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We Can Have Peace in the Holy Land

By Verna Noel Jones, Special to the Rocky

Published January 22, 2009 at 7 p.m.

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* Nonfiction. By Jimmy Carter. Simon & Schuster, $27. Grade: B

Book in a nutshell: Thirty-ninth President Jimmy Carter is nothing if not relentless in his dedicated push toward peace in the Middle East. The author wrote this book as a blueprint for the incoming president to help him resolve the conflicts between Israel and its neighbors.

Much of the book describes the history of this region since 1973, when he first traveled throughout Israel while governor of Georgia. He discusses his personal involvement and observations from that time through his presidency and continuing through the administrations of Reagan, Bush I, Clinton and Bush II. He also discusses the personalities and thoughts of key players in the conflicts.

The book concludes with a framework of steps Carter believes Obama must take to finally achieve peace in the Holy Land, including what to avoid and how to proceed.

Best tidbit: The "great" wall being built along the West Bank is much larger than many can imagine. When completed in 2010, it will run about 435 miles long and completely encircle the portion of the West Bank remaining in Palestinian hands, in some places cutting Palestinians off from grazing lands, schools and places of worship. Some cities, including Bethlehem and Qalqilyah, are almost completely surrounded by the high wall.

Pros: The book serves to remind readers in detail just how complex and maddening the region's conflicts have been for the past several decades.

Cons: The nine-page agenda for peace with which the book concludes largely relies on the Israelis, the Palestinians and others in the Middle East to make difficult compromises in order to all get along. But hasn't getting them to that point always been the problem?

Final word: While this serves as a good refresher course on the struggles in the Middle East, the book puts continued emphasis on the U.S. role in bringing peace abroad, though Carter acknowledges "from personal experience . . . the influence of our government is limited."