
Crossing Mandelbaum Gate
Coming of Age Between the Arabs and Israelis, 1956-1978
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Narrated by:
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Joe Caron
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By:
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Kai Bird
Through a blend of memoir and history, Pulitzer Prize-winning writer Kai Bird recounts the Western experience in the Middle East and just why it has been so turbulent. Through Bird ’s Zelig-like presence, the reader experiences the Suez War of 1956, the June 1967 War, and the Black September hijackings of 1970 that led to the Jordanian Civil War. Bird's memoir also shows how all of these momentous events led to the rise and tragic downfall of a secular Arab nationalist ethos—only to be replaced by the rise of a fundamentalist, politically reactionary Islamist movement.
In narrative history, Bird tells the stories of such illuminating figures as life-long Jerusalem resident George Antonius, author of The Arab Awakening, and his charismatic wife; Jordan’s King Hussein and his CIA connections; the businessman Salem bin Laden, Osama’s older brother and a family friend; Saudi kings Faisal and Khalid; President Nasser of Egypt; and Leila Khaled, the striking young Palestinian radical who hijacked one of the Black September planes.
Bird’s personal insights and unique connections create a portal into the sensibilities and psyche of these lands that is sure to fascinate both those fluent in the history of the Middle East and the many who simply want to understand this region that the West seems to be both fighting for and against.
©2010 Kai Bird (P)2010 HighBridge CompanyListeners also enjoyed...




















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The reading was strong and very fluid, and helped my attention remain riveted. Given the variety of foreign language references (Arabic, Hebrew, German, Croatian, Italian), it is no surprise that there were errors of pronunciation, however the pace of and clarity of the reading more than compensated.
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It would be a mistake to underrate this book.
Brilliant weave of memoir & history
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Sincerity - attitude. Of realism.
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Any additional comments?
I'm enjoying the story, which is a view on the Arab-Israeli conflict from a unique and interesting perspective. The history and personal experiences are woven comfortably and I find unfortunate behaviour from any side is presented factually and unemotionally. I know little about the correct pronunciations, but even I know that "Haganah" must have only one pronunciation, not change in the subsequent sentences and that must also be true for Moishe Dayan's last name. I am also old enough to remember that there wasn't a UN Secretary-General called "Dag Hammer-hold" in the 1950's. Despite this distraction, it's a great book.Mispronunciations become a joke but otherwise good
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What did you like best about Crossing Mandelbaum Gate? What did you like least?
Like the narration least.What was the most compelling aspect of this narrative?
Presenting Palestinian view.How did the narrator detract from the book?
Other than Nakba and Naksa (Arabic), he mispronounced almost every non-English word and name, including well-known names such as Kurt Weill. Very annoying.Do you think Crossing Mandelbaum Gate needs a follow-up book? Why or why not?
No, said it all.Any additional comments?
Narrators should research the pronunciation of non-English terms and names before embarking on narration.Poor narration
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Very personal history of Arab-Israeli conflicts
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More bio than history..
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The reading is atrocious
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