Synopses & Reviews
A leading reconciliation expert argues that a two-state solution is no longer a viable path to create lasting peace in Israel and Palestine Disputes over settlements, the right of return, the rise of Hamas, recognition of Israel as a Jewish state, and other intractable issues have repeatedly derailed peace negotiations between Israel and Palestine.
Now, in a book that is sure to spark controversy, renowned peacemaker Padraig Oand#8217;Malley argues that the moment for a two-state solution has passed. After examining each issue and speaking with Palestinians and Israelis as well as negotiators directly involved in past summits, Oand#8217;Malley concludes that even if such an agreement could be reached, it would be nearly impossible to implement given the staggering costs, Palestineand#8217;s political disunity and the viability of its economy, rapidly changing demographics, Israeland#8217;s continuing political shift to the right, global warmingand#8217;s effect on the water supply, and more.
In this revelatory, hard-hitting book, Oand#8217;Malley approaches the key issues pragmatically, without ideological bias, to show that we must find new frameworks for reconciliation if there is to be lasting peace between Palestine and Israel.
Review
"[
Shades of Difference] is exactly what O'Malley set out to achieve: 'a portrait of Mac and of South Africa.' It is a striking success."
-The New York Times Book Review
"[O'Malley] is knowledgeable and sure-footed as he recounts this story . . . making a complex narrative on the whole quite clear."
-San Francisco Chronicle
"A groundbreaking biography of a central figure in the fight to end South African apartheid."
-Publishers Weekly
"Brilliantly written."
-Library Journal (starred review)
Synopsis
The inside story of South Africas anti-apartheid movement, told through the experiences of one of its unsung heroes, with an introduction by Nelson Mandela
A South African of Indian descent, Mac Maharaj was a potent force in the Communist Party and African National Congress for nearly four decades. Tortured by South African security forces, he served twelve years in prison with Nelson Mandela and was able to smuggle out a painstakingly miniaturized copy of Mandelas autobiography. He continued to play a key role in the movement and participated in the negotiations that ultimately led to a free South Africa in 1994. In Mandelas new government, he served as minister of transport. Drawing on extensive interviews with Maharaj over the last eleven years, Padraig OMalley vividly captures the experiences of this South African freedom fighter. By telling Maharajs story, OMalley sheds new light on the decades-long battle against apartheid as well as the more recent struggle to build a free South Africa.
Synopsis
The inside story of South Africa's anti-apartheid movement, told through the experiences of its unsung hero written by
Padraig O'Malley, the subject of the new acclaimed documentary The Peacemaker. The struggle in South Africa to destroy apartheid was one of the great moral crusades of the last century, and Mac Maharaj played a pivotal role in the liberation movement for nearly four decades. A South African of Indian descent, Maharaj suffered brutal tortures and twelve years of imprisonment on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela. It was Maharaj who smuggled out the manuscript of Mandela's autobiography, and he later served in his government. Based on extensive interviews with Maharaj over the last eleven years and hitherto unavailable documents, Padraig O'Malley's vividly rendered tale will enthrall anyone interested in a true story of heroism and the story of a people's struggle for freedom.
Synopsis
The inside story of South Africa's anti-apartheid movement, told through the experiences of its unsung hero The struggle in South Africa to destroy apartheid was one of the great moral crusades of the last century, and Mac Maharaj played a pivotal role in the liberation movement for nearly four decades. A South African of Indian descent, Maharaj suffered brutal tortures and twelve years of imprisonment on Robben Island with Nelson Mandela. It was Maharaj who smuggled out the manuscript of Mandela's autobiography, and he later served in his government. Based on extensive interviews with Maharaj over the last eleven years and hitherto unavailable documents, Padraig O'Malley's vividly rendered tale will enthrall anyone interested in a true story of heroism and the story of a people's struggle for freedom.
About the Author
PADRAIG Oand#8217;MALLEY is the Moakley Chair for Peace and Reconciliation at the McCormack Graduate School of Global and Policy Studies, University of Massachusetts. He has dedicated his career to studying and helping to resolve conflicts in Northern Ireland, South Africa, and beyond. He is the author of Shades of Difference and Biting at the Grave, one of The New York Timesand#8217;s ten best books of 1990. He lives in Cambridge, Massachusetts.