I’m only on page 70, but really enjoying this book, ‘The Israelis: Ordinary People in an Extraordinary Land,’ by Donna Rosenthal. Its anecdotal, anthropological. Here’s a soundbite:
An international-news producer friend at CNN told me: “Our viewers are confused. We have footage of Jews who look like Arabs, Arabs who look like Jews. We have black Jews. Bearded sixteenth-century Jews, and sexy girls in tight jeans. Who are these people anyway?” Part of the answer, I hope, is in this book. Who are the Israelis who order Big Macs in the language of the Ten Commandments, believe that waiting in line is for sissies, and light up Marlboros under NO SMOKING signs?…
Cruise it next time you are at the bookshop, but if she gets all crazy on page 71, I claim no responsibility for the above.
Dina
10/28/2004
I love this book! I’m hundreds of pages in and I am still really, really enjoying it. This book serves more than just telling you why israelis are the way they are. You can really read it and learn facts about Israel in an interesting way that’ll be difficult to forget. And after all, how can you not love Israelis?
harry
10/28/2004
I was extremely dissapointed with “The Israelis.” It seemed like almost everyone she interviewed spoke party lines or horrible cliches. There were a couple of very interesting profiles though…