I'm not sure what it is with Leon Uris. Maybe it's just me, but I feel like every time I get through one of his stories, the ending just disappoints. That's how I felt about Armageddon and Topaz, and it's the same here.SPOILERS will follow: This book, dealing with the origins of the modern Arab-Israeli conflict, specifically in regards to the perspective of a Palestinian family in the 1920s-1940s, is not usually my cup of tea. But I had the book, and figured I'd give it a shot. Like my other Uris experiences, the initial concept is actually quite engaging, but I had bigger problems with this one.For one thing, the narrative style is erratic, shifting from third person, detailing the life of Haj Ibrahim, a Palestinian muktar, to first person (from the perspective of Ibrahim's son, Ishmael), to a more broad third-person narrator, describing global/political events at large. That's tricky enough, but on top of that there are some odd time jumps, backwards and forwards, in the first third of the book, which fortunately cease after a point. I also have to take issue with the theme of the book. It's largely a heavy-handed condemnation of Muslim culture, at least as far as the lower and middle classes of the Middle East are concerned in this time period. There really doesn't seem to be any attempt to portray the protagonists in a positive light, focusing instead on religious dogmatism, brutal sexism, and fatalism. Not to mention the fact that almost every character is portrayed as treacherous, hostile, and vicious. It's very hard to empathize with characters like that.Which is why the ending becomes such a problem for me. (Again, SPOILERS!) At the climax of the novel, Ibrahim, who has been a morally conflicted character throughout the book, attempting to find some means of peace and hope for the Palestinian refugees displaced by armed conflict, effectively gives up. His daughter Nada offends him by defying social and religious convention, which Ibrahim responds to by brutally murdering her and dumping her body in the gutter. Ishmael, the hero of the story, berates his father into dying of what appears to be an apoplectic heart attack, before descending into delusional madness and, presumably, death. The end. It's an absolutely depressing and defeating finish to a five-hundred page novel, that completely negates the characters' journeys. The only message I really got from Uris here is a mallet-to-the-head sermon of the failings of Arabic/Muslim culture. You're made to feel that at least one of these characters will have a future, but ultimately denied. And that doesn't even factor in some of the dangling plot threads - what becomes of Gideon, of Farouk, of Tabah - of the region itself - or the ongoing problems and conflict that lingered into the '80s (when the book was written.)Ultimately, I found the book a laborious read with an enormously unsatisfying conclusion. I was disappointed, because I kept wanting to like it (I never want to dislike a book I'm reading, since it's an investment of both time and interest), but try as I might, I could not. Reading a lengthy work only to reach a conclusion of "And then they all died and life was horrible, the end" is not a good return on my investment, personally. Based on the three Leon Uris stories I've now experienced, I don't really see myself seeking out more.
This book gave me a deeper understanding of Middle Eastern politics, Palestinian culture, and Islam. It greatly foreshadowed the current situation in the Arab world, and I think everyone should read it to develop a better comprehension of life in the Middle East. The story follows the life of a local leader, Haj Ibrahim and his family, namely his smart and diligent son Ishmael, during a period of great upheaval in Palestine. The arrival of the Jews and their attempt to establish Israel is at the heart of the conflict, but I didn't realize just how corrupt the reigning governments were. It is not only Arab against Jew, but Arab against Arab as hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are forced from their homes. Uris also details the fervor in which the Moslems decry and attack their enemies and how easily they are whipped into a frenzy over their beliefs. There is a strong contrast between the Jews, who live by love and forgiveness and who are willing to live in peace with the Arabs, and the Palestinian Moslems who live by hate and want nothing more than to murder and destroy Israel and every last Jew. The story of Haj Ibrahim and Ishmael is often uplifting in their determination to survive and return to their home village. The Haj is a fierce but resolute leader who challenges the status quo in the name of progress regardless of threats and intimidation. Ishmael is an extremely bright and resourceful boy who rises in his father's esteem despite being the youngest of his sons. But it is Ishmael's voracious appetite for learning that contradicts his father's wishes and creates inner conflict in Ishmael; does he remain a dutiful son or does he aspire to find a better life for himself? Other peripheral characters add great depth to the story. There is Gideon Asch, a powerful Jewish leader whose village is adjacent to Ibrahim's. Ibrahim develops an unlikely friendship with Gideon and determines that the Jew is the only one he can really trust. Ishmael's sister Nada is a strong and often disobedient girl who wants nothing more than to challenge her role as a subservient woman. She develops into a defiant young woman, who sacrifices her virtue in a blatant affront to her father. Other likeable characters include Ishmael's mother, Hagar, the Arab archaeologist Ishmael and Ibrahim befriend, and the young mechanic who temporarily becomes a part of their family. Of course, there are numerous detestable characters and enemies and villains abound. Throughout all of this, though, there is constant war. There are battles being waged against the Israelis, there are conflicts between governments, and there are uprisings within the refugee camps. There is constant violence and hatred that is enforced by the stringent code of Islam. It is unsettling to think people live their entire lives without hope. I have really come to enjoy Uris's novels and The Haj makes a great companion to Exodus. The ending of The Haj is quite abrupt and very depressing, but Uris's skill as a writer delivers the final excruciating punch well. I cannot emphasize enough that everyone should read this book to enlighten them on the culture of Islam and the mentality of the Middle East.
What do You think about The Haj (1985)?
The characters are well etched out.It is also true that the middle eastern leaders have a cutthroat policy, something whose absence would have helped the entire region to prosper rather than be stagnated in their present situation with uprisings and wars.While the book has shed some light about how the conflicts began right after the jewish resettlement into Palestine around 1920s, the entire story is a one-sided description where Arab muslims are depicted as inferior blood-thirsty sanctimonious fools, arab christians as turncoats, the British as supreme politicians, UNRWA as an impotent organization and so on.The only 'supermen' seem to be the Jews who have resettled. They fear no one. They can overcome hunger, they can not be defeated, they can be wronged but can do no wrong and more. Even the Deir Yassin incident seems to be a 'mistake that they did not want to do' by the Irgun in the book.There is more. The sexual acts of the protagonist who has also completed his pilgrimage indirectly nudges the readers to the thought, 'See, that is how they really are.'I hope readers who read the book will also read up on Deir Yassin massacre, Israeli involvement in Sabra-Shatila and other recent incidents, to realize that only one side cannot bear the entire blame for the middle east fiasco.The author also blatantly points out that 'Islam cannot live with anyone in peace'. That is a seed that can sprout out to be Banyan trees of hate and intolerance in the minds of many who are non-muslims and have never lived around any practicing muslim.In 2014, there are practicing muslims all over the world, who are living lives in complete harmony with people of other faiths.
—Tashfin
A certainly biased look at the origins of the Israeli/Palestinian conflict, as it was written by Jewish Leon Uris. It leaves doubts in my mind as a reader as to how fictional or nonfictional some of these events are. I understand it's a fictional novel, but the book spends a lot of time trying to paint the picture of Arab life in the Middle East. The more liberal side of me hopes that Uris has painted a falsified and horribly inaccurate picture because I wish people didn't have to live like that. The more conservative side of me hopes that Uris has painted a falsified and horribly inaccurate picture because I am afraid of what accuracy in this case might mean, especially regarding the Jewish community in Israel.I wonder how a book like this could be published if there isn't a certain amount of truth to what is being written.
—Matt
As I scribble through the comments on this book, I couldn't find any Arab person who've read it and commented on it.. and that in itself tells you something. Being an Arab myself, I felt extremely sad about the misery of our race in the last century. Facing our brutal facts as Arabs is the only way to hope for a change and a better future. Although my country wasn't as devastated as Palestine, but I think we had our take of religious wars and sacred illusions where religion mixed with politics and corrupted the entire nation. This book, and although it is very harsh to read, is a true representation of the story of what happened at that time. It also gives a great description of the Arab character. Although now its quite different, some villages and rural areas are still stuck in the stagnation of the past century. It is highly recommended for all my Arab friends and for those who are interested in the historian and cultural knowledge of the middle east in the last century.
—Naja Faysal
