Stephen King calls books, “portable magic” and I want to share the books that I carry around after our trip to Greece and the Middle East. Included are novels, histories, memoirs and appreciations.
The Israeli/ Palestinian conflict is handled in many genres. A novel, To the End of The Land by David Grossman is a beautifully written treatment of the tragedy through the eyes of a mother terrified for her son. Sari Nusseibeh’s, Once Upon a Country is a blow-by-blow account of conflict from a Palestinian perspective. A very balanced and provocative book, The Lemon Tree, by Sandy Tolan may be the most even handed treatment of the conflict that I have found to date. Also in this spirit, is My Promised Land by Ari Shavit.
My wife calls Married to a Bedouin by Margueritte Geldermalsen an “easy read” and an eyeopener about living in Petra.
We continue to read and be fascinated by the cultures of this region and our studies continue.
Now, back in San Diego, it is time to move to other matters….
Olio Folio 
I agree with your wife’s comment about “Married to a Bedouin.” Easy read, with insight into life in Petra when people still lived in the caves, without the conveniences experienced by current visitors.
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