Tuesday, January 26, 2010

Tea with Hezbollah, book review




Tea with Hezbollah
by Ted Dekker and Carl Medearis
This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
Comment by the end of January for a chance to win your own copy!

Summary:
Is it really possible to love one’s enemies? That’s the question that sparked a fascinating and, at times, terrifying journey into the heart of the Middle East during the summer of 2008. It was a trip that began in Egypt, passed beneath the steel and glass high rises of Saudi Arabia, then wound through the bullet- pocked alleyways of Beirut and dusty streets of Damascus, before ending at the cradle of the world’s three major religions: Jerusalem.Tea with Hezbollah combines nail-biting narrative with the texture of rich historical background, as readers join novelist Ted Dekker and his co-author and Middle East expert, Carl Medearis, on a hair-raising journey. They are with them in every rocky cab ride, late-night border crossing, and back-room conversation as they sit down one-on-one with some of the most notorious leaders of the Arab world. These candid discussions with leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas, with muftis, sheikhs, and ayatollahs, with Osama bin Laden’s brothers, reveal these men to be real people with emotions, fears, and hopes of their own. Along the way, Dekker and Medearis discover surprising answers and even more surprising questions that they could not have anticipated—questions that lead straight to the heart of Middle Eastern conflict.Through powerful narrative Tea With Hezbollah will draw the West into a completely fresh understanding of those we call our enemies and the teaching that dares us to love them. A must read for all who see the looming threat rising in the Middle East.

Author Bios:
Ted Dekker is the author of many nationally bestselling novels, including Bone Man’s Daughters, The Circle Trilogy, Thr3e, and House, which was coauthored by Frank Peretti. His unique style of storytelling has captured the attention of millions worldwide. Visit him at TedDekker.com.
Carl Medearis is the founder and president of International Initiatives, LLC, an organization that promotes cultural, educational, and commercial exchange between the East and the West. He is an advisor on Arab affairs to the members of the U.S. Congress and leaders in international business.

MY TAKE:
WOW! That is truly all that needs to be said! I thought this was an outstanding book!!! DEFINITELY more than I ever could have expected or even imagined! I have to be honest, I didn't think I would like it. I put off reading it as long as I could. I opened it up one night at 11pm, thinking I would only read a chapter or two and be done soon to go to bed....I finished HALF the book THAT night! I couldn't put it down!! It is a VERY real, VERY true story and it is just absolutely CAPTIVATING! Dekker and Medearis did an incredible job writing it and kudos to them for doing what it took to write this book! I can't say I would have ventured to the middle east to try and find the last remaining members of the Samaritans and talk to known terrorists along the way. WOW! My heart was pumping harder just reading it! I am a very visual person though and I tend to put myself directly into the story, and the way Dekker wrote...you truly felt like you were right there with them! Amazing book! I would recommend it to anyone. In fact, I have already loaned my copy to my dad to read!!

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