This is a must read. It makes real what is happening in the mid east and how both sides feel

We loved the book. It was very informative. We are reccommending it to all of our friends.

Thoroughly researched and documented, this book dispels a lot of myths about the origins of the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, sparing neither side. It operates at both the macro and micro levels, showing how tensions between two people of good will can be subverted by poor decisions and actions elsewhere.

Since this is nonfiction -- relaying the lives and histories of two individuals caught on either side of the Arab/Israeli conflict -- I found myself completely captivated. I feel I understand the challenge and complexity of the Middle East situation so much better. The book is not long and I believe is told without bias in favor of either point of view. Very strongly recommend this book for anyone interested in supporting world peace.

There are thousands of books about the Palestinian-Israeli conflict, but the Lemon tree is the best I have ever read. This book concentrates on the facts and is thoroughly referenced. The author lays out the facts without any attempt to choose a side. The reader with open mind will find it fasinating and truthful yet easy to read. Anyone interested in knowing the truth about this conflict should read this book.

Although the tale of the events beginning with the creation of the state of Israel back in 1948 by UN mandate to these days is very well told, the story is too biased, the author leans to the Arab viewpoints every step of the way and portrays the State of Israel and the Jewish institutions as evil. The author attempts to shed light on the roots of the Middle East crisis but ends up doing pro Palestinian propaganda. Late Arafat would have enjoyed this story

Altough the tale of the events beginning with the creation of the state of Israel back in 1948 by UN mandate to these days is very well told following the intertwinement of the lives of Bashir (the belligerent Palestine refugee son of former Palestine dwellers), and Dalia (the mindful Jewish daughter of holocaust survivors) who settled in Israel), who happened to live in the same house (that which has the lemon tree in the backyard) in different times, it is too biased to favor the Arab viewpoints

It is pretty interesting in that it tells the experience of a Jewish family emigrating to Israel around 1948 and a Palestinian family who is driven from what is now Israel around the same time. The events leading up to that time are oddly similar. There is much more info on the Jewish family, but the author is a Holocaust scholar, so I guess that's why. I am very familiar with the Jewish plight (Anne Frank several times in school, a Holocaust discussion and or presentations and projects in most history classes, etc) around that time, but not so much the Palestinian and Arab history of the same time period. I only have what little I have read outside of school. This book does provide some detail and allude to an alternate and rather mythical history taught to Israelis (land without people for people without land, Arabs left of their own accord and never came back, etc), but still talked about Jewish attacks on Palestinian towns as spectacular and in other terms that are definitely from a Jewish perspective.On the other hand, the author does relate the Palestinian expulsion in such terms that remind one of the Jews walking to various points to be taken to death camps. The images of the women strapping the family's gold to their bodies so Nazi or Jewish soldiers respectively wouldn't loot it were strikingly similar. Also similar are the descriptions of the long, forced "walks" with only possessions they could carry to a destination and future that was uncertain at best and in many cases fatal or nearly so.This story of two people linked by forces beyond their control reinforces my thoughts on how to achieve peace. The only hope is to share all of the land- not occupation, not two states- as one secular, democratic state.

There are a couple of interesting points:

Everyone always talks about Arafat walking out of discussions, but Tolan (p235) describes Clinton and Albright storming out after Qurei dares to offer the June 4, 1967 map as a counter offer to Israel's suggestion that Palestinians take 92% of the West Bank minus settlements and annexed land for a demilitarized entity. Clinton acted rather childishly and yelled at Qurei that he knows he'd like the whole thing to be Palestine, but that's not possible. The 1967 lines are FAR from the whole of Mandate Palestine! Then he goes on about how this isn't the UN, he's the President of the US and he can go home, Qurei's losing a lot, Qurei's obstructing negotiations, etc. Then, he and Albright storm out in a literal downpour. Apparently, at least the part about the downpour is in Albright's memoirs.

*Also rarely mentioned is Malley and Agha's response to these "negotiations" and what has become known as "Barak's generous offer." A quote from the NYT piece is: "The measure of Israel's concessions ought not be how far it has moved from its own starting point; it must be how far it has moved toward a fair solution (p239)."

That is such an insightful comment. I think that "offer" and Malley/Agha's response will go a long way to show the uninitiated what the issues are and why the sides think the way they do.

Google them. I think they've written more since.

I plan to read more on:

*With My Own Eyes by Felicia Langer was written about torture in Israeli prisons in 1974.
I think she met with the (Palestinian) main character in The Lemon Tree, Bashir.

*In 1977, the Sunday Times of London did a piece on torture as well.

This is the best nonfiction book I've read in a very long time. The author not only uses a style that reflects a balance of strongly opposing views, both conditioned by long experience, but presents (gifts, really) the reader with a relationship between two people that seems like a miracle, one in which compassion presides over justifiable fear and anger. I don't know if it is possible to translate that ability to see larger truths in the face of so much suffering to another level, because it would require something most humans are not prepared to do. However, I feel for the first time an area in myself that is new, prepared to truly accept complexity, beyond polarity, and for that I owe Sandy Tolan big time! Thank you, Sandy

This is a really painful book to read. It was required reading for my Book Club so I plowed through it.. What a sad history is portrayed painstakingly here. We had an interesting and lively discussion about Lemon Tree . It is a subject that one never dares talk about in mixed company. I was surprised that we could share our divergent views on this subject and remain respectful of one another. I have been recommending Lemon Tree to others. I feel that it is really well worth reading. That doesnt mean it is easily approached. Sometimes you learn more when the going is tough Phyllis Hartt

I used this book in a class about Palestine. It was a good book for the class. The first part is a bit dense to get through. The story was heartfelt yet had an amazingly poignant truth to it.

I'd been watching news reports about the Middle East for decades without really knowing what was going on. This was one of the books that gave me the background to be able to better understand the issues, to put news reports in context and at least try to judge the content of peace proposals. It's true and surprising that the news we get is often biased, and given how much of our news is about the Middle East, I'd say this is one of the best and useful books I've read in a long time.

Another book I found excellent was Robert Fisk's The Great War for Civilization. Also the writings of the United Nations representatives who were tasked with recommending what should happen to the region in the late 1940s are on the web and interesting.

My book club was reviewing this book, The Lemon Tree and I like to read
in hard cover. By ordering through Amazon.com I got the hard cover and
a great price. It was in great shape, just like new even with the paper
cover in tact but for a slight tear.
Thank you.

I knew the story about the house in Ramle, Israel, and the lemon tree in its garden, before I read the book.
Still, I couldn't put the book down once I started reading.

Although the cover and title make it look like another Romeo and Juliet story, it's not. It is the age-old story of belonging to the land-- possessing the corner of the world that belonged to our ancestors. It's the story of needing to avenge our fathers for injustice they suffered, be it the recent expulsion of the Palestinians or the expulsion of the Jews earlier, or their devastation and humiliation as a result of the Holocaust. It's two painful stories: one is about a Palestinian man who fervently believes that wrongs can be avenged; the other is about an Israeli woman who believes compassion and understanding can heal all wounds. Sad and noble as the latter may be, it has not been enough. Only time will take care of that.
In the words of one Palestinian who has turned away from the intifada: "I can't draw the map of the world in two hundred years. ---Before one hundred years there was no Soviet Union. Two hundred years ago Ottoman troops were in Vienna. Before two hundred years, there was no Germany. Who is to say what the next hundred years will bring?"
This book gives us an in-depth look at the Middle East, and, from a larger perspective it looks at war and draws the sobering conclusion that sometimes there are no perfect or quick answers.

I just finished this book in audio form. It was a interesting story that gave unique perspectives, but it was a let-down in the end. No solution is offered and the characters never come to a conclusion either - I does reflect realty though.

This book ia breaking my heart. It tells the story of two families and one house during the Israeli/Palestine War. The Arab family built the house in the 1930s and began to raise a large family in it. Then in 1948 they were driven out by the Israeli army to live in exile and then the house was taken over by a Jewish family. The house and the lemon tree planted by the origin owners are a constant in the story with both families connecting emotionally to the land, the house and the tree. It is a very effective device to help us see this intractable problem. The author follows both families during the decades of war that follow. The reader gets the story from both sides with more sympathy given to the Palestinian position. This is useful because we are filled with stories from the Jewish side. The author shows how the Jewish people start out in their pursuit of establishing Israel as fugitives from the Holocaust and people who have the sympathy of the world, then change into aggressors in Palestine and become war mongers who use torture and corruption to maintain the land that the Arabs lived on for centuries. This book will break your heart, too.

This thought provoking book tells the story of one house, one lemon tree and the two families that occupied the house: the original Palestinian family that built the house and the Jewish refugee family that bought the house as "government surplus". The daughter of the Israeli family becomes acquainted with the family her parents unwittingly displaced. The book gives the reader a deep understanding of the complexities of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. There are no easy answers, but peace is definitely possible.

THE LEMON TREE is written in narrative prose, describing the relationship between an Arab and Jew and the lemon tree that brings them together. Peace through understanding is demonstrated in Sandy Tolan's nonfiction account of a meaningful dialogue. As I explained to my sixth-grade students, peace can come through a meeting of the minds when conpromise is present. Read this intrinsic optimistic piece, giving the world hope in the 21st century.

The Lemon Tree is an excellent explanation of the Palestinian conflict told through the lives of two people- one Jewish, one Arab - who grew up in the same house.

I found myself going between being deeply engrossed in the book and finding it to be tedious. I do think though that is worth it and would hope that more people would read the book. It certainly puts another light on the continuing struggle between the Palestinians and Israelis. I think that most Americans favor the Israelis and consider the Palestinians the "bad guys." Reading this book will certainly open your eyes to what the Palestinians have been through and should make you much more sympathetic to them and their cause.

This is a wonderful-true-tale of real people who are trying very hard to live a life of peace. The issues are so complicated, and there are merits to both tales.

A must read for anyone who would work to seek a solution to the Palestinian problem.

this author has to work for New York Times. Never in my life have I read such a one sided account of history. Every horrid atrocity committed by Arabs is given little attention while every attempt by Israel to protect itself is treated as the actions of a warmongering country. The author uses two entire paragraphs to detail the inhuman horrors committed by Arabs and the rest of the book is about the evils of Jews and Zionists. He glosses over the slaughter of Jewish athletes in Munich in one sentence and then says it may have not been sanctioned by Palestinians. This book is a joke.

We are where we are. The author should be attacking the UN and Truman for letting the Zionists create a religious state and then not enforcing the rules. There is absolutely no mention in the book of the Israel side of anything. Amazing!

I feel like I just read the Sunday Times,well written, but 96% propaganda.

THE LEMON TREE by Sandy Tolan been nominated for the 2009 Rodda Award sponsored by the Church and Synagogue Library Association (CSLA), an international organization serving congregational libraries of all faiths. CSLA's Rodda Award is named for Dorothy Rodda Sargent, a lifetime member and one of the founders of the organization. This award recognizes a book which exhibits excellence in writing and has contributed significantly to congregational libraries through promotion of spiritual growth. The award is given to books for adults, young adults, and children on a three-year-rotational basis. The 2009 Rodda Award focuses on books for adult readers and this year's winner will be announced at the CSLA annual conference to be held at the McKinley Grand Hotel in Canton, Ohio, July 26-28. To learn more about CSLA and the Rodda Award go to www.cslainfo.org.

The seller had what I wanted and packaged it well. I highly recommend this seller!

The book arrived in a timely fashion and in good condition. I am pleased

Though the telling of the true personal story of the intersecting lives an Arab man and a Jewish woman, the complexities of the Palestinian/Israeli conflict come alive in a way that political/statistical books can never achieve. This is a story of real people - good people who are trying to make their way in a world that makes no sense to either of them. The author has managed to remain true to the story in an unbiased way leaving the reader to grapple with the controversial and convoluted issues. This book is a wonderful way to learn about the complexities of this small geographic area that affects the hearts and minds of millions of people on our planet. A must read for all those who care about peace and justice in our world.

Much of Sandy Tolan's book reads like a novel, and yet it is a true story. (The rest of the book reads like a well documented -- which it is -- history book.) I absolutely loved it! Tolan goes out of his way to be even-handed in terms of not favoring the Jewish or Palestinian 'side' of the issue. He just tells the story from both perspectives as it was told to him and according to his extensive research. It's a beautiful, informative, and very well written book. I highly recommend it.

Much of Sandy Tolan's book reads like a novel, and yet it is a true story. (The rest of the book reads like a well documented -- which it is -- history book.) I absolutely loved it! Tolan goes out of his way to be even-handed in terms of not favoring the Jewish or Palestinian 'side' of the issue. He just tells the story from both perspectives as it was told to him and according to his extensive research. It's a beautiful, informative, and very well written book. I highly recommend it.

Sandy Tolan's book reads like a novel, and yet it is a true story. I absolutely loved it! Tolan goes out of his way to be even-handed in terms of not favoring the Jewish or Palestinian 'side' of the issue. He just tells the story from both perspectives as it was told to him. It's a beautiful, informative, and very well written book. I highly recommend it.

yes, after 1948 there were many conflicts between jews and arabs, but what some reviewers here fail to highlight is the very critical timeline of the conflict: no arab ever had a problem with jews prior to 1948, prior to when israel took what was without any interpretation arab land and declared itself a country. did the reviewers even read what they wrote? the grouping of the arabs against the jews was nothing other than solidarity with their kinsmen for losing their land to a newly-, arbitrarily-created country. imagine if a group of muslims joined the significant muslim population in an american city, suddenly declared themselves a country, then cried about the injustice of "all the american states unifying against them"...ludicrous to expect otherwise. Of course this book doesn't portray EVERYTHING, but if it portrays the conflict somewhat favorably towards palestinians, it is because that's the way the facts played out. Some israelis think that an unbiased report means a neutral report, most are willing to accept some fault for starting the whole mess.

This book should be required reading for whoever becomes President, or anyone else who needs to understand what happened between Israel and Palestine. This is the fairest accounting that I have ever read.

This is a sublime work of art, made all the more so by its complete factual accuracy. Sure, Sandy picks and chooses the facts he'll present, as any historian does, but every thought, every moment, comes only from historical records and interviews. And perhaps it's this plain "just the facts, ma'am" approach that makes the story so much more filled with pathos and tragedy.

I know of no other book on this subject that so clearly shows the suffering on both sides of the aisle. Most books are either clearly Zionist or focus on al Nakba and the suffering of the Palestinian people. Sandy doesn't take the easy road. He presents the longing and angst- and hopes- of both peoples. He shows us the struggles and poverty of Dalia's family, and their rejoicing on finally finding a home. He shows us Bashir's family's delight in the land, and the horror of seeing it stripped from them. And he shows us the greater suffering of the Palestinians in the last 50 years, as more and more land, life, and dignity are stripped away.

Through this history we see the Principle of Violent Mimicry, where we become that which we hate, as first the Israelis model Nazi practices, and then the Palestinians learn from the Israelis that only violence and terrorism can solve their problems. We see a clash of cultures, with Dalia locked in European Cartesian paradigms of "I think therefore I am,", and Bashir birthed into a narrative of "I reside therefore I am." And through it all we wonder- can there be any hope for change, for peace, for justice? Sandy gives us some glimmer of hope of reconciliation, but it is clear that it is not an easy hope- for this is real life, and not a Saturday morning special. This is gritty historical narrative, and more than ever, after reading this book, I think our only path out of this morass is the one blazed by South Africa.

The Lemon Tree is a true gem amid the harsh cacophony of literature surrounding the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. This compelling true story weaves together two histories--at once the histories of two families and two peoples--connected to the same house and the same land.

In 1936, Ahmad Khairi built a home for his young family in the Palestinian town of Ramla, which was then part of the British Mandate. As Ahmad's children, including his eldest son Bashir, grew up in this lovingly built house--with its majestic lemon tree in the backyard--the Eshkanazi family faced an uncertain future in Nazi-aligned Bulgaria. Though they could not have imagined it at the time, the two families' lives would become deeply connected even as history places them on opposite sides of a volatile conflict.

The encounter begins when Bashir, who as a child was forced to flee Ramla during the 1948 war, travels back to his childhood home following the Six Day War in 1967. To his surprise, he is warmly welcomed inside by Dalia Eshkanazi, an Israeli college student whose family of Holocaust survivors immigrated to the newly formed state when she was an infant. It is the beginning of an incredible friendship that perseveres in spite of the impassioned political disagreement and painful history that stands between them.

Tolan takes no liberties with the history, basing the story on extensive interviews and archival research. The Lemon Tree reads part like a vividly detailed novel and part like a history text, placing the moving stories of Dalia and Bashir within several decades of rich historical context. By blending these personal and historical narratives, the story offers a unique window into the conflict, beyond the political complexities and ideological abstractions. Tolan's retelling is sensitive to both narratives, empathetically portraying the traumas, insecurities, and yearnings of each side.

While The Lemon Tree offers inspiring proof that reconciliation and dialogue are possible, the book leaves open the question of how much these personal connections can impact the conflict. Although she sympathizes with Bashir and other refugees, Dalia fears an influx of Arabs and clashes with him over the right of return. Bashir, for his part, never recognizes Israel and insists that recent Jewish immigrants should "go back where they came from." Accused by Israel of being in the PFLP, Bashir is arrested in connection with a terrorist bombing; he denies involvement and is eventually released, but Dalia believes he is guilty. Later, Bashir reveals a hidden childhood trauma that sheds light on his enmity toward Israel. Both, especially Bashir, continue to show a fundamental mistrust for the other side.

Almost miraculously, they are able to sustain their friendship despite all this, and the affection and caring between them is genuine. While giving no easy answers, their story stands as a ray of hope for the possibility of coexistence in spite of a difficult history.

This is a readable account of the evolution of the Israeli-Palestinian situation during most of the 20th century. It uses a brilliant device of following a Palestinian who left his home as a refugee child when the Israeli state was established, and an Israeli who moved into that same house and grew up there. Of comparable ages, the two turned out to be exceptional individuals who established a long lasting if improbable friendship. The evolution of their lives, and the final use of the house with the lemon tree as a center for Jewish-Arab dialog, provides a counterpoint to the more traditional history focusing on politics and conflict. Those who are looking a peace-bringing solution to the conflict will be disappointed with this book, but those seeking ways to understand and empathize better with both sides of the conflict will like this book very much indeed!

This is a deeply flawed, biased , and even dangerous book as it has a veneer of credibility. Some aspects of history are accurate and the beginning of the book presents some almost balanced ,parallel views of what happened to the lives of two families who inhabited the same house after the War of 1948 . However,at the end of the book, the author lapses into a slanted polemic that is strongly biased toward the Palestinians. Throughout, the author recounts the imprisonments of S. Khairi the Palestinian protagonist as though he is an innocent , wrongly imprisoned by the Israelis. Real details of his work in the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestinian and its terrorist activities are not provided, and would be instructive . The authors selective inattention to detail is deplorable. Don't waste your time reading this book.

This well written book provides a wonderful insight into the Paletinian narrative. It takes a real human story to provide context to historical events and dates. Its fundamental weakness is its own belief that it is providing a balanced insight into the both the Israeli and Palestinian narrative. The books presumes that Israel is required to be the active agent towards resolving this complex battle, while the Palestinians are required to wait for that to happen. It emphasizes Israel as being a post Holocaust phenomenon, and gives an understated voice to the 3000 year historical connection that Jews have retained to the land, especially the Jewish (approx) 1000 years of full or semi-sovereignity of that land, crucial to the Jewish self-narrative. It frequently levels criticisms at Israeli actions, and is seldom critical of the Palestinians. While there are some strong and well articulated references to a left wing, pro- Zionist paradigm, and some representation of a nationalistic right wing pro-Zionist narrative, it almost ignores or grossly understates the myriad of other Israeli perspectives that fall in-between, and most probably represents most of Jewish Israel. The voice of the approximately 50% of Israeli Jews who herald from Arab lands are silenced. This is a good read to better understand how the Palestinians interpret their historical reality, how the broad left understands the concept of a balanced point of view, and to learn more about a cruel and complex relationship between Israel and the Palestinians.

Tolan's writting unravels the layers of this complex subjectmatter and allows us to see and understand the human experience on both side of the conflict.

This is a very readable book. It tells the personal stories of an Arab who returns to the home he grew up in and meets the current Israeli occupant. Tolan writes as he hears people speaking, without filter, but still subjectively choses what not to report. While he closely documents important facts surrounding the situation, he skips many relevant ones. There were Jews living in Palestine for centuries. The idea that the Jews came to settle Palestine simply because they were being persecuted by the Europeans is not true. Also, one needs to remember that in 1940's whole citys, and peoples were moved to different areas. That was the consequence of war. Also, from 1948 --1954, 750,000 Jews were expelled from Arab countries and their goods confiscated. Tolan sadly omits too many facts to make this book as even handed as he would like it to seem.

I was eagerly anticipating the much-touted "unbiased" viewpoint of Mr. Tolan. However, when the Palestinian viewpoint is expressed by one who has lived through the conflict from the beginning, and the Israeli viewpoint is expressed by one who enters Israel afer the "eviction" of the Palestinians, we never see the initial conflict through the eyes of a Jew. While the text reminds us repeatedly of Bashir's "humiliation" of losing his home, the book glosses over the impact of Israel's being attacked on all sides by Palestinians and Arab nations immediately upon declaration of statehood. Not once is an Israeli viewpoint/rationale presented for not allowing Palestinians back in after the war. The implication is there was none other than malice. Is this unbiased reporting? I could go on and on with examples of bias (e.g. the book's treatment of mutually-agreed-upon land sales to Jews by Palestinians, etc.). Perhaps this, in itself, is a window into the reasons why the conflict has yet to be resolved; our own agendas and passions inevitably come into play in presenting the evidence. Overall, a disappointment.

It's a good fairly objective book (although it's pretty much impossible to be truly unbiased in anything). It's definitely good at getting on two sides of this multifaced beast of an issue to cover. You'll never find a book on the Arab-Israeli conflict that everyone agrees on, NEVER, some people will always think Israel had a spotless and sin free birth despite the facts, and others will never admit the Arabs made mistakes and had selfish non-altruistic motives. For such a sticky situation, this book does well.

This book is a poignant story of the people drawn up into the Arab-Israeli conflict. It takes the premise that both sides have committed atrocities and both sides have been victimized. It does so by following both a Palestinian and Jewish family, linked together by residence of the same home during different periods. Each family learns to understand the other, but still a inpenetrable barrier remains between them.

THE LEMON TREE, by Sandy Tolan, is a historical perspective of the Palestine/Israel problems viewed from two lives, one Arab man and one Israeli woman. Their factual stories are given from the history of the land and the divisions made by outside influence. The U.N. and Great Britian were very involved in the partition and resettlement of the people of this area.

The two personal lives were intertwined by having consecutive lives in one house as "one home" for the two families. Both of these lives reflect on people of great faith, great education, and great involvment in the situation.

The author uses much research, factual relativity, and impartiality to his report. A very complicated situation exists and the book allows the information to understand the impossibility of the area and future peaceful settlement.

Although when I began The Lemon Tree by Sandy Tolan, I believed this book would be a balanced and nuances work about the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. The book opens with a description of a home which had been built and inhabited by Palestinians and in which Israeli Jews live after the 1948 war. Great, I thought! We'll see two sides of the dreadful tensions and violence in the region. I was disappointed by the time I finished reading because Tolan loads the argument in favor of the dispossessed Palestinians, barely mentioned the horrific consequences of suicide bombings and attacks on innocent civilians. One example is the reference to the problems in Gaza. Tollan describes the attacks by Israel as violent and gratuitous on the Gazans, and actually suggests that the rockets Hamas fired into Israel (after the Israelis pulled out) are harmless. Surely, the author doesn't believe that the intention of Hamas was to fire "harmless rockets" into enemy territory. Throughout the book, we see very little about the wars the Arab nations began, especially the one that immediately followed the establishment of the state of Israel. The 1967 war was initiated by the Israelis, true, but Egyptian forces were massed on the border. If that wasn't provocation, I don't know what is.

I am not sorry I read the book. I enjoyed much of it, and I was certainly more sympathetic with many Palestinians who suffered so much after having read Tolan's presentation of their lives and losses. The book would have been more successful for me had it been more balanced and honest.

This is an excellent book - extremely well documented. It affords the reader greater understanding of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. It arouses sympathy for those who have suffered injustice - also admiration for people on both sides for their resilience and determination to seek the truth. This book also inspires a feeling of hope through the compassion shown between Jew and Israeli. Would that more people could strive for understanding and peace!

This is well written and easy to read book that gave me a new perspective on the Israeli/Palestinian conflict using personalized research,including historical,familial comments and quotes from both Arab and Israeli sources.

This is both informative and engaging. A wonderful way to begin to understand the conflict in the middle east and learn the history leading up to the present day. Well researched. It reads much like a novel even though no events have been fictionalized by the author--every account was taken from real life accounts, research, interviews, etc.