A surprise for my friend...

In the mail; something to read during one of your long, dark days :)

WOW! Thank you SO much! :D Two cards, a lovely letter, a bookmark AND this wishlist book (that I thought of buying only a couple of days ago and am absolutely dieing to read :D), what a wonderful gift! Thank you, thank you, thank you!! It all made me very happy :)

It's been almost exactly one year since it came to me now (time really flies...) and I just HAVE to write a review of this fantastic book now. I read it almost straight away when I got it and as soon as I had I also wrote a blog post (in swedish) on my thoughts on it and my intention was to write something similar here too but I never got to it. But now I have to because I want this book to travel and get new readers!

This was a great book for many reasons. Firstly it gives a good background to the Isaeli-Palestinian conflict. As usual stupid white men with some ink and a world map are to blame...

But the best thing about this book has to do with how the author is able to portray human dignity, or rather the lack there of. Especially in Gaza the lack of electricity, proper houses, employment, industry, education, future... clearly shows how Palestinians on a daily basis are robbed of their human dignity because of the war. But just as clearly the book also shows how Israelis suffer from the war, how also the perpetrators of war crimes suffer of the human dignity they rob of them selves.

What's really depressing is that this book was written 20 years ago but it's as if nothing's changed during that time. Isn't it still the same? Will this conflict never end?

This was a great read, a must for anyone who wants to understand more about one of the world's most important conflicts. The reason why I gave it 9 out of 10 stars, instead of 10 out of 10, was the very distinct lack of a female perspective. This is a book about a man in a man's world, but that doesn't mean there are no women or that their points of view are unimportant, on the contrary. But I feel like the author kind of took the easy way out on that one and the result is a book almost devoid of women. I understand why that is, the palestinian society (and in many ways the israeli society too) is extremely gender-devided and as a man, a foreign man at that, he wouldn't meet that many women, except for when they're serving him tea. But he could've sought their company a little more often if he'd wanted to... But on the whole this is a really good book. I hope it'll have MANY readers!

I'm sending this book off as an international ray!
Participants:
1. Babelfisk Sweden
2. Deepswamp Sweden
3. Vilda Sweden
4. Askeladda Norway
5. WildWolverine Norway
6. Tuittupeppi Finland
7. Margih Finland
8. Pippis Finland
9. Andrasthe Austria
10. You? Send me a PM to join

The book is on its way out in the world again. I wish you a long and happy life with many readers little book! Enjoy everyone! :)

The book arrived today - much to my surprise, as usual! Looking forward to read it!!

I just finished this book. It is well written and well drawn. You really get a feeling of what it's like in the refugee camps. It's a good complement to Susan Nathans book !The Other Side of Israel: My Journey Across the Jewish/Arab Divide".

Lämnad till Vilda

Safely with me

I can't find the energy to read this one. The Graphics doesn't appeal to me and I am not in a Place where I can make myself to read books that doesn't kind of throws themselves at me. Sorry to have kept it too long. Now it travels...

Arrived safe!

I have to admit that I had some problems to read. The form is not my kind of stof...

En bok på vandring

Wow! This one is a book I really look forward to read. It came in the post some days ago, sorry I have not journaled it before today. This will be read carefully through easter holiday. Thank you very much for sending, Deepswamp!

Great! I liked it a lot. It took me some time to get thought the book, so much text for a grafic novel, in some parts to much - sometimes during the reading I was thinking he should have trusted his drawings even more, they are great! In particular the huge drawings filled with lots and lots of people and things. I also liked his way of storytelling, the humore noire.

When I started the reading I wondered how he would manage to fullfill his task, it's one of the worlds worse conflict. But he manage quite well.

Thank you very much for starting this ray, Victoria!

On it's way to the next reader!

Got this in the mail some time ago, but forgot ti register it. Have started to read it, and i like what i read.

That was quite some read! The book is a heavy read as comics goes, but well worth it. I see that some of the former readers think that there is too much text and that the drawings should be allowed to speak for them self a bit more, but i do not agree to this argument. The drawings are fabulus, but i think that the text is so good and i am failing to see what could be left out.

I particularly like the way the book is sectioned. Partly by theme and partly by time, and then there's a joke in the midst of it. Very neat!

I've PMed the NeXT on the list and are avaiting her adress.

Sent of to the NeXT on the list. I hope she will enjoy it as much as i did.

Sent of to the NeXT on the list. I hope she will enjoy it as much as i did.

The book is here in Lahti, thank you so much. I think I will start reading this right away.

I finished this book yesterday and really, it was worth reading! The book made me think and I must admit that I haven't been too much aware of what is happening in that area. (of course I see and hear the news but to REALLY understand what is happening...)

In the beginning it was hard for me to follow but I got more involved as I continued reading. It was well drawn and well written, too. I also learned some new words in English (e.g. curfew).

I could recommend this comic book to anyone who is interested of the topic.

I already know the next one's address etc. so I will send it as soon as I can get to smartpost boxes :)

To the next reader!

Palestine has arrived to Tampere, thank you.

Oh, this was a great book to read. It opened a window to the conflict between Palestine and Israel. But not like in news. This time we readers can see the madness through the eyes of Palestinians. Sad, very sad.

I am truly sorry that I kepst this one so long here by me. Now Palestine is on its way to Pippis. Thank you for this experience.

Book's with me! Thanks to the courier and Margih!

This was a far harder book to read than a regular novel would have been. It took ages to take everything in, the text, the drawings, the emotions conveyed by the two together, the history, the facts, the personal views on the political situation...not an easy piece of comic at all. I've heard my fair share of Middle East politics being discussed and it never leads to anything, at least not to peace or mutual agreements on actions needed. It's not something I wish to discuss here (I believe in not going into politics and religion with my friends), I'd just rather see everyone educating themselves on the situation and forming any level of understanding all parties involved.

I've contacted the next in line with no success and therefore also VictoriaWagtail. We'll see what happens, but I'm planning on continuing the ray some way...

Palestine has been awarded with American Book Award (by Before Columbus Foundation) in 1996.

EDIT: I've offered the book as a new ray on Finnish forum! EDIT II: Now also on offer at Finnish VBB.

Palestine has found a new keen reader, so I'm sending it forward! Safe travels!

Met Kemppu today by Metso (Tampere main library) book swap shelf and she gave me this book. Thank you so much, pippis! I'm truly interested although I'm afraid this book will stay with me for quite a while. As I told Kemppu, I find graphic novels much harder to read than regular novels/short stories. But I'll try, I'll sure try.

---

Note to self: I think Kemppu might want to read this book.

I need to release (almost) all my BC books. That’s why I’ll recategorize books in my shelf.
TBR – to be recategorized
AVL – offered in Finnish forum
PC – hoping I’ll be able to read this one
RES – reserved and going to travel soon
TRAV – left my shelf

Sorry, Kemppu, I totally forgot you. This book has left my shelf.

Tarna darling, worry not! Saw this and will hold the book for Kemppu!

Book's now hitching a ride to finally reach Kemppu!

I got this book today in a bookcrossing meet-up and was surprised, because I had no recall of ever wishing for this book or anything. I was even more surprised to find out I had actually had this in my hands before. As I am indeed interested in comics and graphic novels I will give it a go. I think I've read this or something similar in Finnish before.
Anyway, thank you all for this well travelled book!

This is a great and very heavy journal that leaves an imprint on reader's mind. The English word comic doesn't suit well to this one, which I rather call a graphic journal or something. It took me almost a week to read this, though I read some every day. This is not something you can read very fast.
I decided to read this now because, as devastating it is, the situation in Palestine is perhaps worse than ever. I don't know much of the history of Israel and Palestine, but I'm learning and I learned a lot more from this book. Thank you for sharing it.

Available in the convention book buffet.

I picked this up at the convention in Tampere and am looking forward to reading it.