Live From Jordan: Letters Home From My Journey Through the Middle East

By Benjamin Orbach

On the eve of the U.S. invasion of Iraq, Pittsburgh native and graduate student Ben Orbach traveled to the Middle East to experience the region first-hand. Despite having a degree in Middle Eastern... This description may be from another edition of this product.

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0814474276
• ISBN13: 9780814474273
• Release Date: January 2007
• Publisher: Amacom Books
• Length: 320 Pages
• Weight: 1.40 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.3" x 1.3" x 6.3"
• Age Range: 18 years and up
• Grade Range: Postsecondary and higher

Customer Reviews

Great read

Orbach's book is a must for anyone who wants to know more about the culture and real life of the Middle East, and who seeks answers to how U.S. foreign policy might be adapted to improve regional relationships. If you want to get beyond the daily headlines and really understand the Middle East, Orbach's journey will take you there. "Live from Jordan" is smart, witty and engaging - a great read.

bottoms up

A fantastic book. The parallels with Tom Friedmans' "Beirut to Jerusalem" are remarkable, but where Tom's insight derived from serving as the NY Times correspondent to Beirut and Jerusalem and interacting with high level politicos (top down), Ben's piece involves living in Amman where he had to endure a brief, cold shower every other day due to water constraints (bottoms up). This work palpably demonstrates how miserably US foreign policy aggravates Middle East problems, but reinforces the hope that if we take the time to know our neighbors, peaceful reconciliation is possible.

Travalog as Contrivance for US fForeign Policy

Live from Jordan: Letters Home from My Journey Through the Middle East by Benjamin Orbach My criteria for liking a book are to meld content and style. I finally came upon a book that is ostensibly a travelogue but really is a very good discovery of the complexity of the peoples of Arabia, particularly the people of "the Arab street" in Damascus, Amman and Cairo. The peoples have differing cultures, language dialects and are still pulled by tribal instinct. Mr. Orbach shows that the populations of these countries are extremely variegated - to the extent that US foreign policy decision-makers cannot make glib pronouncements on the basis of "truth, justice and the American way." Victims of exploitative colonialism and greedy dictators, the common people seem unremarkably passive, with a predilection for regime change if not for revolution. The internet, among other things, has brought: other visions to the common folk; experiences of freedom of thought; and the materialistic comforts as the result of their enterprise. The spark to ignite the lethal explosive between them and the dictator seems not too far off. And yet, the common people may not have a palatable solution for the Israeli's or Jews. Indeed, the author feared identifying himself as a Jew, thinking it enough of a shock that an American was in their midst - who even spoke their own Arabic dialect. We learn the living conditions, the oppressive work and the little time for "fun." It makes me wonder what will occur when nation building is accomplished. What type of government overthrow will occur and what role will the United State play in regime change, if any at all? All in all, this book is well worth the read to sensitize the Western reader that the "Arabs" are not a monolithic body, all of whom are terrorists. Art Finkle

Sincere and Honest Search to Understand Arab World, Pursue Peace

Sincere, honest, and funny are words that come most readily to mind when summing up this book. Young American Ben Orbach showed significant courage in traveling to the Arab World (and Turkey) post-9/11, and he was on the ground with war in Iraq brewing and then breaking out. He is a true traveler in the classical sense, going afar to seek wisdom and change, not to impose or justify prejudices or preconceived notions. He is clear about his convictions, but humbly does his utmost to understand the many different opinions he encounters along the way. His insights, informed by his knowledge of the local language, are passed on to us through the e-mails that he wrote home from the Middle East--those missives are the substance of the book. His distinction between "America haters" and "American policy critics" will help Americans who are struggling to grasp the nuance of Arab/Muslim politics and society. In this and some other sections of the book, Orbach outlines what he believes are some of the implications for U.S. Middle East policy. The author's personality comes through with a great sense of humor. His account of using the facilities in high-class hotels is hilarious--something any young and cash-strapped traveler who has searched desperately for clean restrooms in developing nations can surely relate to. The Jordan snowball fight is awesome. This wil be a sort of guide book for Americans studying in the Arab/Muslim world. It can also be a Middle East primer for any Americans who are seeking to be more-informed citizens. Perhaps the most important question to ask of any text is, "what of it?" At first glance, pursuing peace might seem a somewhat grandiose ambition to link with this book, but I believe that is the author's primary motivation. His search is in the spirit of U.S. Middle East envoy Dennis Ross, who dedicated his book "To the Children of the Middle East." The Middle East is controversial, and readers will surely find cause to disagree with Orbach at points along the way. But they will also find his views to be balanced, fair, and reasonable. In sum, the author's sincerity, credentials (advanced Arabic, SAIS masters degree), and his travel and work experience (notably with the U.S. government's Middle East Partnership Initiative) demand that his book gets a serious look and a fair read. At a time when the need for mutual understanding between the U.S. and the Arab (and Muslim) world has never been more vital, this is a timely, important, and enjoyable book.

A Needed Voice

Kudos to Benjamin Orbach for presenting a real "fair and balanced" account of life in the Middle East. He has put a human face on people in a part of the world that our part of the world honestly knows so little about.