During the first Palestinian uprising in 1990, Jeffrey Goldberg – an American Jew – served as a guard at the largest prison camp in Isr...
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reviews
Jan 27, 2012
Roger
rated it: 
Jeffrey Goldberg has written a painfully affective and hugely important book that investigates the centuries-old crisis in the Middle East and also the wider dilemma of the war on terror in today’s world. Goldberg recounts his experiences with unflinching, explosive insight, both heartwarming and incisive. Now an award-winning journalist, Goldberg has traveled throughout the Middle East and interviewed figures as central to the discord as Arafat and Sharon, as well as militants of Hamas and Hezb
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May 03, 2008
Julia
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Well-written and debatably educational, Prisoners follows Jeffrey Goldberg's many years in the Middle East - working on an kibbutz after he proudly and "finally" abandons the tri-state Diaspora, boot camp in the Israeli army, working as a military policeman in the Israeli military prison Ketziot (opened after the first Palestinian uprising/Intifada), then in his many travels as a journalist - posing as a neutral American, sincerely befriending Palestinians in a quest to track down for
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May 12, 2009
Julie
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Eventually, this book became very illuminating. It took awhile for me to catch on to some of the references he mentions (well, a lot of them, I started taking notes and looking things up later). It did end up being a good source to learn about the conflict in the Middle East & how people feel about it (both sides), and so on. So much more to learn!
Jul 29, 2011
Sjonni
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Goldberg goes a long way in explaining the jewish view on the Israel/Palestine conflict. Not the most cheerful reading but utterly enlightning. Make sure to have a positive book about Palestine at hand right after this one.
Dec 15, 2008
Jessie
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Gives an honest view into Zionism--its attractiveness and its delusions. Powerful book to teach alongside Gilligan's VIOLENCE; both studies of shame as the seed of violence.
Aug 01, 2008
Sarah
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This unusual memoir was touted as a feel-good book, but that was not, for me, the overall effect. Sure, there were glimmers of hope throughout and at the end. Still, mostly what it does is reinforce my conviction that the the world is doomed by the poison that is religion. The connection (which even the author repeatedly hesitates to call a friendship) between Goldberg and Hijazi is both so extremely rare and so very fragile, that is is difficult to view it as the possible seed for a movement th
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Dec 16, 2009
Kelly
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I wouldn't say I greatly enjoyed this book, but I was glad that I read it. Most of it was way over my head, however, and I was more apt to take from it the broader lesson that is to be learned. I also know the author personally, so it was interesting to hear about a range of experiences in his life that I previously was unaware of, told so eloquently. If you are at all interested in the Middle-East crisis, you would definitely have a lot to take from this true to life story.
Dec 16, 2009
Jennifer
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It took me a while to get through the book, but it was interesting. I don't know if I really liked Goldberg. I think that he was kind of stupid or naive, but then again, maybe it's because he was honest about his thoughts throughout the book. I learned some about the Palestinian side of things, but not a lot of new information. I learned more about Goldberg's idealism and how it was deflated.
Oct 02, 2007
Will
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GREAT unfiltered perspective on how the Israel-Palestine conflict is experienced and viewed by those involved. Very intense. If you're looking to find some hope about this conflict, this is not the book. But it is a great read and was a wonderful new view point, diverging from the academic reading I've done about this conflict in the past.
Feb 04, 2011
Whitney
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"Prisoners" is a memoir written so well that it could pass for fiction. It is Goldberg's story of dealing with his Jewish identity, his relationship to Israel and the Israeli-Palestinian conflict as well as the people on both sides of the conflict. It is an honest and interesting search for hope in a brutal conflict.
Jun 01, 2007
Jennifer
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This is a compelling true life tale of an American Jewish journalist's (and former Isreali Military Police Officer) pilgrimage to the front lines of Zionist activism in Isreal. His viewpoints and insights are refreshingly balanced, and the philosophical exchanges with his Palestinian counterparts are extremely lucid.
May 18, 2008
Kris
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Another book by a semi-political person who thinks they can solve everything, but spends pages and pages on his boring upbringing so that he can justify his point of view. Not well written enough to be compelling. "Shut Up I'm Talking" is MUCH better, both in writing and in subject matter.
Dec 01, 2007
Mary
rated it:
I thought a book about an American Jew who emigrates to Israel and does military service in the biggest prison for Palestinians, and (guessing from the title) makes friends with a Palestinian, would be good, but I couldn't get into it.
Dec 07, 2007
Beth
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If there were more interactions such as these maybe there would be a little more peace in the world. Truthfully though, this only came about b/c one was imprisoned by the other. The struggle was noble and worth the effort.
Dec 16, 2009
Jack
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Very interesting. Two intelligent men, each hopelessly devoted to opposite political agendas, somehow find common understanding, respect, and friendship. Very hopeful.
Apr 28, 2007
Becca
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first-rate account of an idealistic, american jew and his earnest belief in the possiblity of peace. somewhere between journalism and memoir.
Feb 06, 2008
Raymonde
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An amazing way to look at the Middle East conflict through the eyes of real people who live these issues daily
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