This memoir by an American journalist explores how entrenched notions of self, family, and tribalism dictate human behavior in our modern world. Salome’s work as a foreign correspondent, reporting from such places as Belfast, Kabul, Bosnia and Somalia, provided him with a unique perspective on the role nationalism and tribalism play in conflicts around the globe. While sweeping in its scope, the work bears witness to one man’s examination of his familial roots and ethnicity, and the ways in which tribalism is found lurking under his own roof. Includes 26 photographs, as well as maps to familiarize readers with some of the world’s most misunderstood and volatile regions.

Louis J. Salome won numerous awards during his 35-year tenure as a newspaper reporter and editor. He lives in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.

Louis J. Salome

Format: softcover (6 x 9)
Pages: 335
Bibliographic Info: 26 photos, 4 maps, index
Copyright Date: 2010
pISBN: 978-0-7864-4659-9
eISBN: 978-0-7864-5584-3
Imprint: McFarland

Acknowledgments      ix
Preface      1

1. Faces, Faiths, Tongues and Blood      5
2. Across the River and Into an Iraqi War      21
3. Jerusalem’s Soured Milk and Honey      50
4. Lebanon’s Cedars of Mayhem      78
5. Gender War Unveiled in Afghanistan      101
6. The Bumpy Tribal Road from Moscow to Tel Aviv      118
7. Riding the Rails and Crossing Borders      141
8. Crosses to Bear in Belfast      167
9. Somalia, Land of the Walking Dead      189
10. Desert Anarchy, Algerian Style      207
11. Bosnian Test: Who’s Your God?      227
12. Soul-Searching in Central Asia      258
13. In Syria, My Name Is Not My Name      281

Index      307

• “a potent distillation of the hard truths earned as an eye-witness to history…recommended”—New Hampshire Magazine
• “a sweeping tour of the world’s most contentious corners with a delightful and insightful guide, one of the best of a dwindling breed of adventurous foreign correspondents.”—Doug Struck, former foreign correspondent for the Washington Post and Baltimore Sun
• “[the author’s] knowledge of history goes deep and his explanations are clear and concise (though the intricacies will still make your head spin). With a mix of wrenching and amusing anecdotes, concise history and astute observation, Salome shows how human tribalism guides our history. This is a book for anyone interested in understanding our troubled times, and finding the humanity in war-torn places”—The Portsmouth Herald, Seacoast Edition