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How Many Time...I Told You- Reflections, Memories and Hope for Lebanon. 6-07 |
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The Tomato War and Theomachy. Edmond Nicolas 6-05 |
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My Journey with the truth. Gaby Khawam 4-04 |
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A Boy Named Germanicus. Ralph Paxon 4-04 |
| Burning Desire. Mona Kochou 3-04 |
| The Weeping Candle. Waleed Issa 2-04 |
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Inventing Home. Akram Khater 1-04 |
| www.lebanesebooks.com Great selection of books, music, videos. |
Only a few years into a career marked by dazzling early success, Tarek Saab’s
life took a dramatic turn with his selection for Donald Trump’s reality show,
The Apprentice. Viewers soon noticed something unusual about Tarek. Throughout
the chaos and pressure—including several boardroom showdowns with Trump—Tarek
displayed a forgotten kind of manhood. In a new book, he shares his hard-won
insights into love, work, and manhood and their source in a faith that is ever
old, ever new.
The biggest problem by far facing men in their twenties is the crisis of
manhood. Offering a completely new take on the so-called “quarter-life crisis,”
Tarek describes his reluctant confrontation with career, relationships, and
spiritual disillusionment and reveals the surprising truths he learned about
what it means to be a man.
A distinctly modern-day Confessions, Gut Check is the wry and candid
self-examination of a man whose life, despite its extraordinary twists, is full
of lessons for ordinary young men. Tarek’s captivating tale reveals a young man
with many talents and temptations whose saving grace is a relentless pursuit of
truth and the daring to be counter-cultural. Gritty, comic, utterly
believable—Gut Check is not the usual Christian fairy tale.
Gut Check is a manual for manhood lived the hard way. It
is a book for men who never read and for men who think they have read it all. If
you think you know what you really want, are you ready for a gut check?
Tarek was feature in our
Jun 07
newsletter. You can order his
book at
www.BuyGutCheck.com and his personal website is
www.tsaab.com.
Please share this at your club events or buy it as a gift for a friend.
Click here for books featured in past newsletter.
"How Many Times... I told you - Reflections,
Memories and Hope for Lebanon"
By Mr. Walid Maalouf
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Readers Reaction
"A fascinating book that chronicles significant landmarks in the
successful journey of a Lebanese emigrant to America, from a foreign student
who had escaped the miseries that had befallen his homeland to an able
diplomat representing his adopted country and a warrior for freedom and
democracy. An "Only in America" real-life story and a must-read for every
American of Lebanese descent. " |
"Mr. Maalouf's book is a testimony of how Lebanese Americans who are proud of being American citizens and grateful for the opportunities that the United States offers, still have Lebanon on their minds and in their hearts every moment of their lives. This book is about positive political activism -- an activism that is inclusive, one that rejects an "either/or" approach to national loyalty and embraces a "both/and" outlook. Mr. Maalouf's experience is one of an immigrant who is deeply loyal to America and who champions the values and opportunities that he has found in his new land and who wishes to see these values protected and nurtured in the land of his origin. Mr. Maalouf illustrates how the U.S. empowered him to fight for a noble cause: the sovereignty of Lebanon and the affirmation of its democratic heritage. This book is also about the unique experience of a young Lebanese man, from a small but beautiful mountain village in Lebanon, who rises to become a political player in the political hallways of Washington, DC. "May A. Rihani, Senior Vice-President of the Academy for Educational You can read about this book and the author on www.walidmaalouf.com. You can also order a copy online. This would make a great gift. If your clubs is interested in hosting a book signing event you can contact Mr. Maalouf at his website. |
|
Featured Book- I Will Prove
you Perfect
www.iwillproveyouperfect.com
The Wise Man handed the book to the couple and said:
You only read this book, if you think you know what you want to accomplish and
there is a strong belief in you that you would be able to do it.
You only read this book, if you refuse to do what you think is wrongful even if
everyone around you is convinced otherwise.
You must only read this book if you almost are what this book represents.
Do not read this book if you think, that the people around you should be
changing to accommodate you, instead of believing in working on a better you.
The author, Lara Bechwati is an architect who lives in New Jersey. Please
check the website for more information and to order a copy of the book.
www.iwillproveyouperfect.com
A Renascence of Heart and Soul
 |
 You can visit the
author's website at |
Just Published...
"Originality in Spiritual Revival—Manna for the intellectually hungry. Entice
your senses, quench a thirsty soul, witness a noble rebellion, feel the gentle
ache of solitude and surrender to truth!"— Halabi is legendary Lebanese, once
again. Her poetry is emblematic of a woman's self struggle to ponder hidden
truths. In classic Halabi style, her last sanctuary is ultimately resurrected in
her mind's eye, emanating, resting and sourced from her soul. She forces you to
wonder, to self reflect. Equipped in a self-inflicted war of words, her armed
struggle vehemently opposes the imposed wrongs of life, the wrongs of love, the
wrongs of destinies. Halabi's pain runs through veins bypassing the heart
towards the soul. Her poetry enables the imagination by means of inter-dependent
avenues of thought, critical thinking and an innovative integration of
reasoning, whereby one finds oneself leveraging from Halabi's "imagistic" words
seeking a truism towards an ultimate inner peace. Wendy Acho, Executive
Director-AMEAC Women Business Council.
"From the majestic mountains of Lebanon, Grace’s voice echoes in the valley
below. She takes us on a journey where love, pain, suffering, hope—all human
feelings are revealed in beautiful lines of insightful poetry. All is
experienced under the Grace of God…"—Karim El-Koussa , Author and 2001 Winner of
the Saeed Akl Prize for Literature.
As a passionate and pensive child, Grace Halabi, spent her childhood years
relishing the majestic mountains and the beguiling ocean of her native Beirut.
Her love for poetry is akin to that of her father, a linguist specialist for the
deaf and mute and an English professor, and that passion is manifested in her
collection of eloquent poetry and prose.
A Renascence of Heart and Soul, profoundly moving with its emotional immediacy,
highlights the vitality of her intelligence and the yearnings of her
imagination. A Shakespeare, Milton, and Khalil Gibran partisan, her writings
reveal a likeness to their wings.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Grace Halabi is a dynamic, accomplished and integrity-driven professional
offering over 18 years in the financial industry.
Multilingual, an accomplished writer, and a recipient of innumerable awards for
leadership, professionalism, communication and dedication, Grace’s integrity and
inspiration has afforded her the respect of all who know her. Grace believes
that passion is the driving force that propels her success train and that an
individual can leverage change far more effectively than most institutions. Her
success in the banking industry accelerated as a result of her convictions and
investment in self-exploration. Throughout her career, she has earned a track
record of success in managing business initiatives. Grace completed her
education in English Literature and is a published author. She was selected for
inclusion in “International Who’s who”. Grace’s expertise in managing the
creative process, motivating and empowering team members has given her the
distinction of being a leader who that rewards initiative, creative thinking and
teamwork.
Featured Book: Negotiate Like a Phoenician
 |
This book was released 2007. The author is Dr. Habib Chamoun-Nicolas in colaboration with Dr. Randy Doyle Hazlett. Below is the prolgue by MR. John Poff, Library of Congress. The book can be ordered at the following link http://www.keynegotiations.com/books.html |
PROLOGUE
The Phoenicians were Canaanites, the very same Canaanites encountered in Hebrew
and Christian scriptures, who reached the height of their cultural influence in
about 1000 BCE. The Phoenicians were traders who dominated the sea routes of the
Mediterranean, bringing a variety of goods to
many markets. Perhaps their greatest achievement was spreading the phonetic
alphabet across the ancient world. This greatly simplified the process of
business recordkeeping, which Chamoun argues was an important aspect of their
success as traders and businessmen.
Those of us living in modern, advanced economies often are in some confusion as
to what exactly
we want, perhaps because of the sheer abundance of options offered in the
marketplace. In contrast, when we look back 3000 years to the Phoenicians, we
have the sense that they knew what they
wanted and how to get it. They were persistent in achieving their goals.
The Phoenicians focused not so much on price, but more on intangible benefits,
which are more valuable than generally believed. They strove to create actual
friendships with their business partners, the friendship between Solomon and
Hiram being one good example. Chamoun documents
this relationship, using many historical sources. The lesson for the present day
businessman is that one
should try to think of creative ways to solve the clients needs needs which
perhaps are external to the present negotiation. Chamoun coins the term
TradeablesTM to capture the essence of this practiced Phoenician concept. The
way to discover your customers unstated needs is to simply
ask, then listen. This process itself requires investment, which may be
counterintuitive for all of us used to instant results. Chamouns multi-cultural
background makes him a good ambassador for a more holistic approach to
negotiating a deal so that both parties leave the table feeling that a fair
deal was reached. If contemporary business relationships are akin to ordering
ready-made Fillet-O-Fish sandwiches from the McDonalds drive-thru together, the
Chamoun way is to go out fishing with your business partner and share the catch
over a friendly campfire, perhaps with ample libation and
plenty of conversation.
If both parties are not happy, then the negotiation can scarcely be called a
success. If only one party is happy, then more likely the deal for one party was
a rip off for the other. This was certainly not the Phoenician way. The idea is
not merely to sell a product or service, but to create partnerships. The
Phoenicians wanted return business, and therefore pursued long-term
relationships. They made sure that their deals benefited their trading partners,
as well as themselves. In this way, both parties were anxious to keep the deal,
and the relationship, intact.
Negotiating is, or should be, a problem-solving process to provide mutual gains
for all. In fact, the Phoenicians frequently would give more than they received
in the short term, for the sake of gaining in the long term. Using TradeablesTM,
the ancient Phoenicians sought to build trust and bring business relationships
to a higher level. Read this book, and discover a better way of doing business!
JOHN POFF
U.S. Copyright Office
Library of Congress, Washington, D.C.
|
The Ottoman Empire ruled the Middle East for 500 years until
World War I. During that time Lebanese youth left their homes and the land
they loved in belief that God was in his heaven and America was on Earth to
protect the innocent. "Goodbye My Lebanon" was a tearful farewell of an eleven year old boy who was forced to leave his mother and family and the land that he loved. He came to America alone, in the care of new-found friends who opened their hearts and home to him. This is the saga of his life as he learned to cope with rural America. In this book Mr. Aboussie captures the story of his father. Mr. Aboussie studied law and went into business. He is listed in Who's Who in America and Who's who in finance and industry. He currently lives in Texas and just celebrated his 89th birthday. Please visit his website www.goodbyemylebanon.com read more about the book. There is information on how you can order the book and contact the author. |
Will the Sun Rise Again?
An attractive young woman, married with two children, will come face to face
with her first love after fourteen years of separation. Her first love story
started in her mother land Lebanon, a country that has exotic beauty and was
torn by religious war. Will she be able to win the battle between her beliefs
and convictions and her desperate need for love and attention? Or, will she
follow her burning desire, and lose her kids, husband, pride, and dignity?
Montaha Kochou, an Assyrian in origin, presents to the readers her second
novel. A love story that start in Beirut, Lebanon, the bride of Middle East,
and ends in the great city of Chicago. It is the episode of a woman who finds
herself on the horns of dilemma; torn between her devotion to her family and
her burning desire to be with her first love. A rather moral adventure where
faithfulness and infidelity meet half way.
This story takes you to moments of romance, suspense, spirituality, crime,
mystery, and adventures. You can read more about the book and find out
how to order it on
http://www.montahakochou.com/willthesunriseagain.htm.
This is the second book by Montaha Kochou. The first on is called Burning Desire. Please visit www.montahakochou.com to find out more about the author.
COPY THIS!
Lessons from a Hyperactive Dyslexic who Turned a Bright Idea Into One of
America's Best Companies
By Paul Orfalea,
Ann Marsh
A charismatic, heart-warming business memoir that’s filled with life lessons on
overcoming obstacles, Copy This! is a book for every business owner looking to
grow a company, every manager helping his team perform, every visionary trying
to launch a new idea—and for every mother and father of a child suffering from
dyslexia or Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder. Because Copy This! is the
story of how Paul Orfalea opened a small copy shop called Kinko’s in 1970 and
turned it into a $1.5 billion-a-year company, while barely being able to read,
write, or sit still through a business meeting.
Here is the story of a dyslexic, hyperactive boy who flunked two grades—yet
succeeded in using his learning differences as opportunities, molding the
compassionate, unconventional, partner-driven culture that allowed Kinko’s to
thrive, and made it, according to Fortune, Forbes, and Mother Jones, one of the
best places in America to work. In fourteen chapters narrated with the engaging
voice of a born storyteller, Orfalea takes as much pleasure in discussing his
shortcomings as he does his successes, and imparts the valuable lessons he’s
learned along the way: Manage the environment, not the people. Fail forward. Be
“on” your business, not “in” your business. Let your soul catch up with your
body. Keep a poker face—and a poker mind. And know when—and how—to walk away.
Which Orfalea did in 2000, having made millionaires out of dozens of his friends
and partners, after an extraordinary 30-year run.
About the author:
Paul Orfalea founded Kinko’s in 1970 and retired from the company in 2000. He
frequently teaches at the University of Southern California and talks to
educational and business organizations around the country. Through the Orfalea
Family Foundation, Mr. Orfalea supports a broad range of educational
initiatives. He lives with his family in Santa Barbara, California.
Little Book of Love Quotes
Compiled by Nina Abi Fadel and Caroline McCabe-Hariz
This book is truly a heart to heart, in that the concepts of love from the
hearts of these children will help to save the hearts of other children. For
each book sold, 50% of the proceeds will be donated to the Brave Heart
Fund at the American University of Beirut Medical Center (AUBMC) to help provide
financial assistance toward surgery and treatment for needy children suffering
from Congenital Heart Disease (CHD).
CHD is the most common birth defect and the leading cause of death in the first
year of life. CHD is the abnormal development of the heart, and while there are
at least 35 types of defects recognized, the primary causes of CHD are still
unknown. “No child should die from heart disease because of a lack of funds.”
This is the mission statement of the Brave Heart Fund and to date the Fund has
helped more than 165 children to receive quality medical care at the AUBMC.
Compilation of THE LITTLE BOOK OF LOVE QUOTES was taken on by Nina Abi Fadel and
Caroline McCabe-Hariz of Lebanon who asked 365 children, “What is love?” Their
answers vary from humorous and whimsical to passionate and inspirational[1].
Adults can sometimes forget the power and importance of love, and these quotes
are a wonderful reminder.
These quotes were selected from over 1400 quotes collected over six months. Beside soliciting help from schools, kids were interviewed at parties, camps, and home. Kids were asked "What does love mean to you?" Back came their replies which were delightful, inspiring, charming and from the heart.
The Brave Heart fund was established at the Children's Heat Center at AUBMC
in November 2003 by volunteers whose life have been touched by CHD. The
funds cover the cost of hospitalization and surgery for needy children suffering
from CHD irrespective to their sex, race or religion.
http://revolutionbooksellers.com/index.asp?menu=wp918200515198&page=wp918200515198&prodid=179#LoveQuotes
Carol McCarthy, Projects Manager
Revolution
Booksellers
60 Winter Street
Exeter, NH 03833
Phone: 800-738- 6603 Fax: 603-
772-7204
Email:
carol@revolutionbooksellers.com
Website:
www.revolutionbooksellers.com
Lebanon A to Z: A Middle Eastern Mosaic
Children’s book explores the heritage, culture and people of this small, yet,
important country
Lebanon A to Z: A Middle Eastern Mosaic is a delightful book that teaches
children all about the country of Lebanon and the incredible diversity, charm,
and vitality of its people.
With eleven-year-old Kareem as your guide, you get to take a journey through a
remarkable country filled with rich contrasts, geography, history, and natural
resources.
You will learn facts about this incredible country that will amaze you.
Lebanon is a small country of only 4,000 square miles. It is a little longer
than Long Island, New York and has only 131 miles of coastline from north to
south. There are only five major cities and the population of the whole
country is about 4 million people.
Beginning with the letter A for the word Alphabet, to G for the Lebanese
author Kahlil Gibran, going all the way to the letter Z for the word Zaffe,
which stands for a celebration of love and life, Kareem takes you on a tour of
this vitally significant country.
Did you know that when President John F. Kennedy gave his inaugural address in
1961, he immortalized the words of Kahlil Gibran when he said: “Ask not what
your country can do for you; ask what you can do for your country.”
Learning and understanding the Middle Eastern society is vitally important to
all of us today, and this book allows you to learn and experience the unique
foundations of the Lebanese culture and gain an appreciation for its strong
eastern roots and heritage.
This 76 page book takes you through a colorful tour across the land, dead
center in the cradle of modern civilization, visiting over a dozen locations
and unearthing layer upon layer of civilization from the Phoenicians,
Egyptians, Greeks and Romans, to the Arabs, Turks and French, and the ways
they shaped the foundations of modern Lebanon.
The clear explanations of the many aspects of the society are soundly and
solidly educational and provide all of us with greater understanding of this
important culture and a clear opportunity for multi-cultural exchange. The
authors deftly succeed in delivering a strong and heartfelt message of hope
that with knowledge and communication, we can transcend all the troubles of
the world.
Tatiana Sabbagh’s colorful and lush illustrations depict and covey the
intimate details of Lebanese life with great humor, sensitivity and respect.
Lebanon A to Z
By Marijean Boueri, Jill Boutros, and Joanne Sayad Illustrated by
Tatiana Sabbagh
8.5 in. x 11 in. 78 pages trade hardcover with color illustrations throughout
$25.00 ISBN 0-9744803-4-7 PublishingWorks, Exeter, New Hampshire
Available in the US starting in May 2006.
This charming book, written with sensitivity, introduces the reader to Lebanon
and the vitality of its people. It is indeed a mosaic of cultures that makes
Lebanon unique in this part of the world.
Nina Jidejian-Author and Historian
For more information and to read about the authors please visit
www.lebanonatoz.com
For Immediate
Release
Contact: Carol McCarthy (603) 772-7200
Media kits and review copies available on request.
Lebanon 1-2-3; A Counting Book in
Three Languages
By Marijean Moran Boueri
Illustrated by Mona Trad Dabaji
Lilting rhymes and luminous illustrations carry us through a lovely Lebanese
day in the mountains “en grande famille.” Children can count along in three
languages - English, French, and Arabic - while exploring the beauty and
family traditions of Lebanon.
This book features charming, vibrant paintings by one of Lebanon’s most
respected artists, Mona Trad Dabaji. These fascinating visual details of a
Lebanese home, along with the tri-lingual rhyming couplets bring a typical day
in Lebanon to life.
But most important, Lebanon 1-2-3 shows us how similar families are
everywhere. No matter where we live, children love to giggle and play, and
grandparents are ready with their kisses and embraces.
http://revolutionbooksellers.com/index.asp?menu=wp918200515198&page=wp918200515198&prodid=180#Lebanon_123
From Lebanon To California by Henry Zeiter, MD
Description
"This autobiography is a fascinating reflection on a life of experiences rich
enough for three men. A testimony to family, friendship and faith, it is, like
St. Augustine's Confessions, a spirited and frank account of the quest for
God. Dr. Zeiter is driven throughout his life to find truth, goodness, and
beauty, and it is particularly through the beauty and order of music that his
imagination is captured and he is brought to see even more fully truth and
goodness in their own intrinsic splendor. High culture is not some incidental
acquisition for Dr. Zeiter, but part of the nurturing of his daily life for
nearly three-quarters of a century, whether in Lebanon, Venezuela, Canada, or
the U.S. Dr. Zeiter reveals in his autobiography his wit (evident in his
healthy sense of humor), his insight, and his optimism, as well as his
intellectual and spiritual depth. This book is a pleasant reminder to us all
of the high destiny to which we are called" (Thomas Dillon, Ph.D., President
of Thomas Aquinas College).
Reviews:
Henry Zeiter’s autobiography is a compelling account of an examined life. He
tells of a delightful childhood in Christian Lebanon under the French mandate,
a world long gone. He brings to his examination a mind honed by broad reading
and deep pondering. He bares his thoughts honestly as he searches for
essential truths across three continents, in science and religion, in the arts
and philosophy, in family and society, and in the self-scrutiny that opens his
mind to the universal human condition, a quest that brings him to a final
phase of deepening faith and committed service.
—Reuben Smith, Ph.D., Dean Emeritus of the Graduate School, and Distinguished
Professor Emeritus of History, University of the Pacific
“It is a veritable pleasure to be in Dr. Zeiter’s company through the means of
reading his autobiography. What a tour de force! He reminds me of Maurice
Baring in the sense that he is awash with high culture. The reader is dazzled
with his knowledge of the finer things and the permanent things. This book
deserves the widest possible readership. In any event, I am in awe!”
—Joseph Pearce, author and distinguished biographer of Soltzenitzin, Tolkien,
C.S. Lewis, Oscar Wilde, Belloc, and Chesterton.
“I have been transported to Mt. Lebanon as I first knew it through this
charming book. The combination of reflections from seven decades on this
earth, and the evocative literary allusions in juxtaposition with memories
from the author’s childhood are warm and engaging. I can picture all the
places and people described so vividly, that I wish I could go back in time
and visit them all. A remarkable life story.”
—Ann Zwicker Kerr, author; Member of the Council on Foreign Relations,
Director of the Advisary Board of the Rand Center for the Middle East, and
Trustee of the American University of Beirut
A word from the author:
To my fellow Lebanese-American countrymen:
In From Lebanon to California, I wrote about my experiences of seventy years
on this earth, as a Lebanese-born who emigrated with his family to the West;
and I aimed to describe the adjustment we all had to make to a different
culture, while keeping our Lebanese heritage intact. This book is about each
one of us -- about our passion for life, our legendary hospitality, our
successes and failures, and about our pride in the country we come from. I
included many photos of Lebanon, within the text itself. Why within the text?
Because this makes it easier for the reader to see on the same page what the
author is describing in words.
If I may be permitted to use a cliche: this way, a book becomes very
user-friendly!
I then had the book reviewed by prominent Americans and British authors, to
impress on both Americans and Lebanese readers that the book is very worth
reading to all of us, not as an individual's autobiography, but as a microcosm
of everyman's life and aspirations. And most of the reviewers were in
agreement that the social, cultural, philosophical and religious thoughts,
experienced and presented in this book, are general and universal, thus
applying to all of us. An author connects with his reader, if what he says is
applicable to more than himself. Thus, every person will find his or her life
on every page of this book, particularly as the story unfolds. I hope you
obtain the book and enjoy it. As Baudelaire once said, "Lecteur! Mon semblable,
mon frere" (i.e. "Reader! My same self, my brother!")
Long live Lebanon! God bless America! Yours, The Author, Henry J. Zeiter
On behalf of Cedars USA we hope you share this book with your club members and
contacts. It makes a great gift.
You can order your copy or read
excerpts at this link
www.xlibris.com/FROMLEBANONTOCALIFORNIA.html.
You can contact the author at
drhenry@sonic.net
Review for Life’s Like That!
Ever wondered why Lebanon is such a crazy country? Ever asked yourself why the Lebanese can drive you to despair? Meet Fashion Victim, Plastic Surgery addict, Aspiring Politician, Corniche Jogger, Mobile Phone Fanatic, Daddy’s princess and their friends and get an idea of what the Lebanese are really like. You thought they were mad, egotistical, loving, delusional, grumpy, neurotic, superficial, generous, hospitable, workaholic,
corrupt, paranoid, arrogant and kind. Well guess what? You were right!
The 50 witty Lebanese stereotypes written by Beirut based British journalist Peter Grimsditch and British-born Lebanese writer Michael Karam, accompanied by satirical sketches by Maya Fidawi, gently poke fun at the Lebanese psyche. Fun, satirical and bound to bring a smile to your face, Life’s Like That! has been a number one seller in Lebanon since its release in December 2004. Those who have an insatiable desire for satire will be happy to hear that we are working on a second volume of Life’s Like That! with a new cast of characters. Volume 2 should be on the bookshelves by the end of 2006.
Life’s Like That! is available through www.Lebanesebooks.com
About Turning Point Publishing House
Are you planning a trip to visit relatives in Lebanon, or simply nostalgic for the homeland and wanting to find out a bit more about daily life in the country? Search no further …. Turning Point, an independent publishing house, based in Beirut, Lebanon, produces quality guides and books about Lebanon or on a Lebanese theme. We got started in 2000 and have been busy ever since, with several interesting book projects in the pipeline.
To date we have produced three different guides ‘At Home in Beirut’ – third edition to be released in October, ‘Family Fun in Lebanon’ and ‘Map ‘n Lebanon – Beirut’. Detailed, informative and colorful, they are a vital resource for any visitor to Lebanon and take the headache out of planning what to do during your precious vacation time.
Our humorous guide to the Lebanese called ‘Life’s Like That! – your guide to the Lebanese’ with fifty entertaining character illustrations accompanied by witty texts are certain to have you and your family doubled up with laughter. A fantastic gift idea for a Lebanese relative.
An activity book, Play and Learn about Lebanon, has been produced with 6-11 age group in mind with. Kids will have fun doing the puzzles, dot-to-dots, word searches, mazes and at the same time learn about Lebanon. This is a great resource for a school project about the country.
Our books are available at www.Lebanesebooks.com
Or please contact us at turningpoint@sodetel.net.lb
You can contact the author at ednic7@juno.com
or visit his website at
www.geocities.com/tomato_wr
The
Tomato War and Theomachy
By
EDMOND
NICOLAS
Book
Description
The
Tomato War and Theomachy
is a tale of
romance and history. Author Edmond Nicolas paints a portrait of life in Rasha,
his small village that is located in the mountains of rural Lebanon. From
there, he chronicles the yesteryears, tying together the repetitive effects of
history and warfare in the Middle East. Nicolas moves through to 1975, when
suddenly Lebanon was at war, and the Christian people were forced to defend
their lives at the outskirts of their villages. They suffered and fought alone
for their freedom against the same terror that the world witnessed on 9/11.
About the
Author
Edmond Y. Nicolas
was born in
Rasha, a small village in Mount Lebanon. In 1975, Nicolas was to enroll in law
school when a savage war broke out in his homeland. He graduated from the
faculty of law in 1984, while the vicious war for survival was still burning
in his dreams and the dreams of his generation. In 1987, Nicolas moved to
America while the war continued in Lebanon. His aspirations to write about the
war originated on the first day he settled in Austin, Texas. This was when he
learned how much the American people were sensitive to Hollywood dramas, yet
remained ignorant of the real dramas that persist beyond their opened borders.
In 2003, Edmond Nicolas married Vida Kabkab in Nicosia, Cyprus. They live with
A.J, their first-born son Andrew-Joseph, in Austin, Texas.
Book
Review
(By Joseph
Hitti)
Edmond Nicolas is yet another Lebanese immigrant whose achievement in writing
this novel will be in the tradition of many Lebanese writers who, having
journeyed from their small country by the Mediterranean in times of war and
turmoil to lands afar, feel the need to share with their fellow human beings
the complex interaction between their their multi-dimensional Lebanese
identity on one hand and their adopted cultures on the other. I witnessed the
growth and evolution of this story from its inception as an idea n the mind of
Edmond Nicolas, through the long and painstaking task of putting it into
words, and now to the day it is published. With a substance that is vaguely
reminiscent of the Latin American magical realism genre of Gabriel
Garcia-Marquez and others, Mr. Nicolas’ story takes you on a voyage from the
cruelty and ugliness of the Lebanese War that ultimately drove him to these
shores, through his own reminiscences of an idyllic pastoral childhood in
Mediterranean Rasha in the hills of North Lebanon (not unlike the childhoods
of many of us of his generation growing up in pre-war Lebanon), and on to the
fictional deliriums couched in the time of the Phoenicians, those ancient
Lebanese who invented the very same phonetic alphabet used by writers all over
the world today. Time seems immaterial as the web of these elements is woven
into the story, but with the trigger for the novel being the shock of the
September 11 attacks, we are always somehow reminded by the writer that
history, reality, fantasy and fiction can act in concert to define how we view
the world and how our spirits comprehend it. And as the prototypical American
immigrant, Mr. Nicolas does not shy away from expressing his sensitivities to
the inadvertent lack of knowledge by his American counterparts of the world
beyond our sea-toshining-sea America. But to me, the most wonderful of all the
little stories in this book is “Wedding and Election”, where Mediterranean
village shrewdness, sense of humor, and joie-de-vivre are reflected in the
tradition of those other Mediterranean story-tellers Alphonse Daudet or Marcel
Pagnol. For in the end, like Mr. Nicolas, after long years of exile and
separation, we all dream of returning to the village, to the stone houses our
fathers’ hands built on the hills, because we all know deep down that the
“America” we found in our adopted lands has always been there, in the places
we came from and which we left behind in our flight from the madness of war.
Because, unfortunately, in many places on earth, this eternal and constitutive
“America” is often assassinated in the hearts of men by forces not unlike
those that brought the two towers down in New York. To order the book, please
go to:
http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?isbn=0595336388
For more info on the book go to http://www.iuniverse.com/bookstore/book_detail.asp?isbn=0595336388
My Journey With The Truth: by Gaby Khawam
A Boy Named Germanicus By Ralph D. Paxson
A history based fictional tale describing life in first century Rome through the eyes of a young boy who visits the Eastern Mediterranean Levant (Lebanon) before military school to become a great general. This book is a "must read" for all who want to know more about the Middle East and Roman History. For more information please visit www.i-germanicus.com.
"Burning Desire" by Montaha Kochou
Montaha "Mona" Kochou of Prospect, IL introduces her first romance fiction entitled, "Burning Desire". The Assyrian native arrived in America in 1978 and has been writing for most of her life. Coming from a rich cultural background has been an added advantage in her writings.
The characters in "Burning Desire" were developed from the many countries and personalities that she has experienced during her travels but is set in Lebanon. With a vivid imagination, Mona has combined love, intrigue and passion to create a thoroughly captivating novel.
We wish Mona success. You can contact her at mona102255@hotmail.com.
"The Weeping Candle" by Lebanese-American poet, theatrical producer, director and actor Waleed Issa of North Hollywood, CA will enrich your library of philosophical thought and poetry as well as keep Lebanese culture and literature alive in your family. Consider giving the book as a Mother's Day, Father's Day or graduation gift. See the book's website: www.cedarpoetry.com for purchasing information.To Learn more about Mr. Issa please read the Jan 2004 newsletter.
Inventing Home: Emigration, Gender, and the Middle Class in Lebanon, 1870-1920
About the Author
Akram Fouad Khater is Associate
Professor of Middle Eastern History at North Carolina State University.
Book Description
Between 1890 and 1920 over
one-third of the peasants of Mount Lebanon left their villages and traveled to
the Americas. This book traces the journeys of these villagers from the ranks of
the peasantry into a middle class of their own making. Inventing Home delves
into the stories of these travels, shedding much needed light on the impact of
emigration and immigration in the development of modernity. It focuses on a
critical period in the social history of Lebanon--the "long peace" between the
uprising of 1860 and the beginning of the French mandate in 1920. The book
explores in depth the phenomena of return emigration, the questioning and
changing of gender roles, and the rise of the middle class. Exploring new areas
in the history of Lebanon, Inventing Home asks how new notions of gender,
family, and class were articulated and how a local "modernity" was invented in
the process.
Akram Khater maps the jagged and uncertain paths that the fellahin from Mount Lebanon carved through time and space in their attempt to control their future and their destinies. His study offers a significant contribution to the literature on the Middle East, as well as a new perspective on women and on gender issues in the context of developing modernity in the region.
Akram Khater,
Ph.D.
Director of International Programs, CHASS
Associate Professor of History
Harrelson 115 Box 8108
North Carolina State University Raleigh, NC 27695-8108Web:
http://social.chass.ncsu.edu/khater/personal