timely contribution to the fundamentalissue of nation-building. Pluralism, civic society, the role of themilitary, consenual democracy and institutional governance are seriouslytreated within the Lebanese experience, but are clearly applicable to anysociety cop with religious, ethnic and racial diversity. So at one level,"Bring Down the Walls" is an unsurpassed examination of therecent trails and tribulations of the Christians of Lebanon, particularilythe Maronite Catholics, at another level, it suggests a blueprint forLebanon's spiritual and intercommunal revival, and finally it provides auniversal message, through the prism of Lebanon's long ordeal of suffering,that speaks to the values of tolerance, diversity and co-existance. Ihighly recommend "Bring Down the Walls"as an historical accountof significant events hitherto ignored, as a political and social analysisof modern day Eastern Christians and their role in the great issues of theMiddle East and Islam, and as a moving and personal tribute to Lebanon, aland of martyrs, a land of heros.

An extraordinary and remarkable book, A must read!
"Bring down the Walls" is a truly unique contribution to the understanding of the sublime mosaic that is the Middle East. The author delves with expert understanding into the complexities of Lebanon'spost-war efforts to renew itself and rejuvuate inter-communal relations.Unlike many other writers who approach Lebanon with a snide cyncism andstereotypical images of religious and political groups, author Dahgertreats her subject with a compelling sense of humanity, realism anddignity. Combining her honed journalistic skills with an obvious scholarlyaptitude, Dagher offers the reader that rare literary opportunity: to learnand enjoy at the same time. The book is replete with incisivefirst-handaccounts of dramatic efforts to rebuild the shattered spirit of Lebanon,and in particular that of its ancient Christian community. With equal skilland finesse,the reader is effortlessly transported inside the walls of theVatican to listen in on the great deliberations of the historic 1995 Synodfor Lebanon, or toDamascus and the discussion between the US Secretary ofState and the President of Syria over Lebanon's future, or to Pope JohnPaul II's emotional and triumpiant 1997 visit to Lebanon, listen to theauthor's words, "The Popemobile dived into the bubbling cauldron ofthe jubliant crowd. It was strewn with rose petals and rice. His faceturned red by the sweltering heat of May and by the emotion,the SupremePontiff scanned with tenderness and attention the faces and hands liftedtoward him. He opened the window and reached out to a a child."(p.189) Not only is this a book sparkling with an abundance of literarygems, but it is an important and timely contribution to the fundamentalissue of nation-building. Pluralism, civic society, the role of themilitary, consenual democracy and institutional governance are seriouslytreated within the Lebanese experience, but are clearly applicable to anysociety cop with religious, ethnic and racial diversity. So at one level,"Bring Down the Walls" is an unsurpassed examination of therecent trails and tribulations of the Christians of Lebanon, particularilythe Maronite Catholics, at another level, it suggests a blueprint forLebanon's spiritual and intercommunal revival, and finally it provides auniversal message, through the prism of Lebanon's long ordeal of suffering,that speaks to the values of tolerance, diversity and co-existance. Ihighly recommend "Bring Down the Walls"as an historical accountof significant events hitherto ignored, as a political and social analysisof modern day Eastern Christians and their role in the great issues of theMiddle East and Islam, and as a moving and personal tribute to Lebanon, aland of martyrs, a land of heros.

An extraordinary and remarkable book, A must read!
"Bring down the Walls" is a truly unique contribution to the understanding of the sublime mosaic that is the Middle East. The author delves with expert understanding into the complexities of Lebanon'spost-war efforts to renew itself and rejuvuate intercommunal relations.Unlike many other writers who approach Lebanon with a snide cyncism andstereotypical images of religious and political groups, author Dahgertreats her subject with a compelling sense of humanity, realism anddignity. Combining her honed journalistic skills with an obvious scholarlyaptitude, Dagher offers the reader that rare literary opportunity: to learnand enjoy at the same time. The book is replete with incisivefirst-handaccounts of dramatic efforts to rebuild the shattered spirit of Lebanon,and in particular that of its ancient Christian community. With equal skilland finesse,the reader is effortlessly transported inside the walls of theVatican to listen in on the great deliberations of the historic 1995 Synodfor Lebanon, or toDamascus and the discussion between the US Secretary ofState and the President of Syria over Lebanon's future, or to Pope JohnPaul II's emotional and triumpiant 1997 visit to Lebanon; listen to theauthor's words, "The Popemobile dived into the bubbling cauldron ofthe jubliant crowd. It was strewn with rose petals and rice. His faceturned red by the sweltering heat of May and by the emotion,the SupremePontiff scanned with tenderness and attention the faces and hands liftedtoward him. He opened the window and reached out to a a child."(p.189) Not only is this a book sparkling with an abundance of literarygems, but it is an important and timely contribution to the fundamentalissue of nation-building. Pluralism, civic society, the role of themilitary, consenual democracy and institutional governance are seriouslytreated within the Lebanese experience, but are clearly applicable to anysociety coping with religious, ethnic and racial diversity. So at onelevel, "Bring Down the Walls" is an unsurpassed examination ofthe recent trails and tribulations of the Christians of Lebanon,particularily the Maronite Catholics, at another level, it suggests ablueprint for Lebanon's spiritual and intercommunal revival, and finally itprovides a universal message, through the prism of Lebanon's long ordeal ofsuffering, that speaks to the values of tolerance, diversity andco-existance. I highly recommend "Bring Down the Walls"as anhistorical account of significant events hitherto ignored, as a politicaland social analysis of modern day Eastern Christians and their role in thegreat issues of the Middle East and Islam, and as a moving and personaltribute to Lebanon, a land of martyrs, a land of heros. ... Read more

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Contrary to the conventional wisdom that sectarianism is intrinsically linked to violence, bloodshed, or social disharmony, Max Weiss uncovers the complex roots of Shi`i sectarianism in twentieth-century Lebanon.

The template for conflicted relations between the Lebanese state and Shi`i society arose under French Mandate rule through a process of gradual transformation, long before the political mobilization of the Shi`i community under the charismatic Imam Musa al-Sadr and his Movement of the Deprived, and decades before the radicalization linked to Hizballah. Throughout the period, the Shi`i community was buffeted by crosscutting political, religious, and ideological currents: transnational affiliations versus local concerns; the competing pull of Arab nationalism and Lebanese nationalism; loyalty to Jabal `Amil, the cultural heartland of Shi`i Lebanon; and the modernization of religious and juridical traditions.

Uncoupling the beginnings of modern Shi`i collective identity from the rise of political Shi`ism, Weiss transforms our understanding of the nature of sectarianism and shows why in Lebanon it has been both so productive and so destructive at the same time.

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By examining the writings of Lebanese women she calls the Beirut Decentrists, Miriam Cooke challenges the notion that only men write about war. Although of differing political and religious beliefs, it is these Decentrists--women bound by common exclusion from both the literary canon and social discourse--whose vision will rebuild shattered Lebanon. The author traces the transformation in consciousness that took place among women who observed and recorded the progress toward chaos in Lebanon. During the so-called two-year war of 1975-6, little comment was made about those who left the cauldron of violence (usually men in search of economic security), but with time attitudes changed. Women became increasingly aware that they had stayed out of responsibility for others and that they had survived. This growing awareness served as a catalyst, and the Beirut Decentrists began describing a society that had gone beyond the masculinization normal in most wars and achieved an almost unprecedented feminization. Emigration, expected behavior for men before 1975, was rejected; staying, expected behavior for women before 1975, became the standard of Lebanese citizenship. The writings of the Beirut Decentrists offer a way out of anarchy. If men and women could espouse the Lebanese woman's sense of responsibility, the energy that fueled unrelenting savagery could be turned to reconstruction. ... Read more

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Once the cosmopolitan centre of the Middle East, Beirut was devastated by the civil war that ran from 1975 to 1991, which dislocated many residents, disrupted normal municipal functions, and destroyed the vibrant downtown district. The aftermath of the war was an unstable situation Sawalha considers 'a post-war state of emergency', even as the state strove to restore normalcy. This ethnography centres on various groups' responses to Beirut's large, privatized urban-renewal project that unfolded during this turbulent moment. At the core of the study is the theme of remembering space. The official process of rebuilding the city as a node in the global economy collided with local day-to-day concerns, and all arguments invariably inspired narratives of what happened before and during the war. Sawalha explains how Beirutis invoked their past experiences of specific sites to vie for the power to shape those sites in the future. Rather than focus on a single site, the ethnography crosses multiple urban sites and social groups, to survey varied groups with interests in particular spaces.The book contextualizes these spatial conflicts within the discourses of the city's historical accounts and the much-debated concept of heritage, voiced in academic writing, politics, and journalism. In the afterword, Sawalha links these conflicts to the social and political crises of early twenty-first-century Beirut. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (1)

A valuable contribution to theory and Middle East studies
Michael Dawahare has devoted long years to understanding the dynamics ofcivil society in this potentially explosive region of the world.Trainingcritical insights and perspectives from some of the Middle East's mostsubtle students, he has drawn upon Gramscian categories to open up thestudy of civil society onto a terrain where Western-born concepts must beloosened and nativized if they are to be of value.His sure grasp ofLebanon history, culture, and politics has proved invaluable to thisundertaking.His dissertation under my direction showed the promise ofthis exercise.His book is the fulfillment of that promise.Definitely avaluable and unique contribution to area studies and critical socialtheory!Kudos, Mike! ... Read more

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This book is a collection of essays that were originally presented in a conference at Lebanese American University in late May 2007, entitled 'Politics, Culture and the Lebanese Diaspora'. It looks at various facets of the Lebanese Diaspora and examines the politics and culture of Lebanese migrants and their descendants in different parts of the world while detailing the communal, national and transnational elements of these practices and exploring the changing characteristics of politics and culture in respect to migration, Diaspora and globalization. The essays raise questions about the (in) compatible and interpenetrating relationships between these dynamics, and analyze processes of identity formation as cultural manifestations of migratory politics. The book is divided into three main sections. The first section deals with issues of identity and multiculturalism among Lebanese emigrants, concluding that identities are continuously molded and negotiated in the diaspora. It examines the formation of identities among second and third-generation migrants, and the changing conceptions of the meaning of roots and homelands.The second section deals with politics and activism in the Diaspora. It looks at how diasporas relate to the political processes in their homelands during post-conflict resolution and explores the role of Lebanese migrants abroad in the process of peace-building back home. The third part deals with the Diaspora in literature and media through the assessment of key writings on the explorations of self of the Lebanese abroad, drawing on how symbols of identification and conventions of representation become sites of conflict over time. The wide variety of perspectives presented in these papers invite us to challenge the notion of a fixed, bounded, and rigid homeland and identity, and move towards one that is more nomadic and fluid. They call us to pay attention to the symbols used in the cultural construction of both homelands and identities in the country of immigration and to think of the complex ways in which transnational politics affect the homeland and are in turn affected by it. ... Read more

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At a time when the turmoil and conflict in the Middle East dominates world news, students need to develop an understanding of the people and culture of this region. This five-volume set, part of the Discovering World Cultures series, examines geographical, historical, economic, and cultural issues in 16 Middle Eastern countries. For each nation, information about people groups, natural resources and geography, economy, and religion is included. A section on everyday life considers education, leisure activities, dress, holidays, the arts, and food, including sample recipes. Tables, charts, illustrations, timelines, and fact sheets provide visual references to support the written material.

Volume 1: Bahrain, Cyprus, Egypt

Volume 2: Iran, Iraq, Israel

Volume 3: Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman

Volume 4: Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria

Volume 5: Turkey, United Arab Emirates, Yemen

Grades 6-8

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Political Culture and Conflict Resolution in the Arab MIddle East develops a method for examining the explanatory capacity of political culture in relation to the issues of civil war and conflict resolution in Lebanon and Algeria. How perception, shaped by values and assumptions, affects political behaviour presents scholars with potentially valuable but also dangerous possibilities. Namely, seeking to explore the explanatory capacity of the nebulous concept of political culture can prospectively lead to the cul de sacs of essentialism or relativism. In an attempt to engage with the concept of political culture, Political Culture and Conflict Resolution in the Arab Middle East develops a method for examining the explanatory capacity of political culture in relation to the issues of civil war and conflict resolution in Lebanon and Algeria. Applying strict limits on the implementation of political culture in an explanatory capacity, namely its role as a secondary, relational and comparative concept, this book demonstrates how political culture operates to shape the form and affect the legitimacy of conflict resolution processes.This is applied to two peace agreements, Lebanon's Taef Agreement and Algeria's Civil Concord. Here. the importance of 'contextuality' is emphasised in developing a space where political culture can provide explanatory capacity whilst remaining connected to 'macro' theoretical concepts. ... Read more

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Chapters: Serpent Mound, Fort Ancient, Fort Ancient (Lebanon, Ohio), Portsmouth Earthworks, Alligator Effigy Mound, Moorehead Circle, Sunwatch Indian Village, Clover Site, Leo Petroglyph, Turpin Site, Hahn Field Archeological District. Source: Wikipedia. Pages: 47. Not illustrated. Free updates online. Purchase includes a free trial membership in the publisher's book club where you can select from more than a million books without charge. Excerpt:The Great Serpent Mound is a 1,330-foot-long, three-foot-high prehistoric effigy mound located on a plateau of the Serpent Mound crater along Ohio Brush Creek in Adams County, Ohio. Maintained within a park by the Ohio Historical Society, it has been designated a National Historic Landmark by the United States Department of Interior. The Serpent Mound of Ohio was first reported from surveys by Ephraim Squire and Edwin Davis in their historic volume Ancient Monuments of the Mississippi Valley, published in 1848 by the newly founded Smithsonian Museum. Researchers have attributed construction of the mound to three different prehistoric indigenous cultures. Based on the use of more advanced technology, including carbon dating and evidence from 1996 studies, many scholars now believe that members of the Fort Ancient culture built it about 1070 CE (plus or minus 70 years). There are still anomalies to be studied. Ohio historical marker.Including all three parts, the Serpent Mound extends about 1,370 feet (420 m), and varies in height from less than a foot to more than three feet (30100 cm). Conforming to the curve of the land on which it rests, with its head approaching a cliff above a stream, the serpent winds back and forth for more than eight hundred feet and seven coils, and ends in a triple-coiled tail. The serpent head has an open mouth extending around the east end of a 120-foot-long hollow oval feature. Scholars posit that the oval feature symbolizes an egg, the sun, the body o...More: http://booksllc.net/?id=903075 ... Read more

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"Kissess from a Distance" chronicles a Lebanese immigrant experience - based on a cache of more than 200 letters discovered after the death of the author's mother.

The tale begins with the kidnapping of the author's grandmother from a remote convent in 1895. It chronicles her subsequent unhappy marriage and her husband's tragic attempt to find success in America. Their particular story plays out against the struggle and suffering of the lebanese people through years of oppressive Ottoman rule and the ravages of World War I.

Employing traditional lebanese proverbs and folk tales, "Kisses from a Distance" weaves the author's extensive research and visits to Lebanon into a compelling narrative. ... Read more

Customer Reviews (10)

Great Book
Kisses From a Distance filled some of the "blanks" about my immigrant family who came here Lebanon in the early 20th century. Like the book, my own grandmother was left by her mother in a convent at age 2 with an aunt (the mother superior)to enable her mother to immigrate to America. At age 14 my grandmother also was "kidnapped" against her aunt's wishes from the convent by relatives who brought her down from the mountains to the port of Beirut for transport American. Grandmother had been promised in marriage to my grandfather, a peddler, who she literally met at the altar. Although the harshness of life here caused them to loose two of their nine children, many of their offspring became millionaires and philanthropists who helped create St. Jude's Children's Hospital together with another Lebanese man named Danny Thomas.

When I brought my daughter some homemade "hummus" the other day at school here in Illinois, I told her of the author's reference in his book to his father on his deathbed, who was awakened by his son's kiss on a morning after the son had consumed large amounts of garlicky hummus---his father opened his eyes, saying: "John, too much garlic".

That sums it up.It's a close book about immigrants: their industry, simplicity, focus, humor, criticisms, and dreamm, The American Dream.

Bill Haddad

True Lebanese Immigrant Story
I loved the colorful detail of Raff Ellis's family history. Such knowledge of before and after emmigration is rare. A bonus to the story is his family being from the former fuedal lords and their story being told from a view point rarely seen. Well written, it speaks to the immigrant experience of the late 19th and early 20th century in America for any ethnic group. As a descendent of Lebanese immigrants from the same period I am proud that our story is now fully presented better than I ever think it has been before. The afterword portion at the end was a treat as Raff discusses full on the racial prejudices that face arab Americans and his experiences with these prejudices. It was true vidication for me and my familie's upbringing here as Arab Americans. Only the highest praises, I strongly recommend his book for any students history class! Thanks Raff!

Terrific memoir - take the time to read it!
"Kisses From a Distance" was recommended by a friend and I'm thankful to her for that! It's a very readable memoir, touched with humor and filled with first-hand stories handed down to Raff Ellis. His narrative flows easily and the photos add much interest. I drew many connections to my own Irish great-grandparents' experience. They immigrated to NYC during the Irish Potato Famine. I just wish I had the treasure trove of letters and photos that Raff has. They are priceless. All Americans are descended from immigrants, so we can all identify with "Kisses From a Distance," no matter our ancestors' ethnicity. Kudos to Raff for this labor of love.

One of my best reads in 2007!
I so much enjoyed this book so much I found myself slowing down towards the last pages because I didn't want it to end!Someone recently said facts are numbers, dates, and events . . . the "story" is something else altogether.As a first born child of immigrant parents, it brought my own family history to life while helping me to fill in many gaps."Kisses From a Distance" is filled with many interesting historical facts . . . but the author's true gift is his ability to bring the past to life in an objective and hearfelt way as he tells his family's "story!"Liked it so much bought several copies to give to others.

Family Storytelling at it's Finest
Raff Ellis's story of his family's immigration experiences can be read as if it is an engrossing novel in today's market of published written works.Combining his miraculous discovery after the death of his mother, of a cache of over 200 letters, extensive research and visits to Lebanon, the author is able to tell in narrative form the family's trials and tribulations. I found myself continually referring to the family trees to keep track of all of its members and their interactions.

The highlight of the story for me was in the fact that I discovered more about one of Raff's brothers, Al, (like how he got his name) with whom I worked for 5 years in our parish in Andover, MA.This past June I also visited him in South Africa where he is pastor of a mother parish with three "outstation" Zulu parishes.I came to realize that we all have family and personal backgrounds that make us who we are.Don't miss this fascinating tale of one family that journeyed to America, becoming a part of the whole of our nation of immigrants.You won't be able to put it down.The story will be circulating in Andover and wherever else it finds its way.Pass it on, for that is what storytelling is all about! ... Read more

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Lords of the Lebanese Marches looks at relations between different forms of power, violence and hierarchy in Akkar, the northernmost province of Lebanon, during the 1970s. Often regarded as "backward" and "feudal," in reality this area was controlled mainly by groups with important roles in government and business in Beirut. Using both material collected during his stay in Akkar and a variety of historical sources, Gilsenan analyzes the practices that guaranteed the rule of the large landowners and traces shifts in the discourses of domination in the area. He also examines the importance of narratives and rhetoric in constituting social honor, collective biography and shared memory/forgetting.
... Read more