National Book Award Non Fiction Winner

From Beirut to Jerusalem

by Thomas L. Friedman

Summary

A reporter's account of the modern Middle East drawn from Friedman's years covering the Lebanese Civil War and the first Palestinian Intifada. He alternates between reporting from the streets of Beirut and Jerusalem and broader analysis of sectarianism, nationalism, and American policy. The book became a standard introduction to the region's conflicts for a generation of general readers.

Historical Context & Significance

Friedman used his time as a foreign correspondent to explain the complex tribalism of the region to an American audience for the first time.