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hem's review against another edition
5.0
Powerful and poignant, and ever more so as a true-to-life biography. A must read for all striving to honestly understand this conflict.
philippelazaro's review against another edition
4.0
“People should understand that Palestinians don’t live for themselves alone. They live for and support each other. What I do for myself and my children, I also do for my brothers and sisters and their children. My salary is for all of my family. We are a community.”
Izzeldin Abuelaish has an important and incredible voice. The Gaza-based doctor faced one of the biggest episodes of personal tragedies. After losing his wife to illness, a few weeks later he lost three of his children when an Israeli rocket struck their apartment where they had been locked down.
Abuelaish has so much to say about people learning to live in peace. His refusal to hate “the other side” in spite of having every reason to is one that leaves all of us who have lost less without an excuse to not choose better things than hate.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Izzeldin Abuelaish has an important and incredible voice. The Gaza-based doctor faced one of the biggest episodes of personal tragedies. After losing his wife to illness, a few weeks later he lost three of his children when an Israeli rocket struck their apartment where they had been locked down.
Abuelaish has so much to say about people learning to live in peace. His refusal to hate “the other side” in spite of having every reason to is one that leaves all of us who have lost less without an excuse to not choose better things than hate.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
bookwormadventuregirl's review against another edition
4.0
An important voice for peace for our friends in Palestine and Israel. An important voice for peace for our world.
skyreader's review against another edition
1.0
Horrible tragedy aside, this man, according to his own account, never had self-doubts, or held anger toward occupiers, or have been misled in his beliefs even as a youth. I find it hard to swallow, especially since he is also an aspiring politician. He is either a saint, or a lier - and I don't believe in saints.
fionaf's review against another edition
challenging
dark
hopeful
informative
inspiring
medium-paced
4.0
as Elie Wiesel said about this book, “This story is a necessary lesson against hatred and revenge”
hanaaameera99's review against another edition
Just amazing to know that this person is human, just like we all are, and he wants no revenge, just peace
saracorise's review against another edition
5.0
How can you write a reveiw about a man's life and the work he is trying to do and the loss of his family? You can't. This was an amazing book and Dr. Abuelaish is trying to do amazing things. This books was inspairing.
jnmfly's review against another edition
4.0
What I know about the conflict in the Middle East consists of only what I hear in the media, which is not much. Reading this memoir is powerful, sometimes disturbing, sometimes heartening. It is unbelievable the living condition and so far from my realm of understanding. A very good read.
msjoanna's review against another edition
4.0
The narrator for the audiobook version did a passable job conveying the text. More emotion from the reader in the angrier passages of the book would have improved the listening experience, but it's basically a small quibble (and perhaps not a universally held opinion--the one review on audible complains that the narrator sounded angry enough throughout the book to make that reviewer dislike the recording). Also, the narrator seemed to have some trouble with Arab names and conveying an accent for certain quotes and speakers.
Narrator quality aside, the book carries an important message. The author has made a conscious choice to seek peace and coexistance between Israelis and Palestinians despite his own personal tragedy. And his personal tragedy is enormous: three of his daughters and his niece were killed when his apartment in Gaza was shelled by Israeli troops. While he's never received a complete apology or a full disclosure about what happened, it seems almost certain that the shelling was a terrible mistake rather than a proper military action.
Overall, the writing was a bit scattered and repetitive, but perfectly readable for a personal memoir. I'm glad that this book was published and that it's getting attention internationally. I'm glad that there is someone speaking for peace and giving a personal story from the Palestinian side. I think there are better books if one wants to learn about the political conflict. But this book provides an important human story.
Narrator quality aside, the book carries an important message. The author has made a conscious choice to seek peace and coexistance between Israelis and Palestinians despite his own personal tragedy. And his personal tragedy is enormous: three of his daughters and his niece were killed when his apartment in Gaza was shelled by Israeli troops. While he's never received a complete apology or a full disclosure about what happened, it seems almost certain that the shelling was a terrible mistake rather than a proper military action.
Overall, the writing was a bit scattered and repetitive, but perfectly readable for a personal memoir. I'm glad that this book was published and that it's getting attention internationally. I'm glad that there is someone speaking for peace and giving a personal story from the Palestinian side. I think there are better books if one wants to learn about the political conflict. But this book provides an important human story.