MEET THE ARAB

by John Van Ess ‧ RELEASE DATE: Oct. 21, 1943

An educator who has spent forty years among the Arabs and the Jews of the Near East, Dr. Van Ess speaks authoritatively, sympathetically, understandingly of a people who form one of tomorrow's grave problems. His main purpose is admirably achieved:- to show the Arab as intensely human, a good friend, trustworthy, generous, with agile mind and vivid imagination. He traces the place of religion, of language, of tradition in their history and customs; he differentiates the Arabs of city and desert, the minorities problems which they handled so well until others interfered. He gives pen portraits of their leaders, -- Ibn Saud, one of the most colorful personalities of toady; King Faisal to whom he promised always to tell Arabs the truth about themselves, etc. He describes some of his personal experiences among them; writes of adventures among the marsh Arabs; of pearl diving; of date raising; of Tel Aviv. He analyzes the various conflicting policies which actually created an intensification of the Jawish-Arab problem, and presents his own blueprint for post-war program in the Near East, a five state federation, with each constituent state autonomous, kept in balance through the Jewish state controlling their own immigration problem. An interesting and convincingly authentic presentation of a little known people.

Pub Date: Oct. 21, 1943

ISBN: N/A

Page Count: -

Publisher: John Day

Review Posted Online: N/A

Kirkus Reviews Issue: Oct. 1, 1943

Categories: NONFICTION