Tom Strand

Rashid Khalidi is the Edward Said Professor of Modern Arab Studies at Columbia University and co-editor-in-chief of the Journal of Palestine Studies. He is one of the foremost experts on the history of Palestine, having authored numerous books on the topic since the 1980s. Although this book is Professor Khalidi's first book written primarily for a non-academic audience, the 45 pages of endnotes attest to its exhaustive survey of the preceding literature. Despite the attention to detail, the book is quite readable. Professor Khalidi hails from an old, influential Jerusalem family (a number of his ancestors appear in the book) and has himself been a character (albeit a relatively minor one) in the diplomatic history of the conflict. There are many well regarded books by academics covering similar terrain (eg, James Gelvin's “The Israel/Palestine Conflict”, 4th ed), but Professor Khalidi's book uniquely blends a lifetime of study and scholarship with generations of family history. It is my first recommendation to people who are looking to understand the historical context for what we are seeing unfold today.