Pulitzer Prize-winning biographer Kai Bird’s vivid memoir of a childhood spent in the midst of the Arab-Israeli conflict in Jerusalem and Saudia Arabia, and his personal account of three major wars and three decades of political upheavals in the Middle East.
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"Excellent book by Pulitzer prize winning author Kai Bird. Crossing Mandelbaum Gate covers the author's personal and family history in the middle east (Israel, Palestine, Egypt, and Saudi). Bird is an excellent story teller - this book is a great read."
— Jennifer (5 out of 5 stars)
" This book was amazingly well written, thorough, factual and at the same time a wonderfully personal journey. "
— Lauren, 1/10/2014" Very interesting but I had to take notes to keep up with who was who. I often referred to Google to search maps, names and wars. I will read it again after I have had time to process the history lesson. "
— Lisa, 12/25/2013" Actually, it was overdue and I had to return it without finishing. I'll get it back! So far, quite a good history of the entire region, but a slow read. "
— Laura, 12/15/2013" Great history on Israel and the Middle East. "
— Cameron, 1/17/2013" This book, too, I re-read for book club and loved it the second time through too. "
— Beverly, 12/13/2012" I enjoyed this book very much because it gave a very balanced view of the Israel/ Palestine issue. "
— Jill, 12/4/2011" I'm only a couple of chapter into this book, but it's pretty interesting and provides a lot of history in a memoir format. "
— Robin, 11/2/2011" A wonderful account of the Middle East at a critical time with incisive portraits of key figures such as Nasser and King Faisal, while at the same time, is a eminently readable coming of age account and also shows the way forward. Marvellous "
— Vikas, 3/27/2011" Interesting read and interesting mix of memoir and history. It was at times hard to follow as it's not an area of the world I know enough about. So it was not a fast read. "
— Rosemary, 1/31/2011" One of the best books you will ever read about the Middle East. "
— Deb, 1/18/2011" I enjoyed this book very much because it gave a very balanced view of the Israel/ Palestine issue. "
— Jill, 10/27/2010" Actually, it was overdue and I had to return it without finishing. I'll get it back! So far, quite a good history of the entire region, but a slow read. "
— Laura, 9/12/2010" This book was amazingly well written, thorough, factual and at the same time a wonderfully personal journey. "
— Lauren, 8/9/2010Kai Bird is the coauthor, with Martin J. Sherwin, of the Pulitzer Prize–winning biography American Prometheus: The Triumph and Tragedy of J. Robert Oppenheimer, which also won the National Book Critics Circle Award for Biography. His other books include The Chairman: John J. McCloy and the Making of the American Establishment and The Color of Truth: McGeorge Bundy and William Bundy, Brothers in Arms. Bird’s many honors include fellowships from the Guggenheim Foundation, the MacArthur Foundation, the German Marshall Fund, and the Rockefeller Foundation. A contributing editor for the Nation, he lives in Kathmandu, Nepal, with his wife and son.