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Reviews
Beyond Chutzpah: On the Misuse of Anti-Semitism and the Abuse of History by Norman G. Finkelstein
kaeli's review against another edition
4.0
This is a super informative and incredibly well-researched book. I do recommend it.
Some critiques:
If you are only going to read one book about Palestine, this should probably not be it. It is less a general overview of the subject matter stated in the title and more of a very long takedown of Alan Dershowitz. That said, the case study is a useful one and does lead to a lot of important information.
The writing is not the most accessible.
There is an anti-communist bias which sometimes gets in the way of the point Finkelstein is trying to make and feels sprinkled in randomly, perhaps as an appeal to American sensibilities.
All critiques aside, the research is really thorough and you will learn a lot that will be useful in arguments against common Zionist talking points.
Some critiques:
If you are only going to read one book about Palestine, this should probably not be it. It is less a general overview of the subject matter stated in the title and more of a very long takedown of Alan Dershowitz. That said, the case study is a useful one and does lead to a lot of important information.
The writing is not the most accessible.
There is an anti-communist bias which sometimes gets in the way of the point Finkelstein is trying to make and feels sprinkled in randomly, perhaps as an appeal to American sensibilities.
All critiques aside, the research is really thorough and you will learn a lot that will be useful in arguments against common Zionist talking points.
chandler_daversa's review against another edition
5.0
Beyond Chutzpah is a careful and thorough take down of Professor Alan Dershowitz’ fraudulent and plagiaristic The Case for Israel. The appendices are a delight for those concerned with historical truth in the Arab-Israeli conflict.
laurel00's review against another edition
Library hold is expiring and I can't renew it. Will be coming back to this.
magsnificent's review
Was reading it with my ex boyfriend. Needed to revisit later.
shiradest's review against another edition
3.0
While I am sure that this is a very important work, particularly since I was told quite firmly to take the link to the BeTzelem website off of my own website back in 2006, I found this book far too depressing to continue reading. I do not feel at full liberty, for personal reasons, to discuss this book any further in public, but it should be read by anyone and everyone who wants to understand the current problems with this issue.
roshfrosh's review against another edition
5.0
Impressed! Finkelstein does not only convince with strong arguments but also with a great methodology. The research that was done in this book is made so precisely that it unmasks "top scholar" Alan Dershowitz' lies and hypocrisy in a multiplicity of examples.
Besides of this: it is also funny to read. A slightly sarcastic touch in between the lines rounds it all up to an enjoyable read in the context of a critically discussed issue.
Besides of this: it is also funny to read. A slightly sarcastic touch in between the lines rounds it all up to an enjoyable read in the context of a critically discussed issue.
estark16's review against another edition
3.0
As a minority Jew in a circle of liberal friends, I often get questioned about my take on the Israel-Palestine conflict. However, my view has been fairly muddled and I could never produce a sophisticated answer as to why I felt so conflicted. In an effort to get up to speed on the various issues and views, I gathered up as many books on the topic as my library carried and started reading. Unfortunately, I can't say I'm any less conflicted, but the nuances now have more depth.
Finkelstein's books are primarily written as rebuttals to things other scholars have written on a subject. The book that is the subject of this review is primarily directed to Alan Dershowitz and his book, "The Case for Israel." Sure, there is quite a bit of background about Finkelstein's position on Israel and "The New Anti-Semitism" discussed in the first half of the book, but his attack (yes, I am using that word) on Dershowitz makes up the meat of this book. I don't disagree with Finkelstein's views necessarily (although, I'm hesitant to say I agree), but I didn't care for the execution. The feud between these two scholars is off-putting for me, and I think I'd prefer to limit my reading to something a bit less emotionally charged.
I would not read another book by this author and I'm hesitant to recommend this book to anyone other than those who enjoy exploring the heated arguments of contemporary scholars.
Finkelstein's books are primarily written as rebuttals to things other scholars have written on a subject. The book that is the subject of this review is primarily directed to Alan Dershowitz and his book, "The Case for Israel." Sure, there is quite a bit of background about Finkelstein's position on Israel and "The New Anti-Semitism" discussed in the first half of the book, but his attack (yes, I am using that word) on Dershowitz makes up the meat of this book. I don't disagree with Finkelstein's views necessarily (although, I'm hesitant to say I agree), but I didn't care for the execution. The feud between these two scholars is off-putting for me, and I think I'd prefer to limit my reading to something a bit less emotionally charged.
I would not read another book by this author and I'm hesitant to recommend this book to anyone other than those who enjoy exploring the heated arguments of contemporary scholars.
seagull's review
4.0
I can't say that I was always a fan of Finkelstein's rhetorical style, but the dude has some fantastic points to make.
@Dershowitz...
@Dershowitz...
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