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pyrrhicspondee's review against another edition
4.0
This was remarkably suspenseful--I spent the whole time thinking, YES PLEASE TELL ME HOW TO FEEL ABOUT THIS CONFLICT. Needless to say, Glidden provides no easy answers.
sethdmichaels's review against another edition
4.0
Really good documentary graphic novel about the author's conflicted feelings about traveling to Israel. Compassionate and well-done, with lots of great details.
bionicjulia's review against another edition
3.0
I learnt a fair number of new things from this book about Jews and Israel. Told from an interesting point of view of an American born Jewish woman who goes on a trip to Israel. She has preconceived views (as we all do) about the country, but experiences confusing emotions as she gets in touch with her roots. This is all told through straightforward simple drawings.
ginkgotree's review against another edition
My attitude toward Israel issues is normally best summed up by that GIF of Homer Simpson backing silently into the bushes. It's just so complicated. But that's not an epistemological responsible attitude, so I am resolved to begin actually learning a bit about the subject. This beautifully drawn graphic novel seemed like a good place to start. As Sarah travels through Israel on her Birthright trip, she relates stories from Israel's long history and wrestles with the feelings those stories create in her. It's a good introduction because it introduces numerous points of entry for further learning: various eras and issues to explore, instead of just ISRAEL as one huge daunting topic. For instance, I knew a little about the conflict with the Palestinians, but I was totally unfamiliar with the Bedouin situation.
Sarah went into Israel with, she discovered, an overly simplified view of the country and its people. That's kind of the opposite of my problem. But her experiences there are an excellent peek into a place I will probably never visit.
It's also worth noting that this book came out in 2010, which seems like a lifetime ago. I don't know how much has changed, but presumably quite a bit has.
Sarah went into Israel with, she discovered, an overly simplified view of the country and its people. That's kind of the opposite of my problem. But her experiences there are an excellent peek into a place I will probably never visit.
It's also worth noting that this book came out in 2010, which seems like a lifetime ago. I don't know how much has changed, but presumably quite a bit has.
5ftnapqueen's review against another edition
3.0
I enjoyed the thoughtful retrospective tone and the way the author conveyed the complexity of the Israel/ Palestine conflict. The way she conveyed silent contemplation was beautiful. I also liked how she portrayed being overwhelmed by the magnitude of Israel and everything it stands for, she went looking for an answer and came home with more understanding but recognition that things were even more complicated than she had imagined.
settare's review against another edition
2.0
As a comic, it's beautifully made. As a story with a certain political agenda? Well. The book's message sounds so ambiguous and distorted that I have seen negative reviews on it from both sides of the conflict.
Personally, I thought this book was going to be an unbiased and observant narrative. But it isn't. At this point, I've realized that no one can ever be unbiased when talking about the Palestine-Israel conflict. I'm happy to listen to both sides. But I prefer books that are upfront about their message, not the ones that pretend to be something while being the opposite entirely.
This memoir tells the story of a 26-year-old Jewish American woman (who is your typical New Yorker liberal upper-middle-class woman, is somewhat sympathetic towards Palestine, and is dating a Muslim guy) who decides to go on a birthright trip to Israel to find some answers and soothe her conflicted mind and inner-struggles. She goes on this trip quite biased against Israel, and after every conversation that she has, after receiving any piece of information from Israelis, she reflects and thinks to herself that she's being brainwashed and that she won't allow the pro-Israel propaganda to get into her.
At the end of the trip, however, she leaves the country more conflicted than ever, not having found any answers to any of her questions. It seems realistic, right? (referring to the fact that the situation is, in fact, a lot more complicated and you cannot find definite answers so easily)
The problem is, on this trip, she only hears the Israeli side of the story. She initially plans to go to the West Bank, but some people advise her against it, and she is too scared to take a cab there, even though she has been reassured that it's probably safe. So she doesn't meet any Palestinians. The only Palestinian she meets is a woman working for a peace organization and living in Jerusalem, who asks Sarah and others to be neither pro-Palestine nor pro-Israel, but rather be pro-peace. That person is the ONLY representative of Palestinians in the book. That's unfair. Sarah hears a lot of definitely pro-Israel opinions throughout the book. More than I can keep count of. Why doesn't she meet any Pro-Palestine Palestinians? The book completely circumvents and leaves out the Palestinian narrative, while the main character is supposedly more sympathetic towards Palestinians? Isn't that a bit rhetorical? It tries to show that the reason Sarah feels for Palestinians is that she's naive, misinformed, and obnoxious, that she is under social pressure. It even vaguely implies that Sarah is under some pressure from her Muslim boyfriend and his father.
I honestly don't know whether this memoir is genuine. On the surface, it may seem like it. But I have a very weird feeling about this book. I feel like the book is showing me something but actually trying to prove the opposite. I feel like this book has a point, but I can't be certain if that point is what I think it is.
To her credit, the illustrations are absolutely beautiful, and Sarah's personality resonated with me. I didn't think she was obnoxious (maybe that means I'm obnoxious myself?)
In the end, I think it's a good book as a graphic comic and a personal memoir. However, it is not an "unbiased observation" of the conflict. It has a point. And you have to think for yourself what that point is, and take from it what you will.
Personally, I thought this book was going to be an unbiased and observant narrative. But it isn't. At this point, I've realized that no one can ever be unbiased when talking about the Palestine-Israel conflict. I'm happy to listen to both sides. But I prefer books that are upfront about their message, not the ones that pretend to be something while being the opposite entirely.
This memoir tells the story of a 26-year-old Jewish American woman (who is your typical New Yorker liberal upper-middle-class woman, is somewhat sympathetic towards Palestine, and is dating a Muslim guy) who decides to go on a birthright trip to Israel to find some answers and soothe her conflicted mind and inner-struggles. She goes on this trip quite biased against Israel, and after every conversation that she has, after receiving any piece of information from Israelis, she reflects and thinks to herself that she's being brainwashed and that she won't allow the pro-Israel propaganda to get into her.
At the end of the trip, however, she leaves the country more conflicted than ever, not having found any answers to any of her questions. It seems realistic, right? (referring to the fact that the situation is, in fact, a lot more complicated and you cannot find definite answers so easily)
The problem is, on this trip, she only hears the Israeli side of the story. She initially plans to go to the West Bank, but some people advise her against it, and she is too scared to take a cab there, even though she has been reassured that it's probably safe. So she doesn't meet any Palestinians. The only Palestinian she meets is a woman working for a peace organization and living in Jerusalem, who asks Sarah and others to be neither pro-Palestine nor pro-Israel, but rather be pro-peace. That person is the ONLY representative of Palestinians in the book. That's unfair. Sarah hears a lot of definitely pro-Israel opinions throughout the book. More than I can keep count of. Why doesn't she meet any Pro-Palestine Palestinians? The book completely circumvents and leaves out the Palestinian narrative, while the main character is supposedly more sympathetic towards Palestinians? Isn't that a bit rhetorical? It tries to show that the reason Sarah feels for Palestinians is that she's naive, misinformed, and obnoxious, that she is under social pressure. It even vaguely implies that Sarah is under some pressure from her Muslim boyfriend and his father.
I honestly don't know whether this memoir is genuine. On the surface, it may seem like it. But I have a very weird feeling about this book. I feel like the book is showing me something but actually trying to prove the opposite. I feel like this book has a point, but I can't be certain if that point is what I think it is.
To her credit, the illustrations are absolutely beautiful, and Sarah's personality resonated with me. I didn't think she was obnoxious (maybe that means I'm obnoxious myself?)
In the end, I think it's a good book as a graphic comic and a personal memoir. However, it is not an "unbiased observation" of the conflict. It has a point. And you have to think for yourself what that point is, and take from it what you will.
richard's review against another edition
The best autobio comic I've read in ages. Glidden's watercolors are beautiful and she has all sorts of innovative means of illustrating arguments with herself or with history. Glidden and a friend take an Israel birthright tour and Glidden struggles to find the truth about the Israel/Palestine conflict.
ohwhatagloomyshow's review against another edition
4.0
I love this memoir because the author does not try to make herself likable. She's frustrating and stubborn and self-righteous in ways that I very much relate to, and seeing myself reflected in this memoir was an incredible experience. Some reviews of this book criticize that it's very biased and are disappointed that 60 Days doesn't give the Palestinian viewpoint. I want to shake these reviewers and say, "that's not the point of this memoir!" There is no real ending to this story because there is no real ending to life and/or character development. This is not a history book. It is a beautiful graphic memoir about one young American woman's journey and I found it, as a young woman in America (who has, coincidentally, also been to Israel), to be extremely relatable. This book is not a how-to guide on the conflict. It's a woman describing her experiences. That's all it needs to be, and it's wonderful.
scarahliz's review against another edition
4.0
Really excellent tale of a young American Jew's experience on a Taglit trip (and beyond), the questions which the trip answered, and the other questions which it raised. I found my own doubts -- and subsequent reasons for bailing on my spot on the trip and forfeiting the deposit - addressed by someone who seems to share my own worldview. It was a fascinating, step-by-step look at what the trip is like, the people that she met, and the many issues that the plain old existence of Israel has, as well as different ways of looking at Israel as an American Jew.
Glissen's simple style is very nice, and I love the way she draws facial expressions -- they are very evocative while keeping an excellent sparseness of line.
Glissen's simple style is very nice, and I love the way she draws facial expressions -- they are very evocative while keeping an excellent sparseness of line.