Although I thought would bring details about Hezbollah, barely mention them. However, has some good reference from someone living there. Write as a memoire, it can turn boering and too long for too few insights. Still, worth reading it, Morocco, Libya, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, Qatar/Al Jazeera TV and others, are deal in it.

MacFarquhar's book manages to both educate and entertain, and is a must read for anyone who wants to gain a deeper understanding of the Middle East. For those readers who have not yet explored the Middle East, the author's personal anecdotes provide an excellent and easy to understand overview of the wonderfully complex, contradictory, and often exasperating politics and personalities in the region. Readers who have traveled extensively in the Middle East will appreciate the author's deep knowledge and understanding of the region, and will likely be a bit envious of his access to such colorful characters. Whether you are an armchair traveler or have first-hand experience in the Middle East, you will certainly leave with an even deeper understanding of a region that is all too often presented as a black and white issue in Western media. (The chapter on Fatwas was probably my favorite - I have spent many a day hanging out with locals in various M.E. countries, and I cannot believe I have yet to have a conversation about this with anyone!)

I grew up in Beirut, Lebanon as a New York City born son of the representative of an American corporation, pampered by local standards but with pretty much the run of the city. Not since From Beirut to Jeruselem have I sat with a book saying, "he gets it," and "yeah, that's right." Neil MacFarquhar is a damn good reporter who understands tribes and the difficulties of trying to apply American and European ideas of democracy to Middle East societies all at once. He understands the difference between human rights and American civil rights, like the relative importance of freedom from the secret police and female suffrage.

He manages to make it all readable and takes time to describe for us some of the delights of that part of the world - like what we used to call, "Lebanese lunch."

Highly recommended.

This is a pretty good memoir, evenly balanced between material familiar to people who work or have worked in the Middle East, being enough primer so that the average interested reader will not get lost, and insights that even the most seasoned worker/traveler in the Middle Eastern will find interesting. His analysis is often good, but he occasionally makes assumptions based on information from only a few informants, or informants who are in the upper echelons of society. We can't necessarily blame him for this, as it is the usual way journalists on deadline compile stories. MacFarquhar is more sensitive than most journalists, more tuned-in to the pulse of the various societies he encounters. For example I much prefer MacFarquhar to his NY Times colleague, Thomas Friedman. But ultimately he is a Western journalist on a deadline and while this won't detract readers from the many pleasures of this book about a most complicated and multi-layered region, it did frame the way I read many of his stories for better or worse. I applaud MacFarquhar's effort and would definitely read his next outing.

As other reviewers here note, MacFarquhar did indeed present a prodigious array of anecdotes. And present he did - MacFarquhar's telling of stories on everything from former poppy-growing dairy-men to a Kuwaiti sex therapist was highly irreverent and often hilarious.

Along the way, the reader is struck by how backward the Middle East has become in the hands of the respective ruling classes. The stories of the pervasive role of the secret police forces and of the minority clans that rule countries around the Arabian Peninsula, eastern Mediterranean, and North Africa illustrate the hurdles that anti-corruption, pro-democracy dissidents face in rebuilding this region to its past glory.

For example, the book reveals the privileges that the minority ruling clans receive. Each of some 7,000 Saud-clan adult males receives a minimum stipend of $120,000 from the Saudi Arabian government, all for doing nothing more than waking up in the morning. This in a country with a median income of $18,855. With their absolute, unchallenged power comes these rewards and more, so any democratization will lead to greater emphasis on oil wealth shared with the people. MacFarquhar makes it clear that no ruling minority is going to relinquish power voluntarily and since they have the power to keep citizens down using draconian secret police and restrictions on organization and activism, change seems unlikely.

Contrary to the complaints of a couple of reviewers, MacFarquhar does analyze the role the United States has had in producing the current status quo. MacFarquhar is dead-on in his warning that the friend-foe-friend approach -- foe when a despot does something unhelpful to America, friend when a despot takes the US tack, regardless of the respective government's treatment of its citizens -- Washington takes has eroded the credibility of the United States to the point that continued violent anti-American extremism is likely to continue through yet another generation.

I totally enjoyed this book because I so want to understand the Middle Eastern mind. MacFarquhar grew up in Libya because his dad worked for an American oil company there. Then he learned Arabic and became a foreign correspondent in the Middle East. I was impressed by how he was not content just to chase bombings but sought out learned individuals to explore their thinking.

He concludes that American policymakers and the public should support Middle Eastern reformers by working for change within the context of each countries' cultures and values rather than imposing our Western values. We can do this by encouraging civil rights - free speech, free press, and freedom of assembly.

I thought this book was very well written and interesting. It was nice to read a book about the Middle East that was open-minded but at the same time pointed out where the problems lie, both in the governance issues of the countries themselves and the U.S. policies toward those countries. I hope that President Obama adds it to his reading list; the author's suggestions for low-key diplomacy play to his strengths and sound like they might actually work. Since nothing else we've done so far has worked, we might as well try it Neil's way!

In "The Media Relations Department of Hizbollah...," Neil MacFarquhar has written an engaging, funny, and moving account of the present-day Middle East. What most distinguishes this book from others on the subject is Mr. MacFarquhar's ability to take us into the homes of the citizens that often seem to be obscured behind the great bulk of the state, or in the shadow of the extremists. He takes us behind the sometimes-clinical language of news reports and begins to unpack the complex experiences of people around the region with a frank but deeply human tone. The author artfully renders the nature of the citizens' struggle in Saudi Arabia, Jordan, Egypt, and Syria, and, quite refreshingly, doesn't rely on the vocabulary of violence that has lately plagued most books on the region. For the lay reader, Mr. MacFarquhar unwinds the tangled threads of Middle Eastern politics. He explains the origins of the Muslim Brotherhood, puzzles over the information he receives in his many meetings with state officials, and travels through the streets of a divided Beirut. He makes visceral the experiences of human rights activists, web-savvy techies who are changing the nature of the political and social conversation in their countries, and poets and writers who use their words to enlighten and serve their fellow citizens and to push back against their oppressive regimes. In the end, the author's greatest accomplishment is revealing to readers the beating human hearts of his subjects. He explodes otherness in an effort to achieve a more real understanding.

I originally checked this book out from the library, but after reading it, I went out and bought it in hardcover as an investment. I know that I will return to it many times, and will lend it to friends eager for a keen-eyed assessment of the Middle East.

Even those not interested in the Middle East should read this book! Of the many books I've read recently about the Middle East, I'd put this at the top fo the list. It is a thoughtful, insightful, informative book and an easy read. I looked forward every day to the time I could sit down with it. And I'd recommend going to Mr. MacFarquar's web page to look at the pictures he has posted there.
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The Middle East and North Africa are of deep interest to me. Not hard to understand why: 9/11; so much conflict in the area; so little understanding of these cultures in the US (dare I say by the US government). When I travel to a new country what I really want to do is talk to local people. Neil MacFarquhar, a journalist, does this in fluent Arabic; he recounts many conversations that gave me a sense of how these people feel about their lives, their governments, and the US. Mercifully he stays away from the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and talks about countries from Morocco to Lebanon. The chapter on Lebanon. I will never forget Chef Ramzi teaching Lebanses housewives how to cook turkey for Ramadan. He did a daily TV program for the entire month of Ramadan. The English version of his cookbook is coming soon.

I love reading a journalist's first-hand account of his time spent wherever he/she was reporting. This book, written by a well-traveled journalist is an interesting and fluid read. You will learn a lot about the culture of Islam and the conflicting interests of many Middle Eastern countries.

I am an American and have travelled extensively in the Middle East since 2006. I must say that The Media Relations Department book is the most illuminating treatment of what is happening and not happening in the Middle East that I have ever read. Neil's travels take him from Morocco to Iran. Along the way, he finds the potential change agents in the different countries - those who resist governmental oppression and continue to speak out for needed changes in societies burdened by autocratic regimes. Neil interviews these heroes for human dignity and allows the reader to understand the human dimension of the current dramas in Middle Eastern countries.

Neil's explanations about the 1967 Israeli victory in the Six-Day War as being the start of Muslim fundamentalism's rise throughout the Middle East is very useful for understanding how things moved to where they are now in most Middle Eastern countries. Neil's explanation of how the mukhabarat - the security services - in Middle Eastern countries have taken on unprecedented power in each country for defending the status quo is extremely valuable. Neil provides numerous encounters with these security services. As a result, I now feel that I have gained an awareness for a dimension of life in Middle Eastern countries that I did not have when I was a tourist or occasional sojourner in the Middle East. I now better appreciate what citizens of Middle Eastern countries must think about on an ongoing basis - whether one's actions or words will prompt an "invitation" to come speak with the mukhabarat.

The book moves fast and includes humorous episodes (in the midst of daunting circumstances). I would recommend this book highly to those who are just beginning a relationship with the Middle East, those that want to know if there is hope for the Middle East, and those who have years of direct experience with the Middle East. The scope of Neil's coverage would help any veteran of the Middle East know about what is happening across the thousands of miles of this region.

This book makes easy but thoughtfull reading of the recent history and politics of a very important geopolitical region, the Arab speaking Middle East. The author's first hand, intimate and often sympathetic knowledge of the people and of the countries in the region leads to a valuable document. This book allows a deeper understanding of the individual countries' political situations, their peoples' aspirations and their political challenges; all from an external but obviously attuned viewpoint.
I recommend this book as valuable and informative reading for both Middle-Easterners estranged from their countries of birth and to Westerners trying to gain an understanding and a differentiation of the events and drivers that are present in the different countries covered.

I thought from the descriptions I had read that this book was primarily a focus on mistakes made by the US in dealing with the Middle East over the past 40 years. While there were examples of that in the book, if appeared to be a somewhat disjointed autobiography of the author...interesting, but not enlightening.

Neil Mac Farquhar has accomplished a great deal with this book by providing a fresh perspective on the Middle East, its peoples and their governments. Having grown up in Libya as a child of an ex-pat Neil learned Arabic and has a deep understanding and appreciation of the culture as well as what's implied when a colloquial expression is used. Being an Arab American myself, I found Neil translations quite accurate. His ability to point out how little we understand about the Arabs as people and how they differ from their governments is spot on. In many parts of his book, I laughed out laud in reading how bizarre are some of the idiotic ideas sold to the people. I have learned a great deal from his book about the Middle East, particularly about Egypt, Morocco and Libya. The level of sophistication used by Hizboallah in counteracting the US efforts is under appreciated by our government, as evident by the missed opportunities with Al-Jazeera TV and how the U.S. countered by launching Al-Hurra; which few pay any attention to. Clearly we've missed the mark. Neil points out how and where simply, effectively and clearly. You need to explore it for yourself and arrive at your own conclusion. I might suggest a different order to reading this book. Start with the first chapter, then proceed to the epilogue, then return and read the rest of the book in order. By the time you get to the epilogue again you would have had a deeper understanding of the three points Neil makes. How we, the U.S., can and should better deal with the Middle East. How our policies too often focus on expediency and short term goals, rather than lead to a long term solution, namely education, economic opportunities and consistency of message, i.e. we need to walk the talk not just talk the talk.

For anyone interested in the Middle East this book by New York Times U.N. bureau chief and former Cairo bureau chief, Neil MacFarquhar, is a must read for its insightful description of the region and its topical exploration of the prospects for reform.

As someone who lived and worked in the Middle East for about 20 years, MacFarquhar generously shares his experiences and unexpected encounters in the region, while cutting through prejudices and giving a more nuanced picture than is normally given in mainstream media.

As human rights activists, sex therapists, chefs, bloggers, academics and radicals are interviewed, there is an ongoing discussion throughout the book about the realistic prospects and real drivers for change and greater freedoms in the Middle East. The writer, and many of the people interviewed, stress that sustainable change must come from within and not through violent outside intervention. However, that doesn't mean that the rest of the world shouldn't encourage reform, they argue. But it has to be done subtly and with the understanding that other countries must do it their way (not necessarily the U.S. way). Civil society - human rights, justice, freedom of speech and education - is just as important and possibly resonate more than the concept of democracy.

Most readers of this book would learn a lot and probably recognize some things. But they would also get a good laugh as MacFarquhar gives a flavour of what it can be like working as a journalist in the region (both the lighter and darker aspects), while spicing his text with some of the dry yet playful sense of humour one often encounters in the Middle East.

The book's subtle tone and focus; its warmth and wisdom; its elegant and authoritative writing - not to mention its wit - make it a most enjoyable read and a great piece of journalism.

Living and working in the Middle East myself, I'm always interested in learning more about other people's perspectives and experiences in the region.

This book was engaging from the very first page and quickly drew me in. The author has obviously had some great adventures and some amazing opportunities during his own years in the Middle East. His perspective is balanced and informative and frankly, I learned a lot.

This book is not for those looking for sensationalism - this book is not about the roll of the Middle East in the "End of the World". This book is not for those looking to cement their own political opinions - i.e. "down with Israel" or "down with Hamas". This book is not for those looking to solidify their views of either the "noble savage" (to use an antiquated term) or the ignorant bedouin. This book looks at people as individuals who have their own culture and view OF their own culture.

It does talk about some despotic governments but even then the book remains informative and judgement rests lightly allowing the reader to come to their own conclusions.

I highly recommend this book to anyone who seeks to learn more about this intriguing part of the world.

"The Media Relations Department of Hizbollah Wishes You a Happy Birthday: Unexpected Encounters in the Changing Middle East" provides a New York Times journalist's experiences in the changing region. Neil MacFarquhar worked in the region since the 1970s and is the perfect choice to document its transitions based on personal experience. His focus is on lesser-known men and women pioneering political and social change, making this a vivid survey and a 'must' for any collection strong in contemporary Middle East events.

Neil MacFarquhar's excursion through the Middle East provides a sad reminder of how little Western countries have accomplished in understanding Muslim societies and in providing the kind of help they need to join the 21st century. With a keen correspondent's eye, he shows how powerful rulers choke the life and aspirations out of citizens who want only the basic freedoms Westerners often take for granted. In asking whether the Middle East can change, MacFarquar shows how the enduring cycles of violence, religious zealotry and rule by intimidation deny average people normal, productive lives. The book is rich with poignant ironies and humor, telling human stories from countries with inhuman policies. A must read for anyone trying to make sense of the Middle East and why western policies have failed.

A lot of this material--especially those chapters discussing trends in Islamic jursiprudence-- seems very familiar with no definitive groundbreaking revelations. The middle east characters he spoke with are generally unsypmathetic and unappealing hardliners who seem to have little interest in engaging and accepting those outside of their insular religious values. Additionally, the women in these countries are severely oppressed, despite efforts of the religious hierarchy to glamourize and rationalize their persecution. Written in a someowhat breezy, personal and familiar style, the text itself is nonethelss dry and likely to appeal narrowly to those who closely follow contemporary middle east religious and political developments.

I would strongly recommend this book to anybody who wants to better understand the region and its politics. With his long and wide ranging experience in the region and fluency in Arabic, MacFarquhar provides an insightful analysis of the complex processes of political and social change across the region. Many of the stories of individuals leading these changes are depressing as they encounter harsh treatment by heavy handed regimes. Yet he finishes with a sense of optimism about the future, provided Western governments also alter their misguided policies toward the region.

I'm still processing the content and will undoubtedly go back for a re-read, but first I want to express my appreciation of the book on several levels. The information conveyed and the reportage are terrific. I learned much I did not know about the details of Lebanese/Syrian interaction and filled massive gaps in my knowledge of Bahrain. I recognized the extremists seeking religious rulings on the most minute items and easily made the connection to their counterparts outside the Islamic world.
I enjoyed the personal stories with which the author seasons the mix. Distributed Thanksgiving cooking in Israel, covert dog sales in Iran, controversial soaps in Saudi, and the sometimes bizarro world that is Libya (both in context of the author's growing up and in his return visit) make for engaging narratives.
So: good reporting and good stories, but where I truly love the book is where the author allows himself to wax lyrical and paint a full sensory picture. Lingering in a café, shopping in a bazaar, enjoying the latest delicacy, all these beautiful images help me understand the emotional bonds he has with the area much better than reporting stories, even personal ones, could.

Read, learn and enjoy.

The best thing about this book is how it plays the Middle Eastern Authorities and their minority status against people who just want a future for their families. This is something we don't hear much about in the US because it is not as exciting or tragic as as a bomb going off. This book was an embarrassing reminder of just how much the jaded reporting on the MIddle East has done to my way of thinking. No, not everybody is crazy. Everybody wants a future for their children. Some of us get it. Some of us don't. MacFarquhar does a stellar job taking the fiction out of the Arab world. I want updates on everyone he talked to in this book. How is it all going to end?

A truly excellent book.

The Media Relations Department of Hizbollah is a fantastic journey into the life of an American journalist in the Middle East. The author provides amusing anecdotes about his years in Arab countries ( from cooking one Thankgiving dinner in several ovens around town, to standing in the heat for hours waiting for Muammar Qadhafi). However, he still manages to educate his reader about the variety of Arabs he encountered. He isn't afraid to point out the problems with censorship, secret-police states, and ultra-religious Islamic governments. But, most promisingly, he found a considerable number of Middle-Easterners who really want change and modernization in their countries. The author manages to both entertain and educate his reader on topics which are in the forefront of the news each day. Definitely a great read!!

I picked up your book and laughed about the veggies
in clorox water, the stills....The last paragraph of chapter two says it
all. I guess most of us who grew up the way we did, live with that
undefinable feeling that nowhere is home - and everywhere is
home.

This book is readable and entertaining. It is not sensationalist and does not contradict anything I've read elsewhere about the Middle East. It offers the kind solid, sober understanding that every American should have.

This book is really good for those who want a more unbiased & in depth view into the Middle East & North Africa. The author's experience in the region is quite evident in this tome. In the USA we have been conditioned to demonize the Middle East & characterize the region as turbulent & troublesome. The author is able to dispel those erroneous ideas and put a more human face on many of the valiant & brave souls in the region who do yearn for a more open, democratic government & way of life. Neil's experience as a newspaper reporter is evident in the way the book is written. It is clear & well constructed, not obtuse or text book dull. Great read!

MacFarqhuar has written a wonderful book that takes a deceptively personal and light approach into the world of the Middle East, but then delivers a deeply insightful and important contribution. After years of reporting headlines news from the region, filled with serious and often deadly events, he now fills in the lines with personal and intriguing stories of everyday life. The chapter on fatwas is a standout example because it explains something amazingly foreign, alien and often hilarious -- and leaves the reader with a richer understanding of the role of religion in that society. His profiles of important countries, dictatorial dynasties, and brave reformers all combine to draw an image that a dry rendition could completely miss.

I hope many, many people read this book. While there are no easy answers, much better understanding can only help.

A must read for all Middle East expats and those who want to understand the wonderful mind of the Arab. Like Neil MacFarquhar I spent my childhood abroad - Beirut, Lebanon - because of my father's work. I too had an enchanted childhood. MacFarquhar got the atmosphere, the politics and the characters spot on. I even learned something - that Lebanese Arabic is so very different from Arabic. Who knew? Thank you Neil for a wonderful trip down memory lane.

By the way - has someone sent a copy to the White House? This should be a 'must read' for the President and Secretary of State. Maybe by reading it a lot of potentially disastrous errors can be avoided by this administration.

Penny Thomas
[...]

Neil MacFarquhar has done something very rare here: he has given us a fresh view on the Middle East that is at once entertaining, based on long personal experience AND well-researched. That a book with "Hizbollah" in the title can make you laugh is an achievement in itself--but this book will make you reassess your views on what is going on in this key part of the world without making you feel that you are being beaten up or forced to take "sides" in a war that never ends. Rather, your eyes will be opened as to how the world is viewed from the Middle East.

The excellent reviews the book has received will tell you about the wonderful character sketches he draws from across the region. What I can tell you is that this is the book I am buying to give to my friends. After Obama's speech in Cairo, reading this book is a must...and a treat.

Neil MacFarquhar has gone where few Americans have dared to go--to the Arab and Islamic Middle East with an open mind. Maybe it's because he grew up in Libya, the son of an American oil engineer. Maybe it's because, as the New York Times Middle East Correspondent for many years, he's professionally wired for objectivity. Maybe it's because he's just a damn good storyteller, with a keen eye for detail and nuance. Whatever, MacFarquhar has written a witty and incisive survey of life in the contemporary Middle East, with deep dives into the worlds of Kuwaiti sex therapists, Lebanese hashish farmers, survivors of Moroccan political prisons and much more. He doesn't ignore the angry radicalism, the omnipresent secret police, the draconian limits on speech and assembly he finds. In fact he describes despicable acts in grim detail, unsparing in his condemnation. But what makes this book so important is that MacFarquhar manages to uncover a wide subculture of committed reformers from Cairo to Tehran. He leaves readers with a convincing case--foreshadowing Pres. Obama's inauguration speech--that the U.S. must hold out an open hand of support for all those struggling for decency in this all-too-often indecent part of the world.