The author's Palestinian father became famous throughout the Arab world by broadcasting for the BBC Arabic Service during WWII. Here, the author delves back centuries in an attempt to come to terms with his family's - and his people's - past, giving a survey of the political and religious barriers that have undermined the pursuit of lasting peace.

Karl Sabbagh's Palestinian father became famous throughout the Arab world by broadcasting for the BBC Arabic Service during the Second World War. When the war ended, Isa Khalil Sabbagh covered the fateful events of 1947-8 and later became an adviser in the American State Department. In "Palestine", Sabbagh delves back centuries in an attempt to come to terms with his family's - and his people's - turbulent past. It is a panoramic survey of the political and religious barriers that have undermined the pursuit of lasting peace.