Books › How to understand Israel in 60 days or less
How to understand Israel in 60 days or less
212 pages
A deeply earnest, watercolor-washed journey through the messy intersection of personal identity and geopolitical reality.
What it feels like
Reading this graphic memoir feels like traveling alongside a deeply thoughtful, slightly anxious friend who is desperately trying to figure out the world. The pace is steady and immersive, driven not by action but by the internal friction of cognitive dissonance. Soft, expressive watercolors provide a gentle counterweight to the heavy, complex themes of diaspora identity, inherited narratives, and the sheer impossibility of understanding a decades-long conflict in a matter of weeks. The tone is refreshingly self-deprecating and earnest, never claiming to have the answers, but rather leaning into the discomfort of having one's preconceived notions challenged. It is a perfect fit for readers who appreciate nuanced, politically conscious storytelling that embraces the messy, unresolvable gray areas of history and human connection.
- Mood
- reflective
- anxious
- immersive
- Tone
- earnest
- self-deprecating
- inquisitive
- conflicted
- Pace
- steady
- Themes
- cognitive dissonance · limits of tourism · unlearning inherited narratives · diaspora identity · political complexity
- The writing
- Conversational and deeply introspective, relying on dense, thoughtful dialogue paired with soft, expressive watercolors.
- The arc
- Begins with defensive certainty and anxious anticipation, gradually softening into a humbled, nuanced acceptance of unanswerable questions.
- Who it's for
- Thoughtful readers who love graphic memoirs that tackle messy geopolitical realities through a lens of vulnerable, self-aware personal exploration.
Content notes
- discussions of war and violence
- political conflict
- generational trauma
About the book
"Glidden, a progressive American Jew who is sharply critical of Israeli policies vis-á-vis the Occupied Territories, went on an all-expense-paid 'birthright' trip to Israel in an attempt to discover some grand truths at the heart of the Arab-Israeli conflict. This graphic memoir tells the touching and often funny story of her utter failure to do so."--Amazon.com.
Description from Open Library.
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