Once Upon a Country A Palestinian Life [Paperback]

ANew York Times Book ReviewEditors' Choice

A teacher, a scholar, a philosopher, and an eyewitness to history, Sari Nusseibeh is one of our most urgent and articulate authorities on the conflict in the Middle East. From his time teaching side by side with Israelis at the Hebrew University through his appointment by Yasir Arafat to administer the Arab Jerusalem, he has held fast to the principles of freedom and equality for all, and his story dramatizes the consequences of war, partition, and terrorism as few other books have done.Once Upon a Countrybrings rare depth and compassion to the story of his country.

One of the best personal accounts of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict ever written . . . A fascinating and deeply intelligent memoir. Ethan Bronner, The New York Times

There are villains and victims, patriots and fools, war and peace, betrayal and corruption, and an inevitable romance. . . . The book dramatizes recent history in Palestine as few others have done. Amos Elon, The New York Review of Books

Terrific . . . highly recommended for those who want to appreciate the dilemma of the Palestinian democrat. Christopher Hitchens, Slate

A deeply admirable book by a deeply admirable man. Leon Wieseltier, The New York Times Book Review

Once Upon a Countryis an often enthralling book, with a lucid unfolding of the issues and subtle analysis of the games played by both sides. . . . This complicated man--shrewd, idealist, pragmatic, dreamer, peaceful warrior---is very much worth knowing. Charles Matthews, San Francisco Chronicle

Captivating . . .Once Upon a Countryis a magnificent study of hope under siege. Robert Malley, The Washington Post

A bighearted, admirable, and exceptionally interesting account of Nusseibeh's struggle for an equitable peace in a conflict in which compromise is often intlc"