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Walking Israel

A Personal Search for the Soul of a Nation
by Martin Fletcher
Walking Israel: A Personal Search for the Soul of a Nation. Thomas Dunne Bks: St. Martin's. 2010. c.320p. photogs. index. ISBN 9780312534813. $25.99. INT AFFAIRS
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Fletcher, who left NBC News at the end of 2009 after over three decades, most recently as Tel Aviv bureau chief, was always the NBC go-to man when trouble erupted in the Mideast. But he felt that viewers were getting a skewed view, especially of Israel, if they relied only on typical newscasts. He decided to take a hike along the Israeli coastline from the Lebanese border down to Gaza to find out how Israel's multiethnic society is functioning today. In each town and village, as his book shows, he interviewed everyday people, seeking to show that away from the cameras Jews and Arabs can live side by side peacefully. Fletcher also writes of his own background as the son of Holocaust refugees who found a home in Britain. He himself is married to an Israeli of part Yemeni background.
VERDICT Although some readers, especially those hoping for a travel memoir, will feel that his disquisitions, as he establishes the historical setting of each town he visits, impede the book's tempo, overall they may appreciate this take on Israel in its past, current, and future contexts. Recommended for those seeking to stay informed about Israel and its diverse peoples.
Reviewed by Paul Kaplan, Lake Villa Dist. Lib., IL. , Nov 01, 2010
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