Reviews

• "How it is possible to understand the present without any remote notion of the past (especially of the recent past) is to me incomprehensible," said the author in his 1969 introduction to the book. This book, which was read by George Bernard Shaw, H. G. Wells, Franklin Roosevelt, Eleanor Roosevelt, Winston Churchhill, and millions of others is powerful and deeply moving. I don't know how I missed it all these years. It would be excellent required reading in high school or college.The author calls it partly autobiographical and partly political, which it is indeed. All through the book runs the thread of Jewish and Arab questions and how they clashed in Palestine after the Balfour Doctrine promised Palestine to the Zionists. It was first published in 1934 and covers the decade from 1918 to 1929. Mr. Sheean, the author, who was personally acquainted with many of the major historical figures during that time, tells about his college days and his first introduction to the Jewish Question. From there, as a journalist, he went to Morocco, China, Moscow, and Palestine. He free-lanced with various publications, often on very low pay and in dangerous situations. The book includes enough personal interest to make it fascinating and a fast read along with the important historical events. It is how I've always wanted to see history: through the eyes of an ordinary person, preferably an articulate journalist, in the midst of the action as a participant as well as a spectator. This continues to be a very important and pertinent book today, especially now.

• The order was shipped promptly and arrived in good condition, but I thought I was getting the paperback copy of the book and not the hard back copy. The photo of the paperback copy might have been the problem.

Purchase links