Fact-Finding Charlemagne
In this work, Harvard medieval scholar Michael McCormick draws on ancient documents that recorded Charlemagne's ninth century fact-finding mission and survey of the Holy Land. Concerned by the poverty of Christians living there, the Frankish king sent a group of men to register a statistical portrait of the people, buildings, and finances of all the major churches in the region. Full story
Separation Wall Art
In this large, glossy book with photographs by Dror Maayan, an Israeli artist, offers a tribute to the art and graffiti that has appeared on the Separation Barrier between Israel and the Palestinians. Like the Berlin Wall before it, the Barrier has become an artistic testimony to the suffering of the local people. Full story
Palestine Beyond Expectations
Any visitors expecting Palestine to be simply a grim land racked by conflict will be surprised, according to this very comprehensive travel guide to the West Bank and Gaza. Author Sarah Irving focuses on the rich culture that exists in the territories that goes far beyond what an outsider might perceive. Full story
Hamas's Social Conscience
Hamas is considered a terrorist organization, yet paradoxically, it seems, one with a human heart. Contrary to common perceptions – that Hamas’s social sector serves to recruit new terrorists – Sara Roy argues the reality is more complex. A Middle East professor at Harvard, she shows how Hamas-run social institutions in Gaza and the West Bank have been moderate and less dogmatically Islamic than is often assumed. Full story
