TEA WITH HEZBOLLAH is an impressive travelogue where readers are made to feel as if they’re traveling alongside the authors as they journey through the Middle East making their way from Egypt to Jerusalem stopping several times along the way to have conversations over tea at the enemies’ tables. The “enemy” being those organizations who pose a threat to the West and the main question over tea being, “what do you make of Jesus’ commandment to love your enemy?” Included in this book are the unedited transcripts of conversations between the authors and a variety of people they encountered on their journey including an Hezbollah fighter, the number-two man in Hezbollah, a Syrian taxi driver, one of the last remaining Samaritans, and more.
TEA WITH HEZBOLLAH is so much more than the documentation of unbelievable conversations. It’s also an engaging recounting of ancient history (including geography) and its influence on or similarity to current events with a gripping modern day parable seamlessly woven throughout. Dekker and Madearis have provided much food for thought leaving us to grapple with the main question they pose which is “how do we love our enemies.”
I HIGHLY recommend this book for anyone interested in the ongoing saga of the Middle East and its affect on the rest of the world.
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY:
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:
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.
GIVEAWAY: WaterBrook Press has generously provided one copy of this book for me to give away here on the blog. If you’d like to enter the drawing, simply leave a comment. I’ll notify the winner in a week or so. Kristine is the winner of this book. I’ll look forward to reading your review, Kristine.
Disclaimer: This book was provided for review by the WaterBrook Multnomah Publishing Group.
Well, if no one else puts it for your giveaway, AND you don't have anyone local that you think might enjoy it, I'm game. Quite a few people are giving this away, and it wasn't until reading your personal review that I finally thought the book might be of interest…nice review! I've read a few books that are somewhat similar, following someone who's traveled to the Middle East for various reasons.
🙂
Very nice review. I have to agree with Kristine – I was only so so on the book but after reading your review – it sounds much better than I initially thought. I actually would love to read it.
Kristine and Debbie,
I hope I haven't made the book sound TOO good. There are obvious problems with it which DeEtta shared, but I still thought the book was great because I thoroughly enjoyed the history which was shared especially when they talked about a specific location (a couple of them) and all that place has been throughout the last several thousand years….
I'll be anxious to read the review of whoever wins the drawing!
